HOW TO BUILD A TORTOISE BUROW

Every year, AZGFD has tortoises that need adopting. But before you adopt one, you'll need to make a proper shelter for your tortoise - and this video shows you how!
Producer: Diana Rodriguez-Beaugrand

[@joshuaradosavlevici5290]

I was just thinking about adopting a tortoise and this shows up on my KZbin page... it’s a sign.

[@azgfd]

Umm it absolutely is a sign!!! 😄 And we totally need people to adopt right now before the weather changes!

[@joshuaradosavlevici5290]

Arizona GameAndFish I wish I could but my backyard isn’t quite ready yet. I don’t have enough vegetation for it. 😞

[@Winu58]

It's Big Brother Listening ;-)

[@mps4259]

Not a sign, just cookies storing information and using them for ads and videos to show you.

[@vailian520]

It's an algorithm

[@drandy.youtubechannel1436]

Cool tortoises 👍👍👍

[@hike2bhuman110]

Right on AZG&F you rock!!

[@azgfd]

Thank you!!

[@MagixMusik]

I finished building the burrow today and submitted my application.... Fingers crossed i get approved😊. I used the cinderblock method cuz it blends better in the yard.

[@sonora6702]

How wide is the entrance?

[@v.torrez4678]

Ask them what you do when the monsoon rain comes and fills it up luckily ours wasen't in his yesterday when ur rained but now we gotta build another

[@MagixMusik]

I didn't think of the monsoon either and mine sure does fill up quickly. But Sofia seems to know to come out. Luckily it does drain in about two hours. But I do wonder how it's gonna work when Sofia is sleeping in the winter and we get a lot of rain....

[@MagixMusik]

@@sonora6702 I did mine about 13 inches.... Seems more than enough room cuz I have found cats in their with my Sofia hiding from the summer heat.

[@MichelleMartinez-tl5tb]

Great video! Thanks!

[@likitalks3680]

Super video to see

[@annetteramirez4073]

I have 2 5 year old desert tortoises. They have always lived indoors, but now since they're getting too big, I want to build an outside, permanent home for them. The questions I have, how big, should I have a heat source for them and lastly, can you recommend someone to build this habitat for them? (I live in the Sacramento area) Thank you. Annette

[@ScoobieSwisher7413]

Hello I am in the process of building the brick style for a juvenile, I am in the desert, it will have fine mesh for rats mice etc, I am just worried about roaches spiders and ants, are the a threat to the burrow and my tortoise? Any natural deterrence suggested would be appreciated, thank you, I'm looking to get a Sulcata or two.

[@andrewcannon205]

That was not a 45* angle, 45* is really steep.

[@regaldonneys876]

Hello there, I have a desert tortoise and need info on how to prepare it a hibernation enclosure. Should I prepare one inside or outside my house? Thank you

[@Yalla2A]

I let Mine make his one naturally his is way longer and he has to spots in there so let them make there one and block off the outside

[@josephrohr6119]

when building the Burow In the closed off space can there be vegetation Of native desert plants

[@excommando1]

You require an enclosure in addition to a burrow?

[@wilddesertgarden]

I tried building the cinder block home but the blocks kept leaning inward. I thought they might collapse in on the tortoise.

[@DeputySage]

I did the pipe burrow , my turtle doesn't use it though, still likes to find a spot in a corner somewhere in my yard to sleep. Last night I found him under the BBQ grill. Any ideas how to get him to sleep there? I let him free range yard.

[@danielashby9164]

Hello Sage, Im in the process of trying to make my tortoise a pipe burrow now. Any tips on how to acquire some 12in pvc pipe? It looks extremely expensive and I haven't come across it at a local hardware store.

[@everettferguson4320]

Mine free ranges in the yard too. Keys to happy tortoise: 1) in addition to regular food supply give them snacks so they have variety (mine likes kale and peas), 2) give them places to sun and shade to cool down, 3) let them have places to nap, 4) give them a place (den) they can always come back to that is just theirs ( because heat and cold aren't issues where I live in S. CAL, I've made above ground dens out of wood and I just converted a plastic dog house); the key is keeping it dark for them (I hang a towel over the opening with a small 1-2" gap at the bottom so he can go in/out whenever with little effort), and 5) talk to them a lot; they are very sociable animals and are attracted to your voice and your sent.

[@SteveM-426]

Can You Use Railroad ties to build your Burrow? Thanks, Steve.

[@bonitalukinich803]

I laid out the cinder blocks as described and filled in the blocks and put a board over but have been watching my tortoise and she is digging under the cinder blocks..My question is what's to prevent them from caving in on top of her? she's determined tp continue digging..

[@miriamdavis7844]

Bonita, I’ve been wondering the exact same thing and can’t seem to find an answer online but I’m thinking of maybe putting some 2 inch by 4 inch wood planks under the cinder blocks that is longer than the cinder blocks and would be supported by the soil itself a foot or more on each end. The only problem I see with this is that the wood will decay over time so if there is a pvc or plastic version of a 2 by 4 maybe that would work. Please let me know if you find a better solution.

[@K0WDB]

​@miriamdavis7844 you put down flat cider blocks on the floor and put the blocks on the rim of thr block floor so there no where to dig inside the burrow

[@manuelapenela1924]

I think you don’t want the tortoise to sit on concrete because it’s colder than the soil. If you put soil over concrete, they will dig to the concrete. Maybe a wood floor, knowing it’ll need to be replaced periodically. 🤷🏻‍♀ Personally, I have always allowed them to dig their own burrows but I understand that’s not what ASDM recommends / requires.

[@JANKARocks]

Ceramic tile on the floor then dirt on top

[@jp1052]

Would the cinderblock burrow be enough for 30 degree winter for 6yr old tortoise without heating?

[@atomicoats]

They usually say don’t let the tortoise habitat temperature go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If it does go below look into making a hibernation box for them in your garage or house.

[@lukem1961]

If someone finds one in their front yard in the middle of a populated neighborhood. Would they be able to keep him/her and register?

[@DakotaIWCC]

Leave wildlife alone.

[@zachreese6540]

Good plan. Let them roam into the neighborhood roadways and get crushed. Brilliant

[@Arizona_lilly]

My turtle is big I so t think that burrow is big enough I’m trying to learn to build 1

[@jordanzigler3162]

What if your tortoise is 40/50 lbs in size? These burrows look too small.

[@_samuel_6951]

I have one that's about 50lbs. She dug her own burrow a couple years ago, and ended up going to deep to check on her. I dug up her burrow and placed a large trash can about four feet down from the opening and filled the burrow back in. At the opening, I used hay bales covered in dirt. I also put a large heating pad under the trash can, with the cable protected by pvc pipe. Whenever we have cold nights, I can plug it in to ensure she keeps cozy, safely. It's a little bit of work, but worth it in the long run.

[@travelingva]

My sulcata is about 10 inches long on the bottom side ... are predators still a concern.

[@cb9018]

2 questions for the tortoise owners. First question.. Is there any other board I can use instead of the wonder board? I built a burrow exactly like the cinder block one in this video and what happens is the 3 boards kind of give in due to the weight of the dirt that I threw on top of it ( I kinda see that you guys were having the same issue towards the end of the video) My 2nd question is, I noticed you guys put a piece of tile to prevent further digging in the first circular burrow, but what about the cinder block burrow? My tortoise recently started digging further underneath the cinder blocks, I live in Vegas and it’s super hot out right now so I understand he’s doing it to keep cooler, I just don’t want the cinder blocks to cave in on him. Thanks in advance if anyone answers 👍🏼 🐢

[@angelasupak3531]

I was thinking the same thing

[@cb9018]

So I actually found solutions to both of the issues I brought up above. I took some videos, if you’re interested let me know 👍🏼

[@K0WDB]

​@@cb9018I am interested

[@sonora6702]

Where can I find 12 inch pvc pipe?

[@murphytoadster9864]

How do you entice them to actually wanna go in their new burro

[@v.torrez4678]

And what do u do when the monsoon comes

[@phaedra_culley]

Why a tile for the pipe burrow, but nothing for the cinder block? Wouldn't they continue to dig under the cinder blocks?

[@humpworm]

Too small for my Sulcata... 😢

[@Arizona_lilly]

Anybody can we pay to do this

[@br3fl3]

Wouldn’t they just burrow under any enclosure you make and escape? 🤔

[@Dovietail]

Caution. Tortoises can surely drown in poorly designed burrows, especially in monsoon rain flash flooding.

[@Arizona_lilly]

My title big

[@alwaysyouramanda]

Most of my Russians were born in my mom’s backyard ❤

[@Mymenagerie714]

I find it criminal the government tells you what you can own and what you have to do to be allowed to own.

[@sonias.5328]

This is terrible information. What makes you an expert on burrows? And why haven't all these peoples questions been answered?

[@derangedtortoise909]

They literly do this for wildlife all the time I trust them

[@sonias.5328]

@@derangedtortoise909 I didn't ask you, good to know you trust them, even though I don't trust you.

[@derangedtortoise909]

@@benjaminfitzgerald2037 my deseet tort has a nice big burrow

[@zachreese6540]

You seem pleasant