Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a rescued gopher tortoise and I need an idea on an outdoor enclosure that will properly contain her. She can tunnel like a tunnel rat so it has to be solid.

Hi Mike. I too live in Florida and love the gopher tortoises. I have rescued a few from the road and returned them to the wild. I would have loved to keep them, but it is illegal to keep them in Florida unless you are a licensed rehabber. Just wanted to let you know so you don't run into trouble later!

I keep gopher tortoises outside. As with most, if not all tortoises, they do MUCH better outside. I have 1.5 that are kept in an enclosure of about 1000 sq ft. They will soon be moved to a slightly larger enclosure. Currently I use the 2 ft wide stainless flashing, supported by 1x2s. The wood rots after a few years, so use something like rebar or other type of metal posts. The new enclosure will be railroad crossties, with the flashing lining the inside of the enclosure. I dug the flashing about 6 in below the surface. I have concrete lining the entire outside of the flashing, so I did not need to go deeper. If you do not, I would probably go about a foot deep. They do not burrow down and then back up somewhere else. It is one way in and the same way out, so them digging out should not be a problem or even an issue.

I have permits for mine, which are kept at school. Make sure you are in compliance with the law. The FWS gets lots of calls for tortoises that need to be relocated and need homes. If you can prove that you can provide adequate care for the long term (read... life of the tortoise(s)), then I think getting a rehab permit should not be a major problem.

I hope this helps a little. With so few people able to legally keep these tortoises, unfortunately there is not a large pool of people to use as resources. There are several good sites with info on the natural history of these tortoises, but not much on captive care. Definitely bookmark the Gopher Tortoise Council website (www.gophertortoisecouncil.org)

Mike
Sandalwood Gopher Tortoise Reserve

Hey man- unless the Gopher is injured, please don't keep it! Gophers don't get enough protection as it is. I happen to research Gopphers, and I know. I see tons dead on the road every day. Even if you have a permit, please let it go. Thanks- Brooks