5yo adopted sulcata acting disoriented

[Debmax]

I have a large yard but stays in one small area near his hide. He eats when I feed him by hand but is not grazing. He acts distressed by walking in and out of his hide. I took both ends off of the doghouse because his former home had a deck box with ends removed. That helped him a bit but he is not grazing at all just walking fast and furious.

 

[Tom]

I have a large yard but stays in one small area near his hide. He eats when I feed him by hand but is not grazing. He acts distressed by walking in and out of his hide. I took both ends off of the doghouse because his former home had a deck box with ends removed. That helped him a bit but he is not grazing at all just walking fast and furious.

How long have you had him? What size is he?

He probably is disoriented, and he's looking for "home" and trying to figure out how to get back there. In time he will settle down and get comfortable in his new home.

Do you have dogs?

Dog houses and deck boxes don't make good tortoise homes. You'll need to build one, or have one built for you.

 

[Debmax]

How long have you had him? What size is he?

He probably is disoriented, and he's looking for "home" and trying to figure out how to get back there. In time he will settle down and get comfortable in his new home.

Do you have dogs?

Dog houses and deck boxes don't make good tortoise homes. You'll need to build one, or have one built for you.

I've just had him about a week. I live in Florida. I have a rubbermaid shed for winter, it does not get cold here often , maybe only a few days in the winter. He is 22 pounds.

 

[wellington]

Yea I think you just need to give him more time to get adjusted. It can take older ones longer. As long as he drinks and eats. I would stop the hand feeding and let him eat what you give him off the ground. That may get him interested more into grazing.

 

[Yvonne G]

Because tortoises are territorial, and stay in the same general area all their life, it's very hard on them to be removed from that territory and to be plunked down in a new territory - a territory they know nothing about. . . will I find food here . . . is there a big bad creature here that will eat me. . . will it rain here so I can find water. . . is there a safe place for me to sleep? And because of this tortoises go through relocation stress.

He'll settle down once he has his fears addressed. It takes some longer than others, a week or two, maybe three. Just be patient and gentle.

 

[Debmax]

Thank you !

 

[Tom]

I've just had him about a week. I live in Florida. I have a rubbermaid shed for winter, it does not get cold here often , maybe only a few days in the winter. He is 22 pounds.

I was down in Ft. Myers 3 different times over the last few months. It was 49 degrees down there on morning, and frequently in the 50s over night. That is too cold for a sulcata. Its in the 50s and 60s at night there right now at the end of May. That's too cold for sulcatas. The warm days are great, but they need to be kept 80 at night too.

 

[Debmax]

I was down in Ft. Myers 3 different times over the last few months. It was 49 degrees down there on morning, and frequently in the 50s over night. That is too cold for a sulcata. Its in the 50s and 60s at night there right now at the end of May. That's too cold for sulcatas. The warm days are great, but they need to be kept 80 at night too.

I had a huge sulcata for 10 years here in Florida. Big ones can go to temps of 45 with no problem. I had a Kane may but he would not rest on it if it was set to above 60 degrees.

 

[Lyn W]

I don't know if you've found this already but this is the caresheet you need.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

What happened to your last sulcata?

 

[Debmax]

I don't know if you've found this already but this is the caresheet you need.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

What happened to your last sulcata?

I gifted him to a friend with acreage.

 

[Tom]

I had a huge sulcata for 10 years here in Florida. Big ones can go to temps of 45 with no problem. I had a Kane may but he would not rest on it if it was set to above 60 degrees.

I'm well aware that they can survive low temps. People do it everywhere. What I'm telling you is that it isn't "good" for them. There are no cold temps where they come from. Low night temps can damage there gut flora and fauna, and it can also make them sick. They do best, they thrive, when night temps are kept suitably warm. That yours didn't choose to stay on the warm mat is irrelevant. Many of them will leave their heated boxes and go park under a bush on a night that will get below freezing. There are many factors involved in where they choose to park at night. Warmth isn't one of those factors. Where they come from, anywhere they park is warm enough.

 

[Debmax]

I'm well aware that they can survive low temps. People do it everywhere. What I'm telling you is that it isn't "good" for them. There are no cold temps where they come from. Low night temps can damage there gut flora and fauna, and it can also make them sick. They do best, they thrive, when night temps are kept suitably warm. That yours didn't choose to stay on the warm mat is irrelevant. Many of them will leave their heated boxes and go park under a bush on a night that will get below freezing. There are many factors involved in where they choose to park at night. Warmth isn't one of those factors. Where they come from, anywhere they park is warm enough.

I agree, mine was healthy. Tortoises here in Florida adapt to cooler temps. Mine never stayed out in freezing temps, which days like that are few here in Florida.. He used the pad when he needed to. Grew fast and never had a health problem. Same story with other Florida sulcata owners I know. You can't compare northern states to our year tound balmy temps.
( PS I crossed the Sahara w in a Jeep when I was younger, froze my but off at night, it is a land of extremes)

 

[Tom]

I agree, mine was healthy. Tortoises here in Florida adapt to cooler temps. Mine never stayed out in freezing temps, which days like that are few here in Florida.. He used the pad when he needed to. Grew fast and never had a health problem. Same story with other Florida sulcata owners I know. You can't compare northern states to our year tound balmy temps.
( PS I crossed the Sahara w in a Jeep when I was younger, froze my but off at night, it is a land of extremes)

I'm not comparing Florida to Northern states. I'm comparing Florida and the sometimes colder night temps to underground sub-Saharan African temps. I'm in sunny SoCal, and no, they don't adapt to cooler temps. They simply survive them in some cases.

The night temps you experienced in the Sahara are not anything a sulcata would experience. They stay underground 95% of their lives, and ground temps in the Sahel are 80-85 year round.

I too used to let mine get cooler at night. They survived, grew, and seemed fine. When I started keeping them at the correct temps at night, they did far better and thrived.

 

[Debmax]

Yes my 90 lb one would stay on the Kane may if it was set at 60, anything above that he would move off of it.

 

[ReverendBob]

Tom, question for you. If the sulcata will leave its warmed house at night to be cold under a bush, how do you keep them warm at night?

Currently I have a leopard tortoise hatchling that I would like to eventually home outside and I am looking to plan ahead.

Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

You close and lock the door.