YARD PREPARATION

4. Tie the light rope to one of the far stakes. Keeping it taut and at ground level, wrap it around the base of the other 3 stakes, and tie it off.

Making the Eave

1. Carefully slide the plywood forward squarely across the rope. If the plywood is:
- 8' long, slide it forward 15"
- 4' long, slide it forward 10"
- 2' long, slide it forward 4"
When the burrow is finished, the wood will create an eave over the opening by sticking up above ground level. See Figures 12 and 16.

2. Pound in stakes at the rear corners of the plywood.

3. Run the rope tightly around the 4 main stakes to outline the remaining 3 sides of the board.

4. The outline within which you will dig is finished. Set the plywood aside.


Figure 12. An overhang eave protects the
burrow opening from rain and sun.

Digging the Ramp

The ramp will become the shelf on which the plywood roof rests. See Figures 13 and 14. Rent a small electric “soil breaker” (available from Home Depot) to cut the dig­ging time almost in half, to about 4 hours for an adult burrow. We have found it worth the rental cost in caliche soil. Do not use water to loosen soil.


Figure 13. The smooth, rock-free ramp
slopes down gradually.

1. Start digging at what will be the deep end and work to the front. See Table 1 for how far down to dig for plywood of different lengths. Stay just inside the rope line.

2. Create a smooth, even, and very gradual ramp from the deep end to the rope at the front. It is important to dig gradually, not too deep. Once you break the soil, it will not support plywood that will eventually rest on the outer edges of this ramp. The ground must be kept firm for support.

- There will be room for only one person to work.

- Do not consider using cement blocks, pieces of wood, or boulders to support the plywood. Tortoises tend to dig under such things, allowing the roof to settle and pin down the tortoise or allowing the supports to tip over and obstruct the channel.

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