Tortoises in my yard!

Euclid

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Hi folks,

I bought a house that has a backyard occupied with desert tortoises. They tend to mill around and burrow on the outside of the yard where there are flower beds and exposed soil and away from the middle of the grassy area. A couple of things - 1) I have dogs. They are very active and sometimes they dig about the flower beds. They are bad dogs in that sense but not directly aggressive to the tortoises. One likes to lick them on the shell though. The dogs generally ignore the tortoises. However they are curious animals so they root around bushes and stuff. Due to reasons the dogs are more or less a finished product and are untrainable to not make the backyard a catastrophe. How much will this stress the tortoises?

2) Also, I live in the american southwest, but in the elevated area (Albuquerque) so we do experience a winter (think of ABQ as a warmer Denver). Now these tortoises have been living here for quite a while, but is there anything I can do to make their winters a bit nicer? I was considering constructing a small habitat (like 8'x8' area). I can go further into my initial design of the habitat if anyone thinks this is worthwhile. I also wanted to construct a sort of a warming rock, possible incorporated with the habitat. Probably solar powered. Not really sure which way to go here, but are there any do-it-yourselfers that have build such things?

Thank you for the help!
 

Sarah2020

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From what you say the tortoises are wild and in their natural habitat. If that is the case then they should have right to roam and get about normally. I would suggest fencing is put in to restrict the dogs access to them as a dog can crush the shell with no effort. I do not think you need to add basking but maybe more greenery coverage to protect them and allow them a safe habitat. We all invest 100's to maintain and look after tortoises of all species and you have them wild on your doorstep .... lucky you provide them a safe habitat.
 

Yvonne G

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Do you mean to say that the tortoises were left there by the previous owner and your yard is fenced, keeping the tortoises in?

If that's the case, these are NOT wild tortoises, but rather 'pet' tortoises and should not be treated as wild tortoises. It will be in your and the tortoises' best interest for you to learn all you can about them to make sure you're doing all that needs to be done for them. . . starting with posting a few pictures of them so we all know for sure what species they are.
 

Euclid

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Yes, the sellers of the house left them here. I guess they are not wild tortoises. I know nothing about them, really. Pics are attached. So far we have photographed 3, but we know there are more. Some are quite different from each other. I presume they are different species.

#2.jpg#2a.jpg#1, 2.jpg#1, 2a.jpg#3a.jpg#1.jpg#1a.jpg
 

TeamZissou

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Yes, these are ornate box turtles, which are native to the area. Lots of people in ABQ let them roam free in their backyard. That seems to be the primary method of keeping here in ABQ.

If you do not want them, I suggest getting on the Rio Grande Turtle and Tortoise Club facebook group and letting the members know that you have some available. People will definitely take them of your hands. If not, you need to build a secure enclosure so that your dogs do not bite them as Tom said. Turtles/tortoises and dogs do not mix.

There is a lot of info on this forum about building outdoor enclosures for tortoises that also applies to these turtles.
 

Sarah2020

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Thanks for the advice. I am going to halve the yard for my dogs and turtles. I'll be calling some masons next week to spec out a wall and gate.
Read the care sheet as they need water so you may want to include that in the planning ☺️
 

Euclid

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So people have commented on the interactions with my dogs. No one has commented on them living through the winter. I guess I don't need to do anything to help them through the winter? Just let them do their thing?
 

queen koopa

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So people have commented on the interactions with my dogs. No one has commented on them living through the winter. I guess I don't need to do anything to help them through the winter? Just let them do their thing?
Well I wonder how long they have lived there? If for a while, then the only new thing to their “habitat” is your dogs. The may be comfortable with their current outdoor situation so I would observe these tortoise living around your yard and then create an “attractive” hide and enclosure in the best place.
 

jeff kushner

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" Thanks for the advice. I am going to halve the yard for my dogs and turtles. I'll be calling some masons next week to spec out a wall and gate."

Now this is someone with their priorities in order....turtles/dogs= 50-50, okay, maybe 60/40, 70/30 space sharing?


Dogs don't need any more, right<lol>....it's cool that you are looking out for he little guys! Kudos' to you my friend and good luck in your new home!

jeff
 

Relic

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I know very little about Albuquerque or the soil type you have there, but box turtles are pretty tough guys and if you could make a nice little pile of leaves in a protected corner of their enclosure/yard, it would help retain some moisture (you might need to wet it down if conditions are really dry), soften the ground a bit, and give them a good place to burrow into and pass the winter months. If they are indeed long-term captives of your backyard, this is probably not their first rodeo...

PS - Keep an eye on the dogs. I had the most gentle German Shepherd God ever put on earth, but she developed a habit of jumping into the turtle pen and retrieving a box turtle to carry off into the yard and gnaw on - like a living bone - and did some minor damage to turtle shells. I tried using a natural repellent paste sold in pet stores called "Bitter Apple" on the turtle shells, but she licked it off enthusiastically like it was grape jelly. Finally, we had a rather stern meeting of the minds and she gave up her bad habit, but I never fully quit watching her...she was a sly one, that girl.
 
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Yvonne G

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So people have commented on the interactions with my dogs. No one has commented on them living through the winter. I guess I don't need to do anything to help them through the winter? Just let them do their thing?
They need to be down below the frost line, so providing a big pile of garden trash over their usual resting spot would be good.
 

Sarah2020

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As they are freely roaming i think to fully enclose would be wrong as they are either self sufficient former captive turtles or wild turtles. Agree provide piles of leaves and water and let them get on with what they have been doing and I expect they have well used burrows. Fence or wall is stopping dog access to the turtle side of your yard. I would not alter much other than enhancing the habitat also if you make them captive again then you have new responsibilities to care and maintain and it could stress them out. . Adding a shady shrub for extra hiding and shade may help.
 

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