Homes hingeback digging whole day

[16rash]

Last few days i have been noticing that Zura digging at one corner of the enclosure.hie whole face and front limbs are muddy.
he has seen me digging for earthworms to feed him from the same place.is he looking for earthworms or trying to escape? is this behavior common in homes hingeback?
another question i have is how often should i change the substrate of the enclosure. it is topsoil + cypress mulch and dried leaves.i moved him in this enclosure 1 month ago.
Please advise.

 

[Anyfoot]

Last few days i have been noticing that Zura digging at one corner of the enclosure.hie whole face and front limbs are muddy.
he has seen me digging for earthworms to feed him from the same place.is he looking for earthworms or trying to escape? is this behavior common in homes hingeback?
another question i have is how often should i change the substrate of the enclosure. it is topsoil + cypress mulch and dried leaves.i moved him in this enclosure 1 month ago.
Please advise.

haha , told you they were clever torts. Some of mine come running(yes RUNNING) when they see me digging. They ain't daft.
Dont bother cleaning your enclosure for at least a year. As long as nothing gets boggy and stagnent you'll be fine. Pick up any old food and poop daily and your good. Put some pillbugs in the enclosure too if you can, they will establish a home and help clean up, also they will keep your guy entertained. It's funny watching them at times.

 

[Anyfoot]

Just thought, I'm assuming with the muddy face he's digging with snout and front legs, not the back legs. He is a he isn't he?

 

[16rash]

Yes, front legs

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Many terrestrial chelonians do this. One sure way to find wild box turtles is to spot these paths of pushed aside leaf litter, follow end to end and you are likely to find a box turtle. My Forsteni do it, and so do younger Manouria. They worm plow.

 

[16rash]

another thing i noticed - he is pacing around the enclosure walls and trying to climb.also make making some sound.not sure if it is wheezing . would you please check the video and let me know if any changes are required in the enclosure ?

 

[Anyfoot]

another thing i noticed - he is pacing around the enclosure walls and trying to climb.also make making some sound.not sure if it is wheezing . would you please check the video and let me know if any changes are required in the enclosure ?

I cant remember if we verified the sex of your tort or not. Could you post some photos of the plastron and tail please. Mine make that wheezing noise sometimes.

 

[16rash]

I cant remember if we verified the sex of your tort or not. Could you post some photos of the plastron and tail please. Mine make that wheezing noise sometimes.

Here are the pics..please let me know if these are not clear and i will try to click few more.He is very messy..digging and climbing whole day.

 

[Anyfoot]

Yeah, looks male. That's how torts should be (dirty). You can see the front nails are well worn too, soon he's a digger.

 

[16rash]

Yeah, looks male. That's how torts should be (dirty). You can see the front nails are well worn too, soon he's a digger.

Thanks Anyfoot. Is this normal, pacing around the walls and trying to climb it? Is he trying to escape?
sometime i think he is a wild caught and feel suffocated in that small enclosure

 

[Anyfoot]

Thanks Anyfoot. Is this normal, pacing around the walls and trying to climb it? Is he trying to escape?
sometime i think he is a wild caught and feel suffocated in that small enclosure

Mine do it now and then, usually when females are gravid or if the males are having a confrontation, sometimes I split the males for the day or half the day, occasionally you can see a gravid female clearing the area and climb the walls, I've even seen female to female domination because one is gravid. (Ramming)
But you only have 1 tort. So, are your temps good(not too hot). Provide I place at 70f. Mine always seek cooler areas, even my hatchlings seem to want cooler temps.
Has he got plenty of food and water. Spray the guy for 5 or 10mins. Do you have access to an area outside for him to roam.
Yours looks more male, but my males are a lot more concave and have a larger tail than yours, that said the tail looks to big for a female.
There is a small seed of doubt for me that yours is male, but it's hard to judge on the photo.

Also
I often wonder about solitary males in captivity, they must spend time in the wild seeking out females, keeping active as part of the daily cycle, what happens when there are no females about? Just thoughts.

 

[16rash]

Mine do it now and then, usually when females are gravid or if the males are having a confrontation, sometimes I split the males for the day or half the day, occasionally you can see a gravid female clearing the area and climb the walls, I've even seen female to female domination because one is gravid. (Ramming)
But you only have 1 tort. So, are your temps good(not too hot). Provide I place at 70f. Mine always seek cooler areas, even my hatchlings seem to want cooler temps.
Has he got plenty of food and water. Spray the guy for 5 or 10mins. Do you have access to an area outside for him to roam.
Yours looks more male, but my males are a lot more concave and have a larger tail than yours, that said the tail looks to big for a female.
There is a small seed of doubt for me that yours is male, but it's hard to judge on the photo.

Also
I often wonder about solitary males in captivity, they must spend time in the wild seeking out females, keeping active as part of the daily cycle, what happens when there are no females about? Just thoughts.

Thanks for the response !

I should have mentioned that earlier that i have 6 yrs old herman which is indoor next to his enclosure. and they both do the climbing and pacing thing same time..around late afternoon after 3 pm when both are more active.

Temp at one end of the enclosure is in 80s but other end is cooler where is usually sleep . i spray him with warm water 3 times a day. he has a big water tray for soaking(change water every 3 days) and another dish for drinking(change water everyday)

i have offered him variety of mushroom but he doesn't look interested and has not eeven eaten a bot of it, which is surprising. he eats watermelon, papaya, butternut squash and strawberries. occasionally seen him eating spider plant but no other greens. last 2 weeks he has not eaten any earthworms which is also concerning . he was eating earthworms earlier .tried all types of canned cat/dog food, mazuri diet but no luck.

I dont have backyard but i can take him out in open for sometime in the evening to get him fresh air. i will try to get the clear pic of the tail , may be that helps.

i am not sure of getting another hingeback unless he gets settle in first. But i am having thought of placing him on adoption to someone who have open yard and much experience in hingeback (i dont want to but cannot see him suffering)

 

[Anyfoot]

Thanks for the response !

I should have mentioned that earlier that i have 6 yrs old herman which is indoor next to his enclosure. and they both do the climbing and pacing thing same time..around late afternoon after 3 pm when both are more active.

Temp at one end of the enclosure is in 80s but other end is cooler where is usually sleep . i spray him with warm water 3 times a day. he has a big water tray for soaking(change water every 3 days) and another dish for drinking(change water everyday)

i have offered him variety of mushroom but he doesn't look interested and has not eeven eaten a bot of it, which is surprising. he eats watermelon, papaya, butternut squash and strawberries. occasionally seen him eating spider plant but no other greens. last 2 weeks he has not eaten any earthworms which is also concerning . he was eating earthworms earlier .tried all types of canned cat/dog food, mazuri diet but no luck.

I dont have backyard but i can take him out in open for sometime in the evening to get him fresh air. i will try to get the clear pic of the tail , may be that helps.

i am not sure of getting another hingeback unless he gets settle in first. But i am having thought of placing him on adoption to someone who have open yard and much experience in hingeback (i dont want to but cannot see him suffering)

He's not suffering, lots of torts climb. Homeana seem to make it a life's ambition to climb. No matter how much space they get, they want more.
I had some branches in my hatchling enclosure and some how they managed to scale them to the top, I've had to remove them cause it was getting dangerous.
I've caught mine eating grass and dandilions in the garden, but when I feed these in the enclosure they totally ignore it.
Has he got cuttlebone to chew on?

 

[Anyfoot]

Thanks for the response !

I should have mentioned that earlier that i have 6 yrs old herman which is indoor next to his enclosure. and they both do the climbing and pacing thing same time..around late afternoon after 3 pm when both are more active.

Temp at one end of the enclosure is in 80s but other end is cooler where is usually sleep . i spray him with warm water 3 times a day. he has a big water tray for soaking(change water every 3 days) and another dish for drinking(change water everyday)

i have offered him variety of mushroom but he doesn't look interested and has not eeven eaten a bot of it, which is surprising. he eats watermelon, papaya, butternut squash and strawberries. occasionally seen him eating spider plant but no other greens. last 2 weeks he has not eaten any earthworms which is also concerning . he was eating earthworms earlier .tried all types of canned cat/dog food, mazuri diet but no luck.

I dont have backyard but i can take him out in open for sometime in the evening to get him fresh air. i will try to get the clear pic of the tail , may be that helps.

i am not sure of getting another hingeback unless he gets settle in first. But i am having thought of placing him on adoption to someone who have open yard and much experience in hingeback (i dont want to but cannot see him suffering)

Can you measure the length of his shell, in a straight line, don't bend the ruler to the shape of his carapace.
SCL. Straight Carapace Length.

 

[16rash]

He's not suffering, lots of torts climb. Homeana seem to make it a life's ambition to climb. No matter how much space they get, they want more.
I had some branches in my hatchling enclosure and some how they managed to scale them to the top, I've had to remove them cause it was getting dangerous.
I've caught mine eating grass and dandilions in the garden, but when I feed these in the enclosure they totally ignore it.
Has he got cuttlebone to chew on?

Yes Anyfoot. i have cuttlebone in the enclosure. li think i have to add more hides in the enclosure though. he has only 1 hide at the cooler end.

 

[16rash]

Here are the enclosure setups and temperature...open to suggestions/feedback.I am willing to change the whole setup if required..just let me know please..i am worried about my tortoise.he is barely eating anything..today he just ate a small piece of papaya .

First 2 pics are without the fogger.First Pic - one half of the enclosure.it has 150 watt CHE which runs constantly maintaining a temp of 83-84F.This tray is for soaking. he generally digs at these 2 corners of the enclosure. I open up window after 3 pm so he gets direct sunlight.

Second Pic - other half of the enclosure.It has night lamp which is ON all the time. Temp under the night lamp is btw 77-79 F. Brown dish with water is for drinking . white box at the corner is the hide but he generally dont uses it. he sleeps under these 2 plants in the pic (most of the time). when he wakes up, i keep food near the water dish.i also throw in mushrooms, greeens, strawberry in whole enclosure but he most of the time dont eat anything, sometimes 1-2 strawberry bites.

substrate is top soil+cypres mulch+leaf litter.i spray whole enclosure 2 times. last 2 pics are with fogger running. these fogger runs 24 hours.so i presumes temp must be dropping due to humidity. To maintain humidity i cover 2/3 of the enclosure with 2 planks.

i know i have to add more hides.anything else i should add/change in the enclosure .Please advise.

 

[Anyfoot]

Here are the enclosure setups and temperature...open to suggestions/feedback.I am willing to change the whole setup if required..just let me know please..i am worried about my tortoise.he is barely eating anything..today he just ate a small piece of papaya .

First 2 pics are without the fogger.First Pic - one half of the enclosure.it has 150 watt CHE which runs constantly maintaining a temp of 83-84F.This tray is for soaking. he generally digs at these 2 corners of the enclosure. I open up window after 3 pm so he gets direct sunlight.

Second Pic - other half of the enclosure.It has night lamp which is ON all the time. Temp under the night lamp is btw 77-79 F. Brown dish with water is for drinking . white box at the corner is the hide but he generally dont uses it. he sleeps under these 2 plants in the pic (most of the time). when he wakes up, i keep food near the water dish.i also throw in mushrooms, greeens, strawberry in whole enclosure but he most of the time dont eat anything, sometimes 1-2 strawberry bites.

substrate is top soil+cypres mulch+leaf litter.i spray whole enclosure 2 times. last 2 pics are with fogger running. these fogger runs 24 hours.so i presumes temp must be dropping due to humidity. To maintain humidity i cover 2/3 of the enclosure with 2 planks.

i know i have to add more hides.anything else i should add/change in the enclosure .Please advise.

Im wondering if you are getting hot spots and not an ambient temp with it not being covered. What is the ambient temp in that room. My enclosure is 4x12ft. 4×3ft is open to the room temp(mini garden). 4x9ft of it is closed with the heat at the opposite end to the garden, set at 80f. So as they go towards the garden end the temps taper to room temp. The closed area and the garden area is connected via a small open doorway about 6"wide and 4" high. This small opening doesn't let all the heat out, creating an ambient in the closed side.
I think your enclosure is nice, just needs fine adjustments. If 2/3 of your enclosure is covered with planks it's not helping with the ambient at the opposite end. I'd cut a round hole in the planks and rest the heat shade over the hole. Also put a partition across under the end plank with a doorway. Put hides in covered side and the plants in open side, forget the fogger for now. I also question the uvb strength of the sun after 3pm. Can you get a 5.0 strip uvb. You'd only need one at 15" long(ish). Put this on a timer for 12hrs in the closed side, put it to one end of the closed side. Offer food in both sides for now. Personally I would cover half of it, not 2/3, put the bath in the warm side too.
How big is the enclosure?

 

[Anyfoot]

Drop that 83/84 to 79/80f. But with an ambient.

 

[16rash]

Im wondering if you are getting hot spots and not an ambient temp with it not being covered. What is the ambient temp in that room. My enclosure is 4x12ft. 4×3ft is open to the room temp(mini garden). 4x9ft of it is closed with the heat at the opposite end to the garden, set at 80f. So as they go towards the garden end the temps taper to room temp. The closed area and the garden area is connected via a small open doorway about 6"wide and 4" high. This small opening doesn't let all the heat out, creating an ambient in the closed side.
I think your enclosure is nice, just needs fine adjustments. If 2/3 of your enclosure is covered with planks it's not helping with the ambient at the opposite end. I'd cut a round hole in the planks and rest the heat shade over the hole. Also put a partition across under the end plank with a doorway. Put hides in covered side and the plants in open side, forget the fogger for now. I also question the uvb strength of the sun after 3pm. Can you get a 5.0 strip uvb. You'd only need one at 15" long(ish). Put this on a timer for 12hrs in the closed side, put it to one end of the closed side. Offer food in both sides for now. Personally I would cover half of it, not 2/3, put the bath in the warm side too.
How big is the enclosure?

Thank you Anyfoot for providing such detailed response.
Enclosure is 6ft x 3.5 ft. height is 1.5 ft.

 

[Gillian M]

Oli does that digging too every now and again. And even he tries to climb out of his enclosure, I personally thin, when he is bored. It does not worry me. Am planning to take him out for a walk a little later on.