Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had this posted on another list and thought I'd share it here... I like the way it turned out.

Sulcatas get big and can dig big holes...

What you buy as a baby eventually grows to an adult...

An adult Sulcata will go where it wants... unless you can prevent it.
(that's a 2.25inch chain link fence)

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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Wow!

Big Critters!

Did you raise any of them from hatchlings?

What state do you live in?

Any idea how old or weight of your biggest one?

RS

Those belong to a friend of mine. They have a 1/4 acre pen. I believe the large animal with the baby is about 20 years old.
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Great pics! Thanks for posting them.
I especially was interested in the photo of the chainlink fence. That is exactly what we were afraid of which led us to tear down the chainlink fence & replace it with cinder block. We decided to do it this past March before our 50lb sulcata gets any bigger.
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PHRatz

There is a way around the problem with the chain link fence. Insert plastic strips through the links. I do this to a height just above the tortoises shell. If they can't see through in their everyday wanderings they seem to look at this as a solid barrier. I also use 1 inch 'tennis court' fencing which I think is stronger.

>>Great pics! Thanks for posting them.
>>I especially was interested in the photo of the chainlink fence. That is exactly what we were afraid of which led us to tear down the chainlink fence & replace it with cinder block. We decided to do it this past March before our 50lb sulcata gets any bigger.
>>-----
>>PHRatz
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

>>There is a way around the problem with the chain link fence. Insert plastic strips through the links. I do this to a height just above the tortoises shell. If they can't see through in their everyday wanderings they seem to look at this as a solid barrier. I also use 1 inch 'tennis court' fencing which I think is stronger.
>>

We had rebar buried in the ground which worked but even so our old chainlink fence was here when we moved in & wasn't in great shape to begin with. We have no idea how old the fence was but the sulcata adoption gave us a good excuse to just get rid of it then replace it with something better.
We do however have chainlink in the new gates but it's a thicker chainlink than normal residential chainlink, it's made to keep hogs penned in. Hopefully we won't have a problem with that when the tortoise is even larger than she is now, but because sulcatas push & push & push where hogs probably don't we still might have to use the plastic strips you've mentioned.
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PHRatz

nm