Babies and burrowing

[grundalowtortoises]

We finally got our new babies (2mnth olds from CGKeith) late last week, and they have been burrowing like crazy. Seems like all the time. I've been giving them nightly warm soaks, but immediately afterwards they go off and find a good spot to burrow some more. I understand they are young and propably a little freaked out and just trying to feel safe.

I'd like to keep the handling to a minmum to help them build that feeling of security, but my concern is around feeding them. Should I pull them out of hiding a plop them in front of their food in the morning, or just leave them be? It's hard to keep tabs on how much they are eating when I come home and the leftovers are all wilted, unless I witness them eating for myself.

Any suggestions?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi grundalowtortoises:

(Did we ever learn your name?)

Here's my "baby routine":

First thing in the a.m., I'll turn on the lights and find all the babies. Then I put them into warm water to soak. While they're soaking, I'll go back and do my morning ablutions, then chop up the baby food. I place the food on the feeding stations then get the babies out of the water and put them around the food. I step quickly out of their view, but peek around the corner to be sure each baby is eating.

This usually works for my baby box turtles, Texas tortoises and leopards.

 

[lvstorts]

Hi,
It's a very natural behavior for a baby tort to burrow. I sympathize with the 'what if's' because it's so weird to a human to comprehend why an animal would want to bury itself! With my babies, I leave them alone. I let them burrow when/where they want, drink/eat when they want. Once a week I'll dig them up and make sure they are doing fine. My experience has taught me they know what they need and will get it when they need it. I've never lost one.

Hope this helps, there are a lot of methods out there and one may work for you better than another. As long as you are caring for them per their environmental requirements, any method will be good!

 

[jwhite]

I keep russians and all the hatchlings I have ever had have always burrowed. They have never used the provided hides they seem to like burrowing better. I keep the substrate moist, but not to wet. Every morning I find them all to check on them and then leave them alone for the day.