HIDIES

[sueb4653]

Tiny doesnt seem to like his hidie the last 2 nights I moved him into it after the lights went out and it was dark, tonight he dug into the substrate to the side where the basking light is so I have left him, is this normal behavior for greeks to not like a hidie and rather dig in? or do I need a different type of hidie right now its a rubbermaid square wash bowl with a doorway cut in,is it maybe too big of a hidie? sorry for all the questions

 

[wellington]

My Leo had done the same last year. He always slept in one hide. He had three. Then I change the enclsoure around and gave hi tow of the same hides, one was the one he always used and one new one. He hardly ever sleeps in the two old ones, love the new one and its only a log on a slant, go figure. Let them sleep where they want. You can always move the hide in the spot he likes. If he still doesn't use it, them he either just doesn't like it anymore or just got tired of it for awhile and will probably go back to it. Also, is the hide as warm or as cool as the spot he's picking' the temps might be making him go to a different spot.

 

[sueb4653]

My Leo had done the same last year. He always slept in one hide. He had three. Then I change the enclsoure around and gave hi tow of the same hides, one was the one he always used and one new one. He hardly ever sleeps in the two old ones, love the new one and its only a log on a slant, go figure. Let them sleep where they want. You can always move the hide in the spot he likes. If he still doesn't use it, them he either just doesn't like it anymore or just got tired of it for awhile and will probably go back to it. Also, is the hide as warm or as cool as the spot he's picking' the temps might be making him go to a different spot.

the hide is under the ceramic emitter and I just measured the temp in the hidie it was 80 where he is dug into the substrate he is 77

 

[wellington]

I'm not that up on Greeks. However I think they do like some cooler temps, especially at night. Hopefully a Greek owner will chime in an lets us know if the cooler temps is prefer and good for them. Hold on, some one should be along.

 

[CGKeith]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

 

[GBtortoises]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

Same here with Ibera and Hermann's subspecies.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

Same here with Ibera and Hermann's subspecies.

Agreed, I had two hides for Carl, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. He would use them each about the same for the first couple of weeks but then one day he decided he doesn't want anything to do with them and just buries himself right under the heat source under a little clump of sphagnum moss. Go figure, I spend money on hides and he'd rather sleep in the dirt

 

[sueb4653]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

Same here with Ibera and Hermann's subspecies.

Agreed, I had two hides for Carl, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. He would use them each about the same for the first couple of weeks but then one day he decided he doesn't want anything to do with them and just buries himself right under the heat source under a little clump of sphagnum moss. Go figure, I spend money on hides and he'd rather sleep in the dirt

I wonder if a big piece of pvc pipe would work buried in the substrate somewhat

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

Same here with Ibera and Hermann's subspecies.

Agreed, I had two hides for Carl, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. He would use them each about the same for the first couple of weeks but then one day he decided he doesn't want anything to do with them and just buries himself right under the heat source under a little clump of sphagnum moss. Go figure, I spend money on hides and he'd rather sleep in the dirt

I wonder if a big piece of pvc pipe would work buried in the substrate somewhat

I think some tortoises just prefer to dig their own hiding spots. In my opinion, it makes his habitat more natural. He always burrows in the same spot every night and I always joke that he has a secret underground tunnel system in his enclosure

 

[GBtortoises]

I've noticed this with most of my babies (ibera, golden, jordanian). They tend to bury themselves in the warm damp substrate (usually right under the heat/basking spot) rather than a cooler hide.

Same here with Ibera and Hermann's subspecies.

Agreed, I had two hides for Carl, one on the cool side and one on the warm side. He would use them each about the same for the first couple of weeks but then one day he decided he doesn't want anything to do with them and just buries himself right under the heat source under a little clump of sphagnum moss. Go figure, I spend money on hides and he'd rather sleep in the dirt

I wonder if a big piece of pvc pipe would work buried in the substrate somewhat

That is basically what I use for hides, a piece of 4" black corrugated plastic drainage pipe about 8" long, cut in half horizontally. I keep dampened sphagnum moss it in. Some baby tortoises prefer it, some prefer to burry themselves in the substrate.

I wouldn't be too concerned about where your tortoise is choosing to sleep, especially as a baby. As long as that spot isn't directly under the basking light completely exposed to the heat.

 

[sueb4653]

He is 5yrs from what I was told gues s I'll watch his habits then decide whether or not to leave the hide in there or remove to give him more space to wander