Tortoise keeps waking up earlier each night?

[Augustus1508]

Hes a greek spur thighed - male, 1year and 6 months.

For the past 3-4 days hes been waking up between 4-5am UK time, and its been getting earlier every morning. Hes still active when hes awake, hes eating as normal, pooping and peeing as normal, no abnormal signs, no health scares such as respiratory symptoms.
He had a growth spurt not long ago and know hes growing on his face/limbs now.
His temps are all fine, as they should be, I had to adjust his overnight CHE as noticed it was too warm in there but thats all fine now, around 20-23 degrees celcius.

But im just wanting advice on why this has been happening with him? When he wakes up early he does often have a little nap somewhere in the enclosure, but this hasn't happened before whilst ive had him, however this is my first winter/spring i will have had him for.

 

[Sarah2020]

I would just let them be and not be concerned. I have no food in the enclosure after 18.00 only fresh water . In the morning my tort gets fresh leaves and replenished water. Check heat and light is all working as expected. They hate change so if you have moved anything around that could be something to watch. They like a hide so ensure the layout provided a nice sleeping area.

 

[Augustus1508]

I would just let them be and not be concerned. I have no food in the enclosure after 18.00 only fresh water . In the morning my tort gets fresh leaves and replenished water. Check heat and light is all working as expected. They hate change so if you have moved anything around that could be something to watch. They like a hide so ensure the layout provided a nice sleeping area.

Okay fab thank you!
Nothing has changed other than just him growing. I give him food same time every morning and fresh water so ill keep doing that! Hes got a lovely hide which he loves but thank you! Ill just let him be

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hes a greek spur thighed - male, 1year and 6 months.

For the past 3-4 days hes been waking up between 4-5am UK time, and its been getting earlier every morning. Hes still active when hes awake, hes eating as normal, pooping and peeing as normal, no abnormal signs, no health scares such as respiratory symptoms.
He had a growth spurt not long ago and know hes growing on his face/limbs now.
His temps are all fine, as they should be, I had to adjust his overnight CHE as noticed it was too warm in there but thats all fine now, around 20-23 degrees celcius.

But im just wanting advice on why this has been happening with him? When he wakes up early he does often have a little nap somewhere in the enclosure, but this hasn't happened before whilst ive had him, however this is my first winter/spring i will have had him for.

lol it’s mischievous for surebut I definitely wouldn’t be worried, especially if he’s his usual self

 

[Augustus1508]

lol it’s mischievous for surebut I definitely wouldn’t be worried, especially if he’s his usual self

I feel like hes getting me at it most days but he finally let me have a lay in until 6.40am this morn!! So ill take the small progress i think hes become a bit more dominant as hes growing as hes even been purposefully moving his house away from where it usually is

 

[Sarah2020]

I feel like hes getting me at it most days but he finally let me have a lay in until 6.40am this morn!! So ill take the small progress i think hes become a bit more dominant as hes growing as hes even been purposefully moving his house away from where it usually is

They do push and move a hide as they like to squeeze in a corner, you can either reinstate or leave and is. Enjoy

 

[Augustus1508]

They do push and move a hide as they like to squeeze in a corner, you can either reinstate or leave and is. Enjoy

He loves renovating his viv is leave him be and sometimes see his little leg pop out

 

[Augustus1508]

I have an update: so he got me up again at 4am today and I was like somethings seriously not working here. So I did my googling and turns out I shouldn't have been turning his lights on when he woke up so this morning I trialled the turning his lights on at 7-7.30am which is his usual wake up time, and hes been back to complete self! And not going to bed extremely early due to waking up early!

Now ill try and give an update for tomorrow morning with his wake time then as dont want to jynx anything

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I have an update: so he got me up again at 4am today and I was like somethings seriously not working here. So I did my googling and turns out I shouldn't have been turning his lights on when he woke up so this morning I trialled the turning his lights on at 7-7.30am which is his usual wake up time, and hes been back to complete self! And not going to bed extremely early due to waking up early!

Now ill try and give an update for tomorrow morning with his wake time then as dont want to jynx anything

This could very well be the problem. It is recommended to have the lights on a timer to create a constant day and night cycle. This will lead to the tortoise getting used to a certain schedule over time.

If your tortoise wakes up in the night, but the lights aren't on, chances are that he will soon go back to sleep.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I have an update: so he got me up again at 4am today and I was like somethings seriously not working here. So I did my googling and turns out I shouldn't have been turning his lights on when he woke up so this morning I trialled the turning his lights on at 7-7.30am which is his usual wake up time, and hes been back to complete self! And not going to bed extremely early due to waking up early!

Now ill try and give an update for tomorrow morning with his wake time then as dont want to jynx anything

Oh bless you, when you said he was waking up, I presumed you were just hearing him up whilst his lights were off before they’re set to turn on lol.

Yeah you definitely don’t want to be turning them on if you just happen to hear him moving around, always have all your bulbs on set timers, the sun sets its own time schedule in the wild, it won’t suddenly rise if the animals happen to wake up at a unusual hour, we get to play sun gods in captivity haha, definitely best having them on a set schedule, this certainly helps explains his behaviour. Hopefully you can both get back to a more desirable sleep schedule haha

 

[Augustus1508]

It was my silly little mistake good news though is that with the realisation yesterday he woke up today at 7am which im more than happy about!! Didn't like the jumpscare though when I look in his viv and he was just watching me he seemed very well rested this morning so I'll take that as a win! I dont even know why I thought to turn his lights on just from hearing him move