Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All

I have to 6 yr old Sulcatas , im in Sarasota Fl by the way ..... They live outdoors in an enclosure dug into the ground about a foot and a half ... it is 10ft by 10ft ... and is totally open .... They love it ... Fresh sunshine really wakes up a tortoise..... anyway ... they are getting up their in size ...id say they are between 15 and 20 pounds.... now .... here is teh fun part ... They are digging holes in 2 corners of the enclosure..... Im not sure what to do ..... i think "most" people would say NOT to let them do this , or to put a barrier up they can only go "so far " ... But .. The Marion County Zoo in Ocala Fl has seevral LARGE sucatas that are allowed to dig freely .... Yet can they escape ? What is the problem with letting them dig freely ? How far will they dig , when will they stop digging ? Will they stop ? Im not sure what i should do .... I would like feedback from people with true tortoise experience and not from those that "think" they know whats best ... i have been herping for over since i was about 6 yrs old and im 31 ... and ive seen alot of " know-it-alls that dont know jack ... YET they sure act like they do .... So , with that in mide please help ...!! Also feel free to check out my website www.SafariTom.com

I here that they love doggong. And ya! They dont stop digging. I was telled! They love looking for food. But that I dont know.
I do know they love pulling up roots. So maybe thats way your is doing that. And the cage you git is a nice one. True they will grow bigger whan they have a bigger cage to move in.I here from most breeders. Sorry I cant help out more but keep up the good work.

Good Luck
Joseph Nunen

I'm certainly not a "know-it-all", but I do have a large sulcata.
I'd like to think I know a little bit. I,too,live in Florida(St. Augustine). It's been my experience, and from what I have read, that the key is keeping the sulcata warm when necessary, and cool when necessary. If that isn't happening, he/she will be more likely to dig... This is not, of course, a fool proof theory. I have an heated enclosure for cold temps,and plenty of shade for hot days. As for the digging questions-sorry-I can't help you...My bog guy has not done any digging yet...And won't, knock on wood.

In the wild sulcata tortoises have been known to creat tunnels up to 20 meters in length. That's over 60 feet. It is necessary for survival in the sahara desert where they are native. It keeps them cool in the summer, warm in the winter. It's a natural instinct that they may or may not posess. If they have taken to burrowing in your enclosure then I'd suggest allowing them to continue as long as the winters aren't getting too cold. They will be fine with lows in the 40s, but beyond that their health is not guaranteed. The bottom line is that they will dig dispite your efforts to stop them. You could try to stop them and provide them with another cooling/warming environment, but if you chose to do that you'll be in for a battle. Instinct is hard to beat. Sulcatas are tough tortoises...I keep eight here in phoenix and have no problems letting them live instinctively by burrowing and scavaging for naturally grown foods. Best of luck.

Hi there. St Pete FL here. I have a few sulcatas, and some have burrowed. I chose to let them burrow until I could not see the bottom, then filled it in a little. I think its healthy for them to burrow, but I didn't want him to go too far that I would not be able to get him out if I wanted. Since then I have built several manmade "burrows", actually just logs making a tunnel, and they love that. Some still dig holes, but have not burrowed again. Try giving them things to hide under. I have also used dog houses, but take them apart and use both halves. So they have a top but still have the ground under them. And by the way, I don't know it all, these are just some ideas. Good luck!

Shawnon

Hey
Thanks alot for the responses ! The info sounds great ... Thats cool that your in St Pete , I was just there this morning ! well, i guess i will let my Sulcatas burrow.... will they make another exit out of their enclosure ?i started to back-fill their holes initially but they just kept digging ... i wonder if rocks at the bottom would make them stop .... Do you use an external heat source for yuors when it gets chilly?

Thanks Again !! Oh check out my website if ya get a chance www.SafariTom.com