Behavioral Cues

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Tom

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I wish this forum existed years ago when I started with tortoises. I wouldn't have had to stumble around in the dark for so long. There is something I want to share with all the newbies that I wish someone had shared with me when I was a newbie. All the old pros can just tune out now.

Here goes: Your tortoise will tell you if you've got its environment right. If you watch their behavior and habits, they will tell you everything you need to know. Further, any noticeable change in behavior can be an early indicator of a problem.

If your tortoise hangs out on the warm side of the enclosure most of the time, he may be telling you that you need to increase the temps a bit. Conversely, if your tortoise continually avoids the warm side, you may need to lower the wattage or raise the bulbs a bit higher. You do have a gradient, don't you? Ideally they should move around the entire enclosure. You should see them basking some of the time, but not ALL of the time. If they never bask OR always bask an adjustment may be needed. This also depends on the requirements of your individual species and their age. Some of the forest species will avoid a bright, hot light. If you have one of these species just watch to see whether they favor one side or the other too much. Sometimes babies will hide a lot too. This is why its important to provide them with hiding spots on both the warm and the cold side of the enclosure, so they can properly regulate their temps, while still feeling secure.

There are too many variables with climates, seasons and individual home environments to make blanket statements about how YOUR environment should be. The current care sheets for each species are a good starting point, but sometimes an individual situation will require a little deviation from the norm. As an example, my area is extremely dry, so I have to go to unusual lengths to try to maintain humidity. The steps I have to take would never be mentioned in a care sheet, because they are so far out of the ordinary. They are, however, necessary for the health of my animals.

So which side of the enclosure does your tortoise hang out on most of the time?
 

dmmj

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who are you calling old?
 
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Scooter

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I realize your ending question was rhetorical but I thought I would answer anyways lol. Thor has a favorite corner for sleeping but when awake he is usually roaming all over and moving his hides around redecorating the place lol. As for Scoot she usually likes to stay under hides and plants out of the direct bright light and she is not as big on redecorating lol.
 

terryo

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I don't have a cool side or a hot side. The whole enclosure is in the 85 -87 range. He roams all over the place hunting for worms, which I throw in there.
 

Stephanie Logan

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Taco lays under her basking lamp for 3-4 hours after I wake her her up, then she mows through her food pile and retires to her hiding spot behind the fake plant. One side of her shell is under 85-degree heat from her CHE, and the other side is about 80 degrees (the CHE is at an angle.) At night I put her into her hide where the temp is about 67 degrees. It has a slightly warmer side where there is a heat mat fixed to the outside vertical wall, but she never moves to that side, day or night, so I assume she's happy in her own little corner...in her own little chair--(Yvonne?) :cool:

I believe she's still thrilled just to be in a warm, spacious pen. She always looks contented, except when she mowed up her moss last week. ;)
 
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