YARD PREPARATION

ESCAPE-PROOF THE YARD

Securing the Fence

To make your yard escape-proof, fencing is necessary. Never tether a tortoise! A tortoise will try to get through a fence if it can see through or under the fence. At most, this may lead to escape, injury, or death, and at the least to constant fence pacing, frustration, and stress.

To eliminate the hazards from any fencing that a tortoise can see through (such as chain link), including fencing around your pool, install a permanent, secure, continuous, 18-inch-high baseboard. A tortoise should not be able to climb over or see under or through it. Where there is a wood fence, you will need to secure boards so they overlap the bottom of the fance and continue into the ground a few inches. No light should show through.

Installing a Gate Barrier

A barrier across the gate opening is very important. Install an 18-inch high barrier across the base of the gate opening so that, when the gate is open, the tortoise cannot see through or pass through the opening and people can easily step over the barrier. See Figure 8

Our recommended design allows the barrier to be slid up and removed if a large or heavy item must go through, but it must be replaced immediately. Wood merely pressed against the gate opening tends to fall from wind, a caught toe, or a hasty gesture. The wood should rest on a brick or concrete footing so no light show through under the base of the barrier and the tortoise cannot dig out. This barrier is vital to prevent escape when you are using the gateway or if the gate is accidentally left ajar. See Page ii for securing Information Sheet #22, Gate Barrier Construction


Figure 8. Gate barrier can be removed
for lawn mowers, garbage cans, etc. A
tortoise can't dig under or escape if the
plywood rests on concrete.

ELIMINATE HAZARDS

Tortoise Traps

You may be surprised by the trouble a tortoise can get into. Unlike cats and dogs the tortoise cannot cry out when struck, hurt, or in a life-threatening situation.

Items along edges. A tortoise likes to walk the edges of the property. It will attempt to climb over items in the way and may get caught or accidentally tip over on its back.

More trouble spots anywhere in the yard. A tortoise may tip over when climbing on stored items, wood piles, wire mesh, and odds and ends. Cycles and power equipment are especially dangerous when stored on concrete. An overturned tortoise usually cannot right itself on concrete or other hard surfaces and may die of overheating.

Walls made of keystone blocks provide toe holds that allow a tortoise to climb. The tortoise may fall back when climbing, or once at the top may be unable to climb down and become stranded in the sun. The attempt to climb down may end in a fall. See Figure 9.


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