Hatchling doesn’t burrow or go in his hide?

CJMoses

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My two month old sulcata tortoise has been doing well the last 4 weeks I’ve had him. He eats well, is very active and loves sitting outside with me. However, I noticed he never burrows in his enclosure and never goes in his hide. His hide is about 70-75 degrees on the “cool” side of his enclosure and about 100 degrees directly under the heat lamp. I keep the hide nice and damp as well hoping he might want to cool off, but he generally just sits under the heat lamp or on the “cool” side just on top of the substrate. I use a coconut coir substrate and make sure I spray it throughout the day. Is this normal of a hatchling Sulcata, or am I doing something incorrect?
 

Hamiltondood

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i've read a post about placing your tortoise in the hide every night and eventually, it'll learn.
i put my tortoise's humid hide on the hot side and added water everyday so its humid-er.
you should get a CHE for the cool side, it should be 80 degrees.
spraying doesn't do much so you might as well ad a few cups into the substrate and mix it up every few days.
my tortoise now stays in his hide to sleep and only comes out to eat and exercise for a while ?
 

Freddy90

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My two month old sulcata tortoise has been doing well the last 4 weeks I’ve had him. He eats well, is very active and loves sitting outside with me. However, I noticed he never burrows in his enclosure and never goes in his hide. His hide is about 70-75 degrees on the “cool” side of his enclosure and about 100 degrees directly under the heat lamp. I keep the hide nice and damp as well hoping he might want to cool off, but he generally just sits under the heat lamp or on the “cool” side just on top of the substrate. I use a coconut coir substrate and make sure I spray it throughout the day. Is this normal of a hatchling Sulcata, or am I doing something incorrect?

You need 80f at night and day for a hatchling sulcata. 70 is too cold. If its cold and humid he can get a raspatory infection. U want 80f and high humidity.
U can read a care guide from member tom about sulcata hatchlings. Its pinned I think on the sulcata section:)
 

KarenSoCal

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Here's the most up-to-date care info for a sully. It explains everything. And yes, 70° is too cold, especially with the damp substrate. Get it up to above 80° at all times in all areas of the enclosure.

 

Tom

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My two month old sulcata tortoise has been doing well the last 4 weeks I’ve had him. He eats well, is very active and loves sitting outside with me. However, I noticed he never burrows in his enclosure and never goes in his hide. His hide is about 70-75 degrees on the “cool” side of his enclosure and about 100 degrees directly under the heat lamp. I keep the hide nice and damp as well hoping he might want to cool off, but he generally just sits under the heat lamp or on the “cool” side just on top of the substrate. I use a coconut coir substrate and make sure I spray it throughout the day. Is this normal of a hatchling Sulcata, or am I doing something incorrect?
Hello and welcome.

This is a two part answer. Part 1: Yes you are doing something incorrect. As has been mentioned, 70-75 is much too cool. The coldest part of the enclosure should drop to no lower than 80 on the coldest of nights. The whole enclosure should warm into the high 80s or low 90s each day, and your 100 degree basking area is just right. Spraying the substrate is ineffective, and you having to do it tells me that your enclosure is not right. You need a closed chamber. This will hold in heat and humidity instead of letting it all escape by rising up and out the top. Here is all the info on how to do that:
Questions are welcome when you are done reading that.

Part 2: The behavior you are seeing is normal for sulcatas. As babies they tend to avoid any sort of hole in the ground as if their life depends on it. Presumably, this instinct saves their lives in the African wilderness by helping them avoid contact with whatever African animal made that hole. It takes them time to realize that there is no tortoise eating monster in that cave, and in fact it is THEIR cave to inhabit. Once temps are where they should be, you can put the tortoise in the hide every night an hour or two after dark. After a couple of weeks of that, most of them will start to use the hide and see it as a place of security.

Part 2B: Sulcatas are a burrowing species in the wid... as adults. Babies don't burrow. They might shimmy down into some soft damp substrate like a stingray in sand, but they don't make actual tunnels to live in until they get near adulthood in most cases. I'm certain someone somewhere has an 8 inch sulcata that dug a burrow, but you don't typically see this behavior until they are closer to 14-16 inches in most cases, and frequently you don't ever see it.
 

CJMoses

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Thank you all for the advice! I just ordered some supplies to alter his enclosure and make sure I have everything correct. I have seen so much conflicting advice online so it’s nice to hear from real owners. I want to take care of my little guy as best as possible. Tonto appreciates it! And so do I :)
 

AgataP

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My hatchling just started to go to his hide out. What I did I left only coco coir in there with very few orchid chips and he loves to dig in it. Because only orchid bark that I was able to find was medium- which seems a bit big for him. Better now as he got bigger.
Yesterday he was doing some serious renovations- moved the whole hide out to the middle of the enclosure. If he does it again I will move it for him.
He also sleeps anywhere. Because the enclosure is almost evenly heated he is comfortable sleeping wherever.
Whenever I see him laying down basking I know the temperature is 92F ?
His hide is in 80s.

Is your enclosure closed?
 

turtlesteve

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Another comment: tortoises will stay out in the open if the ambient light in the enclosure is too dim. I am convinced they need BRIGHT ambient light to promote normal behavior (that is, seeking shelter during mid day when they would normally sleep). This is important because we want them to use hide boxes or shelter areas where the humidity is higher. Even the cooler side of the enclosure should be brightly lit, with LED or fluorescent lights.
 

AgataP

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I read somewhere that they don’t have to use the hide always. If the enclosure is nice humid, warm they can hang out anywhere. I have 3/4 enclosure with basking light ranges from 88-105, and led light and 1/4 of enclosure is darker not much cooler.
Herbie uses the whole enclosure to run around sleeps anywhere. Last week he sleeps in hide out. I wouldn’t stress about him not sleeping in the hide.
What is your humidity and temperature inside of the hide box.

I also picked lightbulbs that are warmer color and not bright white- I don’t want white light in my eyes either.
As long as you providing all the things your tort my need he will decide where he wants to be. Possibly hideout is too cold and too wet.
 

KarenSoCal

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My 2 year old star refuses to go into his hide. He has a spot under the plant where he hangs out and sleeps. He also never basks, not once has he laid under his basking light.

I can only think it's because he is warm in the entire enclosure. It runs 85-87°F on the cold side. His hide is the same temp. Humidity is >80% everywhere.

I was told stars like it hot and wet. Certainly is true for Sulafat.
 

turtlesteve

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My 2 year old star refuses to go into his hide. He has a spot under the plant where he hangs out and sleeps. He also never basks, not once has he laid under his basking light.

I can only think it's because he is warm in the entire enclosure. It runs 85-87°F on the cold side. His hide is the same temp. Humidity is >80% everywhere.

I was told stars like it hot and wet. Certainly is true for Sulafat.

I think stars are just programmed to hide in grass - mine will always ignore hide boxes in favor of grass clumps. They will only use hides if there is no grass left to hide under.
 
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