Baby piling up grass clippings.

[rearlpettway]

Hello,
My friend says that his baby piles up grass clippings. Some of the piles are moved around his little burrow and it seems as if he is trying to block the light.
Has anyone seen this before?

 

[BILBO-03]

Is the tortoise trying to hide from the light? If so it could be to hot.

 

[rearlpettway]

I forgot to say that the baby also pushes grass clippings into a small flower pot in his enclosure.

 

[rearlpettway]

Is the tortoise trying to hide from the light? If so it could be to hot.

That is what I am asking.
Why is it doing this.

 

[cmacusa3]

It also looks VERY dry.

 

[rearlpettway]

It also looks VERY dry.

The enclosure is about 65%-70% humidity.

 

[rearlpettway]

It also looks VERY dry.

Is that why he is piling up grass clippings?

 

[cmacusa3]

Is that why he is piling up grass clippings?

It could be possible, can you get pictures of the whole enclosure?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Since those piles look very dry, and the enclosure small, it could be the sully is simply walking about in cicles, each time dragging the snarled grass around and around. Over time, a ball of grass is formed.

 

[Yvonne G]

@Tom told us that Tomas Diagne told him that wild sulcatas push dead grass down into their burrows. . . he thought they were packing it away for leaner times when food is scarce. Personally I've never seen this behaviour.

 

[rearlpettway]

Since those piles look very dry, and the enclosure small, it could be the sully is simply walking about in cicles, each time dragging the snarled grass around and around. Over time, a ball of grass is formed.

He is literally pushing the grass into piles. Then he moves the piles around.

 

[rearlpettway]

@Tom told us that Tomas Diagne told him that wild sulcatas push dead grass down into their burrows. . . he thought they were packing it away for leaner times when food is scarce. Personally I've never seen this behaviour.

Yea,
I also heard that from Tom awhile back.

 

[rearlpettway]

It could be possible, can you get pictures of the whole enclosure?

Give me a minute to get a picture.

 

[motero]

I have seen young sulcatas pull food into their hide, where they can eat it and be hidden. I have never seen any forms balls or piles. 2Bear is probably right.

 

[Stuart S.]

I often find Spur's greens pushed down in his hide, he moves his cuddle bones around quite a bit too!

 

[rearlpettway]

I have seen young sulcatas pull food into their hide, where they can eat it and be hidden. I have never seen any forms balls or piles. 2Bear is probably right.

I don't agree,
He has been seen purposely piling the grass clippings up.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I would imagine until we can ask the tortoise why, it will all be speculation? It is very interesting. I'm not sure - did I read past what species?

Many tortoises do change or alter their places to suit them better in the wild. Many use 'found' places as well.

It seems there could be a proactive reason for this, to change light or humidity, or it could just be one tortoise doing something novel?