# why does my tort sleep this way?



## flyinghome (May 25, 2010)

my tort always sleep with her head against wall, but one or two of her legs extend outside. Her rear leg sometimes extends forwards, sometimes backwards.

I hear from my friend that when the tort strench her legs, it means she is quite relaxed, when she sleep against a wall, it means she is quite nervous. so I dont know how my tort is feeling.


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## Kristina (May 25, 2010)

Well, I think I can tell you exactly why.

She needs substrate, and a hide.

Sleeping in the open like tha tis very stressful for them. She is putting her head against the wall because she is trying to "hide." You need a substrate in there that she can dig in. Living on that type of surface will eventually cause deformities in the bones and muscles of the legs, and there is no way to regulate humidity.

I use coconut coir, which comes in a brick under the names of Eco Earth or Bed a Beast. A lot of other people use cypress mulch or orchid bark, or you can do a mix of the three. You want to keep the substrate damp, but not wet.

Second, your tort needs a hide. This can be as simple as a cardboard box stuffed with timothy hay, but it has to be SOMETHING. I use various things for hides, and my torts seem to like the half logs that you can buy at a reptile supply store just fine.

I would get these things done ASAP!!!

I just saw your pictures on your other thread. That enclosure is much too small for your tortoise. It isn't a good idea to let it walk around your room, as there are things on the floor that we often cannot see, but can harm your tortoise. Taking it to the park can be dangerous too, because they may spray chemicals on the grass there. 

I would get a storage container, like an under the bed sweater box or 50 gallon Rubbermaid container. It would still be a bit small, but at least your tort would have room to do more than turn around 

This is what I am talking about. You would keep the tort in it with the lid off, of course.


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## flyinghome (May 25, 2010)

Thanks kyryah
I used to put a hide near her. But she would always stay there if she had found it. If I tookher out of the hide and put her in front of the food, she would eat some and return to the hide right away.

I am preparing a enclosure for her on my balcony so that she can take excises, but it seems she doesnt like it at all. Whenever I put her on the balcony, she always try to come in house. Maybe because she is unfamiliar with this circumstances. 

some of my friends use pine bark as the substrate. but they say the tort may eat it! I'm a little afraid of that.

the humidity in my city this season is ok for my tort. It is 50% now, so think humidity might not be a problem.

By the way , I am new here. I see 'Kristina' on your signature. Is that your name? Should I call you Kristina or kyrayh? Is it the same with other members on this forum?


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## Jacqui (May 25, 2010)

I your balcony empty or do you have hiding area or potted plants that would offer her shaded areas and a feeling of security? Also how hot is it there? Full sun or shaded? 

I think most would say you could go either way. I personally love some of the forum names, so they are what I use. If you use the actual name that they show, may be that makes it seem more like friends and family.

Welcome to the group. Don't get discouraged. Your working on learning and making changes to improve your tortoise's life. Sometimes that takes a bit of time and lots of little tweakings, but your going to get there soon.


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## chadk (May 25, 2010)

Torts like to feel secure. You are very vulnerable when you sleep. So she goes to the safest spot she can find to rest.

Many of us perfer to offer at least 2 good hides. One warm and humid and the other cool and dry. Let the tort pick. A moist diggable substrate is also nice for many torts. Mine all like to cover themeselves with a blanket of substrate when they go to bed or take a nap. Sometimes they'll nap in the daytime after eating, under a heat lamp. But most often they go to their hides where it is safe and cozy.

An animal that feels safe and secure will be healthier and 'happier'. It may frustrate you that you don't see it as often because it likes being in its hide. But that is a rather selfish attitude when you think about it. Forcing the tort to be on display all the time stresses it out and will actually tend to make it less 'friendly' and less healthy in the long run.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 25, 2010)

Also your floor is colder then you realize and it is not comfortable for them to be allowed to walk around your house. Take off all your clothes and lay on the floor and you will see just how cold it actually is. That tortoise is too big to live in the house you need to provide a yard for it. Kristine and Chad have already told you how to care for it. A tortoise cannot be kept the same way a dog or cat can, they need substrate and a hide and basking lights.


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## flyinghome (May 26, 2010)

Thanks Maggie, Chad, Jacqui. I will take better care of her.

My tort is elongated tortoise which pees so much. and the urine is quite smelly. If I use substrate, I am afraid I have to replace it every two or three days. How do you deal with that? Do you replace the substrate so often? Do you just throw away the urinated substrate or re-use it?


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## Itort (May 26, 2010)

Your elongated will be much happier with an enviornment that dimmer with substrate that she can partially bury herself in. She does need a hide and moist substrat. If you have access to leaves, she would love that. Elongated are forest torts don't like bright light. She is a good looking girl.


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## N2TORTS (May 26, 2010)

maggie3fan said:


> Also your floor is colder then you realize and it is not comfortable for them to be allowed to walk around your house. Take off all your clothes and lay on the floor and you will see just how cold it actually is.



Hummm.....Have you been spying on me ? 

JD~


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## Kristina (May 26, 2010)

In the wild, tortoises regularly poop and pee in their burrows. It is natural. I am not saying it is okay to let the substrate get completely filthy, but no, you don't have to change it every few days. Every few weeks is usually plenty. Pick out the solids wastes, and as long as the substrate is 4-6" deep, most of the liquid waste will drain towards the bottom. You will actually have less work cleaning it up than wiping up a bunch of smelly pee off a hard surface.


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## Yvonne G (May 26, 2010)

NO!! NO PINE!!! Pine fumes can burn the tortoise's eyes.

And as for the urine being strong smelling, when you use a substrate, the odor is more or less diminished as it seeps into the substrate. You wouldn't smell it as badly as you do on the bare floor. I spot clean (take out the clumps of dirty substrate and pieces of poop) every day, but only change the whole thing out about once a month or every two months. Depends upon how fast it gets dirty.


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## matt41gb (May 26, 2010)

Enlongateds love to soak. Give her a big bowl that's not too deep and she will visit it regularly. They will also urinate and defecate in the water naturally. I have a friend that keeps several of them outside and they are always in the water. 

-Matt


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## Kristina (May 27, 2010)

Who said pine???


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## Yvonne G (May 27, 2010)

The OP mentioned in post #3 about a friend suggesting pine bark.


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