YARD PREPARATION

Mounding the Soil

1. Slide the plywood into place.

2. Shovel soil onto the plywood, packing it down as you go.

3. Remove rocks that are more than 1/2" in diameter and pack the soil very firmly and continually as you cover the plywood, as in Figure 17.


Figure 17. Mounded, packed rock-free soil
helps keep out the rain.

4. When the excavation becomes filled to ground level, continue adding soil to create a mound above ground level. Allow the soil to extend onto firm, unexcavated ground for several inches. This helps to “seal” where you cut the surface.

5. Grade the surface of the mound so rain will not puddle on it. Add gravel only after the burrow mound is completed. Do not put any waterproof material or a roof over the mounded soil. It will make the burrow hotter.

Covering the Eave

Place stacked flagstone or bricks along the eave and pile soil behind them to protect the plywood and keep the soil and the tor­toise from falling into the burrow opening. Never use small rocks that the tortoise could knock into the burrow opening. The level surface of the eave allows the tortoise to walk safely without slipping and falling into the burrow opening upside down (Fig. 18).


Figure 18. Berm allows water to flow
away from burrow opening.

Creating a Berm

In front of the entire burrow opening, make a ridge of soil to help keep out flowing water. If built correctly, the tortoise will go up the outside of the berm and down the inside, directly into the burrow, as in Figure 18. There should be no depression in front of the burrow.

ABOVEGROUND BURROW

The aboveground burrow does not insulate the tortoise as well as one below ground so a dry, shaded area is a must. The burrow is built of cinder blocks with a plywood floor and ceiling. Soil is mounded at the sides and on the top to provide the necessary insulation.

Figure 19 shows an aboveground burrow. On the left the burrow is completed except for the covering soil. The right shows the rear view when the burrow is completed. This type of burrow will be at least 4' high and at least 10' x 6' at the base. See Page ii for securing Information Sheet #10, The Aboveground Burrow.


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