climbing wall at same spot everyday

[tortoisenerd]

Lately Trevor was taken to trying to climb his enclosure wall daily at the same spot! His wall is 18 in. high, 6-8 in. of substrate, and he's about 2.5 in! So, no chance he's getting out. It just makes me sad he is so focused on this. I'm thinking maybe something in the wood grain makes him think he can get out at that one spot. Should I try to put up some paper? Any tips?

He has lots of cage furnishings and I'm trying to keep him entertained. He just switched things up with some aspen shaving ramps up to his log hide. He's been having fun with that and taken to digging at the ramps. That's a good thing. For the longest time he just hid all day in the same spot besides his basking and breakfast time...

No playing with the red ping pong ball yet except when it's in his way. Still one more round of medicine for his protozoa and then we get to re-test and hopefully he's clean now so his tummy won't have to tolerate the meds anymore (they slow down his activity level).

I want him to be a happy tortoise! Thanks!

 

[Millerlite]

Tortoises seem to do that, I found the only real way to help with this is to change up the enclosure to keep them thinking, change some of the hides around etc.. that should help.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I just did that too...

My fiance seems to think that sometimes he just wants "out" as well. We take him over to the couch sometimes for some cuddle time and he likes it. When he looks stressed we put him back. I also give him tours of the house in my hand. Maybe that's not so good for him because it makes him see more space.

I think I'm going to put him outside in his Rubbermaid now since he's doing it again. He hides every time, but I'm waiting for him to get used to the great outdoors.

---

Yup...he ran and hid under his log. I picked some food for him and stuck it into the aspen, stem and all. Maybe that will entice him out!

---

The bribe worked! He's outside. Yay.

 

[Laura]

that what russians do. drive us nuts!!
try rotating the entire enclosure around and see if he still trys inthe same spot.
the grass is always greener on the other side, is many animals mentality

 

[tortoisenerd]

I'm thinking of making him eat outside during summer. That would at least solve one problem (him not liking the outdoors)!

I know it's in his nature. Sure makes me feel like a bad mommy though!

 

[spring pace]

you might want to try some kind of site barrier at that spot and see what happens, it might break his focus and give you piece of mind. smiles, spring

 

[tortoisenerd]

I have a wood enclosure (solid); tortoise table. We are thinking there is something in the grain of the wood he sees now from a different angle or something since we re-did his enclosure last time...he wasn't ever doing this before we put new substrate in and moved cage furnishings around to suit him better. My next idea is putting paper up. Silly to do on a wood not glass enclosure though! I would first try it at the one spot.

Thanks everyone!

 

[spring pace]

I have a wood enclosure (solid); tortoise table. We are thinking there is something in the grain of the wood he sees now from a different angle or something since we re-did his enclosure last time...he wasn't ever doing this before we put new substrate in and moved cage furnishings around to suit him better. My next idea is putting paper up. Silly to do on a wood not glass enclosure though! I would first try it at the one spot.

Thanks everyone!

since he cant see over the wall, is there a brightly colored object somewhere above him that hes trying to get at? just a thought, torts are attracted to brightly colored foods.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Nope. The wall is about 18 inches, with 6 inches of substrate, and he's under 3 inches. I don't think he can see anything looking up besides his light and a ceiling light fixture. I even bought him a ping pong ball and painted it red to try and distract him. I think my best guess still is that the wood grain doesn't look flat to him and he thinks he can climb up on it. Another day of him climbing and I'll probably try the paper thing. He hasn't done it yet today. Had a nice breakfast and has been napping in his hay pile. Thanks!

 

[Stazz]

Tallula tries to scale the walls too, thats the only way she lands up on her back. I can't think of what I can do to help her not try climb?? Whats the paper thing Kate?

 

[Crazy1]

When inside all of my Greeks try to climb the walls. The enclosure are smaller than the ones outside. I know its been said that torts will also try and climb their walls if they are bored. The larger the enclosure the less climbing. My outside enclosures are large and only the males seem to try and climb into the females pens. Well once my large female scaled a small wall into the part of the enclosure I had closed off to grow sprouts (guess she was hungry ‘cause there was no sprouts left). I think it is just in their nature to climb. If in the wild they will normally try and climb over things rather than go around them. And Russians are notorious climbers Kate. If you place paper up and Trevor continues to try and climb there he will just shred the paper so keep a close eye on that. Don't want him eating the paper.

 

[Stazz]

What's the paper thing ??

 

[Crazy1]

Stace, I believe the paper is just to change the area to see if it is the wood grain that makes him think he can climb it. Am I correct in that Kate?

 

[tortoisenerd]

Yes that was what I was thinking with the paper. It is great for glass enclosures so they don't keep nosing into the glass trying to get out (if they can see out they want out). I am thinking that he tries at the same spot because there is a knot there in the wood grain. No climbing today yet (but he was also lazy and just got up this afternoon!). I sure hope he doesn't need more space because he has 8 sq ft all to himself at under 3 inches SCL. I wasn't planning on adding a second story for a couple years...

The paper would be a last resort. I don't want to have to do that and it would be very likely he would shred it knowing him. I'm wondering what else I can do to keep him entertained. He likes the little hills so I may do more of that (changes in terrain). Since I have so much space to work with that is great. The rectangular shape is a little tough because I can't move his water and food too much to keep it near the light, and there are 2 warm hides and 2 cool hides. And, a piece of driftwood.

So far he doesn't like the outdoors but I am working on getting him outside more. If he really ended up liking it I suppose we could built him a large enclosure on the patio. Only thing is there are literally only 4 months a year for him to use it, and only the midday of some of those days. Not really worth it for giving up our patio space for the small usable time frame of of mostly weekends due to our schedule. His Rubbermaid has worked fine for getting him outside for awhile. I did learn that he will go out into the sun to eat, so I'm trying to feed him outside when it's warm enough so he gets used to it. Over time he'll feel more like the Rubbermaid is him second home as well.

Here's a picture:

You can see everything but a fake plant and a cuttlebone behind the camera.

Open to suggestions! He's been a little piggy lately and going through a growing spurt. Very food motivated.

 

[Crazy1]

Your pen looks fairly narrow, but long, if you could place a site barrier or two that may help break it up for him. Or even a couple more fake plants to break up the open space this could work as site barriers and hiding spots so he doesn't feel so open and vulnerable. Perhaps a plant where he likes to climb might discourage him.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I was thinking of getting another fake plant too. I think I will do that. The old way I had it set up was a little better line of sight wise, but this way works better for his cage furnishings. The driftwood is about the only tall thing as his log got moved to the side this time around. Thanks! Yup, it's about 5.5 ft long. Works great on top of our dining room buffet since we did it custom.

 

[Stace]

Lol thanks for clearing that up Robs and Kate
Will see what i can do....Tallula would definitely end up shredding it!

 

[tortoisenerd]

I got some plants today! Michael's had an awesome selection. I must have spent half an hour deciding what to buy! Too bad they didn't have sales, but I spent about $15. I got one for his inside enclosure, and two smaller ones to put in his Rubbermaid so I don't have to move his log back and forth (it takes up less space too and is more natural). Here's a picture of his enclosure with the new plant; it's from the webcam. No camera right now as my fiance took it on a trip so I'll have to get a picture of the Rubbermaid one later (it has larger leaves that drape over and create some nice shade).

Funny thing-He's scratching at the wall now more than ever behind the plant! It was so fun to watch him check it out though....a few test nibbles to decide it wasn't food, the craning his neck to see if anything was hiding in it, and trying to figure out how to get under it (I have to help move the fronds the right way for him). Hoping he starts to cut down on the scratching. I don't think putting the paper up now would even help and I'd worry about him tearing it down. I guess we'll get used to it, or he'll finally figure out he's not going anywhere.

I did however realize some of the scratching is from hum burrowing--trying to dig a tunnel right at the edge of the enclosure where he can't! He does that to feel safe at the edge of something. That's why he has the piece of driftwood. During winter that's where he sleeps as his CHE is there, but this summer he hasn't found a regular sleeping spot yet. He's actually been under his log some nights which was a first.

 

[Stazz]

Awwww so cute !!! I am sure Trevor is happy with the new additions and hiding places for him

 

[tortoisenerd]

He loved the outdoor plants, but he's still getting to the indoor one.