Burrowing

[Mikki]

I am hoping someone has a tortoise that is just like my Scooter! Scooter is 2.5 years old. Scooter is BIG (from what I have been told)and I do have a little boy as he has put me notice already! I have had Scooter since he was only a few weeks old, actually he still had his tooth when I got him. Scooter weighs 20-25 lbs. Anyway, ever since he was a itty bitty little thing he has always buried himself under hay. I have used orchard hay inside his hide since day 1 when I brought him home. Now Scooter is outside full time since April of this year. Scooter refuses to go inside his box unless there is hay and again enough for him to burrow himself in it. Scooter has never burrowed in the ground(which is OK with me). I live in Florida, and honestly I am fine with him not burrowing, but I am just curious if anyone else has a tort that must burrow in hay OR does burrow in hay? I know I put the Orchard Hay in hide, which I thought I was suppose to, but I didn't know it was going to turn into it being a MUST that Scooter having it ALWAYS now to burrow in. Scooter will pace & than sit there by his night box if his hay is not in it when he wants to go to bed. I change out the hay every Friday & I do know he is also eating the hay. Scooter never goes to the bathroom in his night box, actually I have done the same routine with him every day continuously since day 1, so he goes to the bathroom at the same time every day, which is after breakfast.

I always have said I want my tortoise to be a tortoise, and now I feel like I ruined him or something... YES, I spend A LOT of time with Scooter, some days I will be outside with him and before I know it hours have passed by. So he does get A LOT of attention. Probably listens & understands more commands than a tortoise should.

 

[Tom]

Either put the hay in the box or don't, but either way, you need to lock up Scooter in the box at night. If he doesn't want to go in with no hay, then just put him in at night and shut the door.

What are you using to heat the box? You don't want hay on a Kane mat.

Its great that he hasn't gone to the bathroom inside the box yet, but he will eventually, and its not a problem with or without hay.

 

[Mikki]

Either put the hay in the box or don't, but either way, you need to lock up Scooter in the box at night. If he doesn't want to go in with no hay, then just put him in at night and shut the door.

What are you using to heat the box? You don't want hay on a Kane mat.

Its great that he hasn't gone to the bathroom inside the box yet, but he will eventually, and its not a problem with or without hay.

Tom, I am using a ceramic heat lamp in his box. He will only go in his box if there is hay in it.. However, the other day, It was 50 degrees outside, raining, and my husband & I left to go get a bite to eat and run to Walmart. We were gone for about 3.5 hours. I checked on Scooter just when we were leaving. Here in Tampa Bay, Fl we have had some colder days this past few weeks. So during the day, I have left his door down but unlatched & his heater is on of course. When I got home, Scooter was not inside his house,, he decided to go outside, I found him in his hiding area, soaking wet, cold, and I was so upset. When he comes out of him box, he comes out through the flaps 1/2 ways & will sit there for a little bit watching everything going on, and then move on out the rest of the way, but I think since the door was down & it was heavier, it probably freaked him out, so he tucked & jumped forward & the door shut down on him, so he couldn't get back in. To me it was freezing outside because it was high of 50 degrees and raining for the Tampa Bay, Fl area! I have NO CLUE how long Scooter was outside for. I will NEVER EVER leave it down & just unlatched again. It will either be all the way latched up, or all the shut & latched. Scooter has never ever done that, I was shocked that he did that. I am thinking probably because he was in that box for 3 days due to the weather, he saw me, saw it was day light, saw the rain(which he LOVES the rain), noticed the daylight peeking through with the door unlatched and opened it. Lesson Learned!!! BIG LESSON LEARNED!! I should of just latched it open, he has a covering over his box, but the flaps in his door way, I don't know why for the life of me, WHY I didn't!! As far as the bathroom situation, I am sure at some point he will probably go to the bathroom in there, however, I do not work, I am able to be home & keep Scooter on the same routine day after day, so hopefully it won't happen until I move after the 1st of year & Scooter is in his Forever Life Time House that is better for him & better accessible for me!

Either put the hay in the box or don't, but either way, you need to lock up Scooter in the box at night. If he doesn't want to go in with no hay, then just put him in at night and shut the door.

What are you using to heat the box? You don't want hay on a Kane mat.

Its great that he hasn't gone to the bathroom inside the box yet, but he will eventually, and its not a problem with or without hay.

 

[Tom]

Tom, I am using a ceramic heat lamp in his box. He will only go in his box if there is hay in it.. However, the other day, It was 50 degrees outside, raining, and my husband & I left to go get a bite to eat and run to Walmart. We were gone for about 3.5 hours. I checked on Scooter just when we were leaving. Here in Tampa Bay, Fl we have had some colder days this past few weeks. So during the day, I have left his door down but unlatched & his heater is on of course. When I got home, Scooter was not inside his house,, he decided to go outside, I found him in his hiding area, soaking wet, cold, and I was so upset. When he comes out of him box, he comes out through the flaps 1/2 ways & will sit there for a little bit watching everything going on, and then move on out the rest of the way, but I think since the door was down & it was heavier, it probably freaked him out, so he tucked & jumped forward & the door shut down on him, so he couldn't get back in. To me it was freezing outside because it was high of 50 degrees and raining for the Tampa Bay, Fl area! I have NO CLUE how long Scooter was outside for. I will NEVER EVER leave it down & just unlatched again. It will either be all the way latched up, or all the shut & latched. Scooter has never ever done that, I was shocked that he did that. I am thinking probably because he was in that box for 3 days due to the weather, he saw me, saw it was day light, saw the rain(which he LOVES the rain), noticed the daylight peeking through with the door unlatched and opened it. Lesson Learned!!! BIG LESSON LEARNED!! I should of just latched it open, he has a covering over his box, but the flaps in his door way, I don't know why for the life of me, WHY I didn't!! As far as the bathroom situation, I am sure at some point he will probably go to the bathroom in there, however, I do not work, I am able to be home & keep Scooter on the same routine day after day, so hopefully it won't happen until I move after the 1st of year & Scooter is in his Forever Life Time House that is better for him & better accessible for me!

Your tortoise is too big for a CHE anymore. That is going to damage the carapace. Time for a new heating strategy. Use a mini radiant oil heater, or a Kane mat/RHP combo.

I'm not understanding your door situation. Maybe a pic would help clear it up for me? My doors are drawbridge style. They are either down and the tortoise can use them as a ramp to come and go freely, or they are up and latched when the tortoise is in for the night. Sounds like your hinges are on top and that makes it a one way door? The tortoise can push out, but then it can't get back in?

 

[Torterella S]

Your tortoise is too big for a CHE anymore. That is going to damage the carapace. Time for a new heating strategy. Use a mini radiant oil heater, or a Kane mat/RHP combo.

I'm not understanding your door situation. Maybe a pic would help clear it up for me? My doors are drawbridge style. They are either down and the tortoise can use them as a ramp to come and go freely, or they are up and latched when the tortoise is in for the night. Sounds like your hinges are on top and that makes it a one way door? The tortoise can push out, but then it can't get back in?

Tom and Mikki- thanks for chatting on here . I’m brand new to this chat and would enjoy learning more about Sculata .
We have an 4 year old +24 lbs. Sculata living with us since she was 6 mos. And size of a baseball . She’s a indoor and outdoor . Sleeps inside at night for now .
The comment Tom makes about light and too big for lamp . ,needing alternative heat source I believe we may have the same scenario now.
I will look into to Mat pad thing . I have only found Little small reptile pads .
Do you guys have any links to websites for these types of heating elements .?
Talk soon and will share experiences.
Her name is AJIN .

 

[Mikki]

Tom and Mikki- thanks for chatting on here . I’m brand new to this chat and would enjoy learning more about Sculata .
We have an 4 year old +24 lbs. Sculata living with us since she was 6 mos. And size of a baseball . She’s a indoor and outdoor . Sleeps inside at night for now .
The comment Tom makes about light and too big for lamp . ,needing alternative heat source I believe we may have the same scenario now.
I will look into to Mat pad thing . I have only found Little small reptile pads .
Do you guys have any links to websites for these types of heating elements .?
Talk soon and will share experiences.
Her name is AJIN .

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/single-tortoise-night-box.181515/ This is explains the night box and the heating element that Tom is referring to.. If you can not open it, just search single tortoise night box and put Tom as being the member since it is his post and it will pull up. Tom put this link within one of his comment to me on my thread I did last month regarding My 3 year Sulcata living in Florida also. I love my Sulcata very much and I wish you the best living with your tort as well. Thank you for regarding and wanting to learn!

 

[Tom]

Tom and Mikki- thanks for chatting on here . I’m brand new to this chat and would enjoy learning more about Sculata .
We have an 4 year old +24 lbs. Sculata living with us since she was 6 mos. And size of a baseball . She’s a indoor and outdoor . Sleeps inside at night for now .
The comment Tom makes about light and too big for lamp . ,needing alternative heat source I believe we may have the same scenario now.
I will look into to Mat pad thing . I have only found Little small reptile pads .
Do you guys have any links to websites for these types of heating elements .?
Talk soon and will share experiences.
Her name is AJIN .

Hello and welcome.

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You'll have to do a search for radiant heat panels. I like the Vivarium Electronics ones or the Sweeter Heaters for outdoor boxes.