Behavior Questions

[Urtle]

Hope all is well with everybody, I was wondering why my big sulcata tortoise is not exploring as much in his enclosure. He has a pretty big enclosure but tends to stay on one side, walking back and forth for hours generally. I feed him everyday, although he has plenty of grass to graze on, but now Im thinking maybe he's become used to the daily feeding and just avoids exploring out for food. What could this mean?

 

[wellington]

He may be bored. Can you change up his enclosure. Add logs, add sight barriers, spread his favorite food around the enclosure so he has to look for it. See what others suggest.

 

[Urtle]

He may be bored. Can you change up his enclosure. Add logs, add sight barriers, spread his favorite food around the enclosure so he has to look for it. See what others suggest.

I was thinking that today. Ill have to give it a try, btw what do you mean by sight barriers?

 

[Laura]

place a barrier where he is walking to see if he will go around it.. some pace more then others.. sometimes its a phaze.. try feeding in other areas.. or if he has plenty of graze.. dont feed him. he will spend his time eating instead.

 

[Yvonne G]

... He has a pretty big enclosure but tends to stay on one side, walking back and forth for hours generally..

You mean like this?:

Its a little hard to see because the line of shade is right on the edge of the track on the right, but this is Dudley's 2-track. He will occasionally go around that little tree, but usually its just back and forth along the fence line. I think if we were to re-name the sulcata it would have to be something like walks-along-the-fenceline.

 

[acrantophis]

You mean like this?:

Its a little hard to see because the line of shade is right on the edge of the track on the right, but this is Dudley's 2-track. He will occasionally go around that little tree, but usually its just back and forth along the fence line. I think if we were to re-name the sulcata it would have to be something like walks-along-the-fenceline.

That is a great picture Yvonne! Your place must be really cool!

 

[Urtle]

... He has a pretty big enclosure but tends to stay on one side, walking back and forth for hours generally..

You mean like this?:

Its a little hard to see because the line of shade is right on the edge of the track on the right, but this is Dudley's 2-track. He will occasionally go around that little tree, but usually its just back and forth along the fence line. I think if we were to re-name the sulcata it would have to be something like walks-along-the-fenceline.

loll thats a great example. Wonderful looking yard. Thats exactly what I mean.

I like his name its unique as it is loll

 

[Urtle]

So after about a 4-5 days of not feeding my big guy I have noticed he's stopped walking back and forth along the wall of his enclosure all day. Now he explores the yard and from what i've seen grazes on grass here and there. I feel much better this way because he doesn't seem stressed or bored.