Turtle Leash?

[Crush da Baum]

I was doing some research and was thinking I could bring my tort out to my cow pastures (when the cows aren't there) to get some sun and eat some weeds. I was going to take a rubber band and tie some balloons to him so I would not lose him easily. Would a rubber band on his shell hurt him?

 

[vladimir]

I was doing some research and was thinking I could bring my tort out to my cow pastures (when the cows aren't there) to get some sun and eat some weeds. I was going to take a rubber band and tie some balloons to him so I would not lose him easily. Would a rubber band on his shell hurt him?

How large is the tortoise?

Your best bet is to make some kind of makeshift enclosure in the grass. It's too easy to lose a tortoise if they're not enclosed.

 

[jeneliza]

I agree, enclosed area is best, and the safe way to get sunlight and fresh air, however if you're going to leash your tortoises, buy a leash made for them, don't tie a rubber band with balloon on him, this could lead him to be harmed, and not being able have ahold of him, he could be hurt before you could grab him,

 

[Crush da Baum]

I have two 4 inches Russians. They live in a 6 by 3 indoor open tortoise table. Sometime this month or after this quarantine thing I am going to build a large permanent outdoor enclosure. I am clearing out an area in my woods and I am going to tear up the ground and plant some more of that tortoise supply broadleaf testudo mix. I was just wondering in the meantime if I could just put leash him up and he could wander some of the pasturelands (under supervision) I have to make his enclosure in the woods instead of in the pasture because we have about 30 cows and they plow through EVERYTHING! Even our benches, swings, and fences.

 

[Crush da Baum]

I agree, enclosed area is best, and the safe way to get sunlight and fresh air, however if you're going to leash your tortoises, buy a leash made for them, don't tie a rubber band with balloon on him, this could lead him to be harmed, and not being able have ahold of him, he could be hurt before you could grab him,

I leashed him and instead of a ballon. It is more of a protection from him getting lost, but I don't let him get more than 100 feet from me and I only let him out here for maybe an hour or two. If it helps, me, my dog, and the cows are out here too and even though my dog would never hurt a fly and is a big scardy cat, the coyotes still stay far from her because she is like over a hundred pounds, and they are scared of me because my dad shoots at them.

 

[MichaelL]

Personally, I wouldn't use a leash but I can't think of a definite reason not to. Also, an enclosure in the woods is not the best idea for so many reasons. The main one, it won't get enough sunlight that the tortoises need. Russian tortoises need LOTS of full sunlight to function properly. I assume in the woods it would basically be shade all day-therefore they won't be able to warm up- they won't eat if they're not warm- they will slowly decline. Also, there are so many predators around here in FL. Foxes, raccoons, opposums, etc. The enclosure will have to be VERY secure to block them out. We had chickens in a very secure enclosure and somehow, every day one would get killed and eaten. Our enclosure was so secure yet we could not figure out how the raccoon was getting in until the last chicken was killed. Once they find the food source, they keep coming back. So if they get your first tortoise, they'll come back for the second.

 

[jeneliza]

I leashed him and instead of a ballon. It is more of a protection from him getting lost, but I don't let him get more than 100 feet from me and I only let him out here for maybe an hour or two. If it helps, me, my dog, and the cows are out here too and even though my dog would never hurt a fly and is a big scardy cat, the coyotes still stay far from her because she is like over a hundred pounds, and they are scared of me because my dad shoots at them.

I would continue to use the leash, but I would consider the coyotes when do the encloser, because you are limited to the woods, they are very good at getting into things, you also could order a play yard from Amazon, or use chicken fences, and make a safe place for them to be in

Personally, I wouldn't use a leash but I can't think of a definite reason not to. Also, an enclosure in the woods is not the best idea for so many reasons. The main one, it won't get enough sunlight that the tortoises need. Russian tortoises need LOTS of full sunlight to function properly. I assume in the woods it would basically be shade all day-therefore they won't be able to warm up- they won't eat if they're not warm- they will slowly decline. Also, there are so many predators around here in FL. Foxes, raccoons, opposums, etc. The enclosure will have to be VERY secure to block them out. We had chickens in a very secure enclosure and somehow, every day one would get killed and eaten. Our enclosure was so secure yet we could not figure out how the raccoon was getting in until the last chicken was killed. Once they find the food source, they keep coming back. So if they get your first tortoise, they'll come back for the second.

I agree with Michael, on this one, plus redfoots dig, so I am thinking Russian's do as well, I honestly feel, a play yard with someone watching them , and housing indoors, would be best in your case given your set up, and having no where else but the woods, it just seems to be a great place for the wild animals to get your tortoises, better safe than sorry,

 

[Tom]

The leash won't hurt the tortoise, but because of the shape of their shell, it will also come off easily when they push through the brush, or get it caught on anything.

Do NOT trust your dog around the tortoise. Next to dehydration, dogs are probably the biggest killers of tortoises. No one thinks their loving docile family pet would ever do such a thing, and then one day they realize they were wrong. It is a sickening horrific discovery to make. Don't let the dog around the tortoise. You think you will be watching, but one day, you'll be distracted for just one second, and it will happen. Don't be the person that has to learn this the hard way. Please.

 

[Crush da Baum]

Personally, I wouldn't use a leash but I can't think of a definite reason not to. Also, an enclosure in the woods is not the best idea for so many reasons. The main one, it won't get enough sunlight that the tortoises need. Russian tortoises need LOTS of full sunlight to function properly. I assume in the woods it would basically be shade all day-therefore they won't be able to warm up- they won't eat if they're not warm- they will slowly decline. Also, there are so many predators around here in FL. Foxes, raccoons, opposums, etc. The enclosure will have to be VERY secure to block them out. We had chickens in a very secure enclosure and somehow, every day one would get killed and eaten. Our enclosure was so secure yet we could not figure out how the raccoon was getting in until the last chicken was killed. Once they find the food source, they keep coming back. So if they get your first tortoise, they'll come back for the second.

Yea, my grandmother ( who lives on the same property as us) has chickens and she loses them to coyotes a lot too. I was going to clear out a pretty large area and chop down all the trees in it except maybe one small one so they have shade. I found a place close to the house that does not have a lot of trees and gets direct sunlight. It is kinda like a mini meadow. The only problem is that it has some very think brush but if I clear it out and make an enclosure would that work? It gets direct sunlight and I live in Florida so they would have a lot of UVB. Also, they would only go there in the middle of the day for about 4-6 hours or maybe a little later on a very hot day. They will also have their t5 Reptisun UVB bulb in their cage so they will have UVB there.

 

[jeneliza]

Yea, my grandmother ( who lives on the same property as us) has chickens and she loses them to coyotes a lot too. I was going to clear out a pretty large area and chop down all the trees in it except maybe one small one so they have shade. I found a place close to the house that does not have a lot of trees and gets direct sunlight. It is kinda like a mini meadow. The only problem is that it has some very think brush but if I clear it out and make an enclosure would that work? It gets direct sunlight and I live in Florida so they would have a lot of UVB. Also, they would only go there in the middle of the day for about 4-6 hours or maybe a little later on a very hot day. They will also have their t5 Reptisun UVB bulb in their cage so they will have UVB there.

probably, however, you still will have to make sure it's very very safe, and a shade area, so they don't over heat, hard to say for sure, without seeing the area

 

[Crush da Baum]

The leash won't hurt the tortoise, but because of the shape of their shell, it will also come off easily when they push through the brush, or get it caught on anything.

Do NOT trust your dog around the tortoise. Next to dehydration, dogs are probably the biggest killers of tortoises. No one thinks their loving docile family pet would ever do such a thing, and then one day they realize they were wrong. It is a sickening horrific discovery to make. Don't let the dog around the tortoise. You think you will be watching, but one day, you'll be distracted for just one second, and it will happen. Don't be the person that has to learn this the hard way. Please.

Ok, I will be careful, and keep her away just to be safe. My dog is the largest scardy cat in the world and I don't think she would ever hurt anything. Just a little bit ago, I was walking her and she flipped out, pulled out of her leash, and ran back to the car because a little toddler had a big stuffed teddy bear. She is about scared of everything, cows, teddy bears, thunderstorms, and about anything that moves, but I know you probably heard stories and know much more about it than I do, so I will keep her away.

 

[jeneliza]

Ok, I will be careful, and keep her away just to be safe. My dog is the largest scardy cat in the world and I don't think she would ever hurt anything. Just a little bit ago, I was walking her and she flipped out, pulled out of her leash, and ran back to the car because a little toddler had a big stuffed teddy bear. She is about scared of everything, cows, teddy bears, thunderstorms, and about anything that moves, but I know you probably heard stories and know much more about it than I do, so I will keep her away.

Most don't intend to harm, but they are curious and tend to paw, and then bite , because they only have these things to check out something that they are curious about,

 

[Crush da Baum]

probably, however, you still will have to make sure it's very very safe, and a shade area, so they don't over heat, hard to say for sure, without seeing the area

I can take a picture when I get home, I am going to have a large wooden and cinderblock enclosure with a sturdy lid made of chicken wire. They will go in at night and a lot of the time, I will be out there on my bench doing my work near them. It is also on the path up this little hill about 100 feet from my house and the well, barn, and burn barrel is there and there is someone working in the barn a lot of the time.

 

[Crush da Baum]

Most don't intend to harm, but they are curious and tend to paw, and then bite , because they only have these things to check out something that they are curious about\

Funny story, when I was 10 I had a little Russian and I wanted to let them "meet" and become friends. I put the tort on the floor and she started to sniff it a little bit. Then it moved its head and she flipped out and ran downstairs. She is a weird one.

 

[MichaelL]

Yea, my grandmother ( who lives on the same property as us) has chickens and she loses them to coyotes a lot too. I was going to clear out a pretty large area and chop down all the trees in it except maybe one small one so they have shade. I found a place close to the house that does not have a lot of trees and gets direct sunlight. It is kinda like a mini meadow. The only problem is that it has some very think brush but if I clear it out and make an enclosure would that work? It gets direct sunlight and I live in Florida so they would have a lot of UVB. Also, they would only go there in the middle of the day for about 4-6 hours or maybe a little later on a very hot day. They will also have their t5 Reptisun UVB bulb in their cage so they will have UVB there.

Yeah that mini meadow area near the house would be perfect. Once the brush is clear, the tortoises will get tons of sun and weeds. We're fortunate here in Fl that we get so much sun and have so many weeds, just make sure 1. They can't escape, and nothing can get in and 2. They have a shady spot if they get too hot. Also, if you make it safe and everything, I think it would be great to let them stay there for most of the year. Mine are outside from the end of February all the way to around November. I then brumate them in the fridge so I don't even need an indoor enclosure. Good luck, and send pics of the area/ and enclosure!

 

[Tom]

...with a sturdy lid made of chicken wire.

Coyotes can get through chicken wire. Use hardware cloth or welded wire. Similar price, but much more effective for your purposes.

 

[Crush da Baum]

Thanks!

 

[Crush da Baum]

It is kinda hard to see from the picture but it is a pretty large space. Once I clear out the brush, and a few trees around the sides that are hogging up the sunlight, it would be nice. That is the well by the way. Here are my plants I am growing for them too.