Underground Fencing?

[speedometer]

Hey everyone, I'm currently building a new home for my Sulcata, and planning has been a big long adventure!! I have most of the above ground features planned out already, but I can't start until I can answer my question -

Do I need to provide fencing underneath the entire enclosure to make sure my sulcata doesn't dig out? I am planning on building a partially underground hide for him, so I'm not sure if he'd still want to dig after that. It would be a million times easier if i didn't have to put a fence underneath, but I want to make sure Speedy is as safe as possible!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[wellington]

@Tom

 

[ZEROPILOT]

From what I understand, Sulcatas won't dig "out".
They might tunnel under, but come back out the same way.
Their burrows don't have an entrance and an exit. Just one hole.
However, I dont own Sulcatas.

 

[Yvonne G]

If he can see sunlight/daylight under the fence, he, or any tortoise, will dig at that location. So make sure your fence goes clear down to the ground with no space under it. They dig to make a burrow, but unless they can see under a fence, they don't dig to get out.

 

[GingerLove]

I'm not sure if they're like aldabra tortoises at all... but I hear that for aldabras, the fence needs to be a tad deep just so they can make a sort of "nest like" thing and then snuggle down in it. I don't think they borrow as much as Russians... but I also don't own sulcatas.

 

[Tom]

What Yvonne and ZEROPILOT said…

I've never had anything other than surface level visual barriers for sulcatas. If they dig, they dig down at bout a 40 degree angle and that one tunnel will be their entrance and exit. They don't dig down and then back up in a different direction in any case I've ever seen here in North America.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Do I need to provide fencing underneath the entire enclosure to make sure my sulcata doesn't dig out? It would be a million times easier if i didn't have to put a fence underneath, but I want to make sure Speedy is as safe as possible!
Thanks in advance!!

I, like Tom, have never had a sulcata dig "down and out". The only real digging I've had were for nest sites or what I consider "boredom" digging in corners. With the first situation, I simply make the spot easier to dig in, I live in an area of hard baked clay. In the second situation, I will cover the spot with a 2'x2' piece of 1/4" plywood. This stops the digging while I get a piece of plywood to round out the corner. here, in the background, you can see my sulcata fence. None of it goes underground. I made it with plywood cut lengthwise at 16", giving me three sections for each piece of plywood equaling 24' from each sheet. For a sulcata, 16" works great. They don't jump and being a solid visual barrier it stops them from trying to plow out. Short and easy to step over, makes care a breeze. I think it's obvious that these two certainly aren't trying to figure out how to get out. Sulcatas need space and food with water always there for them. I use what are called "contractors stakes" for the corners and wall support. They are those wooden stakes about 2"x3" ,2' long, pointed on one end, flat on the other for pounding. I put these outside the enclosure and screw the plywood walls to them. It works great for me.
Here is one of the contractors stakes I was posting about. Heckfire, I had to go out to the shed for this and it's like 12:58am now!
Hopefully this helps you. Please, if you have any questions, ask. All any of us would truthfully want, is to have you answering other's question and having them thank you.

 

[Gillian M]

I, like Tom, have never had a sulcata dig "down and out". The only real digging I've had were for nest sites or what I consider "boredom" digging in corners. With the first situation, I simply make the spot easier to dig in, I live in an area of hard baked clay. In the second situation, I will cover the spot with a 2'x2' piece of 1/4" plywood. This stops the digging while I get a piece of plywood to round out the corner. View attachment 184353here, in the background, you can see my sulcata fence. None of it goes underground. I made it with plywood cut lengthwise at 16", giving me three sections for each piece of plywood equaling 24' from each sheet. For a sulcata, 16" works great. They don't jump and being a solid visual barrier it stops them from trying to plow out. Short and easy to step over, makes care a breeze. I think it's obvious that these two certainly aren't trying to figure out how to get out. Sulcatas need space and food with water always there for them. View attachment 184354 I use what are called "contractors stakes" for the corners and wall support. They are those wooden stakes about 2"x3" ,2' long, pointed on one end, flat on the other for pounding. I put these outside the enclosure and screw the plywood walls to them. It works great for me. View attachment 184356View attachment 184357View attachment 184358
Here is one of the contractors stakes I was posting about. Heckfire, I had to go out to the shed for this and it's like 12:58am now!View attachment 184359
Hopefully this helps you. Please, if you have any questions, ask. All any of us would truthfully want, is to have you answering other's question and having them thank you.

Lovely pics Ken!

Thanks for posting.