Do tortoises get bored?

[Madkins007]

I'm with you 100% on this Geo, after all, our human brain basically uses a reptilian brain as its core, the old 'lizard brain', then has a mammalian brain wrapped around it, and the human brain wrapped around that.

None of this means tortoises are dumb- they do recognize patterns, their food sources, etc. and they can solve a wide variety of puzzles and challenges. We just need to remember that it is REALLY easy for a human, especially emphatic people like we get in forums like this, to see their emotions and thoughts projected on their pets.

 

[Kerryann]

This thread inspired me to get betty a new toy. She seems to like the dogs kong so I got her one of her own. She has already climbed on it like ten times. Even if she isn't playing with it, at least she is getting exercise

 

[Dagashi]

thanks for all the information!

We'll definately be putting more stimulating ideas for them.. like a pile of rocks to climb.. some logs to wander over and mebbe more interesting toys for them to push (but they are kind small and weak I think.. they can only burrow so far)

we take them out for exploring once in a while.. here's a picture of him enjoying his expedition.

we look forward to finding a cuttlefish bone (we can't find that in Malaysia) so they can chew and trim their beaks. Also will update ideas on how to excite them.

 

[LLLReptile]

Madkins - Loved your post(s)! The first one was almost exactly what I had in mind!

Within the stores, we decorate cages and add things within them, and help customers determine ways to add enrichment to their animals' lives. What each particular species finds enriching differs, naturally, and what we do for tortoises differs from what we do for the lizards etc. Providing enrichment in the form of new cage decor, exercise out of the cage, outdoors time, and new food items are some awesome ways to keep your tortoise from becoming "bored". We find that we have little to no glass pacing when the tortoises are given enriched cages or enrichment in their day to day life, and encourage customers to incorporate these things into the captive care of their animals.

This is one of my favorite topics; the captive environment for reptiles is often kept so bare because many commonly kept animals don't "need" to have larger or more elaborate cages, and many people miss out on some truly interesting behaviors and aspects of their animals because of it.

Great topic!

-Jen

 

[Madkins007]

Jen- I assume you've seen "The Art of Keeping Snakes" (DE VOSJOLI, Phillippe. AVS Books 2004.) I LOVED that book- it gave me many great ideas for tortoises even though much of the book is not applicable to them.

I know tortoises can be challenging to make even semi-naturalistic- they hide a lot, need space, and bulldoze stuff in the habitat- but it always bothers me to see the empty box with a hide, couple of dishes, and maybe a plant. No wonder the animal is understimulated.

 

[LLLReptile]

Jen- I assume you've seen "The Art of Keeping Snakes" (DE VOSJOLI, Phillippe. AVS Books 2004.) I LOVED that book- it gave me many great ideas for tortoises even though much of the book is not applicable to them.

I know tortoises can be challenging to make even semi-naturalistic- they hide a lot, need space, and bulldoze stuff in the habitat- but it always bothers me to see the empty box with a hide, couple of dishes, and maybe a plant. No wonder the animal is understimulated.

YES I loved that book, and as a matter of fact I believe all of our retail locations keep it in stock.

Fortunately, in the store it is an assigned daily task to go through and at least spot clean each and every cage, so someone goes through and "re-sets" the cage with the tortoises every day. Bulldozing always happens, but we don't mind putting things back together again - which I think is part of what deters some keepers from adding more to their cages. I'll have to see if I can create some videos of tortoises engaging in enrichment activities at the stores to share.

-Jen