Climbing walls and flipping

pjhdisfan

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Lakeland, FL
Our 2 year old has decided that climbing walls especially the corners is a must. She has flipped herself a few times, fortunately we were right there to right her, but as we lost our Keinu to flipping himself, I am extremely worried. What can I do to discourage her from climbing the walls? Thanks
 

Maggie3fan

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Put something in the corner that blocks it from the tort. She is not happy in that enclosure it seems, we need to find out why
 

Tom

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Our 2 year old has decided that climbing walls especially the corners is a must. She has flipped herself a few times, fortunately we were right there to right her, but as we lost our Keinu to flipping himself, I am extremely worried. What can I do to discourage her from climbing the walls? Thanks
We need more info.

  • What size and species of tortoise? Age doesn't tell us the size since they all grow at different rates.
  • What size enclosure?
  • What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?
  • What type of heating and lighting?
  • UV bulb? What kind specifically?
  • What substrate?
  • What are you feeding?
  • Any other tortoises?
 

tglazie

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Based upon the limited information available, I would surmise that your enclosure is too small and/or doesn't offer enough in the way of enrichment. Easiest way to enrich an environment, in my experience, is to add plants, rocks, anything to break up the visual line of sight. Break up the visual plane, you can make a relatively small space seem downright labyrinthian. But to achieve this effect properly while still maintaining the floor space the tortoise requires, you need space.

T.G.
 

tglazie

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Sorry, just saw the pictures. Yes, far too small. Hermanns love to wander. I have a seven year old boy in my collection, and he is given the run of a seven by twenty five foot run, and he uses every square inch of it. I have an assortment of chickory, plantain, and althea growing down the center spine of the enclosure, along with some flat stones toward the nearest quadrant. Your tortoise requires more space and more enrichment. Hermanns get bored very easily, and being natural acrobats among the tortoises, they tend to climb things, much more often than their Greek and Marginated cousins (though I have some stories about those beasts, let me tell you).

T.G.
 

pjhdisfan

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Aug 2, 2019
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28
Location (City and/or State)
Lakeland, FL
  • What size and species of tortoise? Age doesn't tell us the size since they all grow at different rates. She is an Eastern Hermann's Tortoise - 88 grams - 4" long 2" wide
  • What size enclosure? 36"l x 24"w x 12"h
  • What are your four temperatures? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low? outside wall warm side 85.3 basking 87.4 cool side 83.5 - hide 79.3 overnight low 78.4 inside the her hide area and 76 in the main part
  • What type of heating and lighting? Eco Terra medium glow light with zoo med powersun self ballasted mercury vapor uvb lamp all in one - 100W
  • UV bulb? What kind specifically? see above
  • What substrate? top soil mixed with zoomed forest floor bedding 100% natural cypress mulch
  • What are you feeding? mustard green, kale, green leaf, collard greens, dandelion, clover, grass bermuda grass, still doesn't like hibiscus and doesn't like "kibble" Mazuri, calcium lightly on food after mixed with water, and then she has a cuttle bone, she enjoys that
  • Any other tortoises? no, when we got her she was housed with an elongated that was the same age and much bigger, but our little girl climbed all over her, and they said that that is just what she did....
Katiana seems to really just want to be out with us when she climbs the walls/corners (Her middle name is now Ariel( as she wants to be where the people are). I work in the same room with her and she hears me working and typing and will start scratching and climbing, then once I pick her up and hold her she settles down. We do give her inside roam time with us monitoring (and our lab locked in her room) and outside time too. (also with us right there, fast little mover she is) Baths/soaks 3-4 times a week - 15 min each.
thanks!
 

Maro2Bear

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What do you suggest in the corners?

Put an upside down terracotta flowerpot in every corner.

Part of the problem as well is that you let it out to roam about. It feels trapped inside knowing full well that there is a big world outside that box. If it scratches enough... you might take it out for a walk.
 

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