Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I'm currently acclimating my adult tortoise to the outdoors for the spring/summer, probably for good, now that that his outdoor enclosure has been built. The enclosure is 140sq/ft and surrounded by a 48" wooden fence, lined with poultry netting, and covered by a 10-14ft roof.

I live in Southern California in South-East Los Angeles County. I was wondering if there are any predators that I need to be careful of and how I should prevent attacks. Our area has seen very little coyote activity, rapid decline, over the last 10 years; not sure if I should still be concerned.

I'd think maybe, rats?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

This is tricky. First off, what kind of tortoise do you have? If it's a sulcata, I wouldn't worry. If it's a russian, you may have some concerns that need to be addressed. First, watch for skunks. These little guys love to tackle smaller tortoises. A friend of mine was unlucky enough to have one burrow under his baby sulcatas' fenceline and devour several of his youngsters. He was so upset, he stuck a spring trap in his backyard without thinking, and the following night, he had to call animal control to pick up the skunk. Skunks are notoriously adept diggers, so security is extremely important.

Rats can pose a serious problem if they begin to multiply. I solve this problem by keeping a cat around. The cat can't get through the security, but he will take care of those smaller "predators" with gusto. Other solutions involve glue traps in common stomping grounds. The best solution, however, is to make sure the rats do not have a reason to be near your tort, by keeping the area free of excess food.

Coyotes run about in my neighborhood, but I've never had a problem with this. Many birds can pose problems, which means overhead fencing is a must.