I'm a rehabber permited to rehab the texas tortoise. I plan to make some new outdoor pens for them and was wondering if burying the sides underground one foot is deep enough for them. They don't get to be huge but do dig some. Is a foot deep enough? I have three right now and usually am able to place them without keeping them long but haven't been able to do that this year. I want to improve my facilities for them. I wish people would quit taking them out of the wild and bringing them to areas where the climate is not good for them (too humid). That's the problem we have around here. They escape from people and we end up with them and they can't be released back into the wild again even if taken back to their native area. They can't be adopted out to just anyone because they are a threatened species. (sigh)
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How deep to bury the sides of a tortoise pen?
Replies (3)
It is my understanding that Texas Tortoises are not real big on burrowing. I would think a foot is more than deep enough.
I'll bet they'd just LUUUUUUUUUV SoCal(nudge, nudge... wink, wink)
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care
anita,my TT's are kept outside 24/12. the fencing wire is stiff and i placed it directly on the ground. they dig next to the wire but never under it. they have a burrow for hibernating but spend the spring,summer and fall burrowed into the grass and weeds. what part of SW are you in?
I got the pen built and buried the wood sides about 6 inches. I feel pretty secure about them now. It's a really cool looking pen about 8x14ft. If I knew how to post a photo here I'd show you but I've asked that before and no one answered me. I'm in the Houston area, very humid, not good for TT's. So far all seem healthy. Don't know how long they will stay that way here. Are you in a dry climate?
