I'm done...I cannot keep her contained
this is why
- Thread starter Maggie3fan
- Start date
She just wants to keep you young and on your toes
I recently had a big male that was constantly texting my ability to contain him. I won the war, but he won many battles.
You need posts in the ground and something heavy duty, like 2x12s securely fastened to the posts.
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One thing is for sure, Maggie.
You're not done.
You're not done.
yes I am...I cannot keep her if I can't keep her safe...
Wish I was closer so I could help you
OliveW
Well-Known Member
I'm so confused. Did she come up on your deck? 
Can they climb stairs?
Posts like this are just reinforcing in my brain how secure our permanent enclosure needs to be. Right now, Tortimer has a burrow so long that we can't find him until he comes out on his own. Thankfully, he chooses to come out many times a day. I am concerned that he's going to start digging UP outside his current enclosure, so we had to put plywood sheets over top.
Can they climb stairs? Posts like this are just reinforcing in my brain how secure our permanent enclosure needs to be. Right now, Tortimer has a burrow so long that we can't find him until he comes out on his own. Thankfully, he chooses to come out many times a day. I am concerned that he's going to start digging UP outside his current enclosure, so we had to put plywood sheets over top.
LOL. . . 'TEXTING Tom's ability' - I see what you did there!
did you see the "cat' he's giving away.?..look at his avatar lol
Yes, she came up on the deck. That's the first time she's done it...but my other Sulcata then would walk across the deck, down those stairs and up the street. Mary isn't that smart. But that is exactly why I make those posts. So keepers with a small sulcata can see what can happen. Mary is only 40 pounds now and she can break cinderblockI'm so confused. Did she come up on your deck?
Posts like this are just reinforcing in my brain how secure our permanent enclosure needs to be. Right now, Tortimer has a burrow so long that we can't find him until he comes out on his own. Thankfully, he chooses to come out many times a day. I am concerned that he's going to start digging UP outside his current enclosure, so we had to put plywood sheets over top.
Maddoggy
Active Member
wowza. Im starting to expand my enclosures and come up with a price effective way a doing it for a full grown sulcata and you guys are scaring me.Its hard to imagine how strong a full grown sulcata is until you have one
Your in for fun times ahead!
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I personally don't have that kind of patience.
A Sulcata is an advanced level pet. Very few people consider that when they buy their palm sized baby.
You're doing a big service by sharing this
Ain't nuthin gonna stop a determined tort. lol. And that's what I call determination!
A fully grown Sulcata can go thru sheetrock...I saw how one dug under the foundation of the keepers house and broke it all to heck, I saw one get stuck under a VW bus, so he lifted it up and carried it for some feet.... But for a grown Sulcata and you talk about enclosures..."in the wild" a Sulcata can roam about 20 miles in a day taking a bite here and a poop there. Walking like that helps with digestion, you gonna build an enclosure or just fence in your property?
lol
Yup - bulldozers!
So true!!!
My enclosure keeps this 200+ pound monster no problem. Plus a few of his friends. 
Keeping a large sulcata is doable but it takes the correct enclosure and building such an enclosure is not for the faint of heart for sure. I have several big guys that have been a challenge to keep in with other fence types. This type of fence has never failed me and I’m confident at this point it never will.
OliveW
Well-Known Member
We have 8 acres all fenced, but it's part wooded and part cleared and the fence looks like this:
Not exactly Sulcata proof, so we plan to build a concrete enclosure, as large as we can afford, next spring before it gets too hot to work outside.
We still take him on daily walks outside of his enclosure, and I'm sure we will always continue to do that. It brings us a lot of joy, just as it does him. He loves to explore and we all love to watch him do just that.
I do really appreciate you, and everyone else, sharing pics of what tortoises can do when they escape. We want to build the long term enclosure only once, and do it right the first time.
On HGTV I saw an episode of something where the people had a tortoise and it dug under their concrete patio and destroyed the foundation of the home. So I had some idea of the damage that can be done. But reminders area always good!
You can attach 1x12's across the bottom so he can't see out. And make sure no daylight shows at the bottom all the way around. If he sees daylight that's where he'll dig.
