how often and how long do russian tortoises stay in there hidy cave

[Dragon]

Hi guys, yup its me AGAIN.....my anxity it seems is getting the better of me....I try not to come here to often to ask questions espically ones iv already asked before...but could you tell me just how often and how long a russian tortoises will go to and stay in there cave? Sissy seems to spend most of her time in her cave....is this this normal? she came out a bit yesterday to eat....then spent the rest of her day in the cave...she spent all day the day be for yesterday in her cave too and today she has not come out of her cave at all and she hasnt eaten today either.... I put frish food in her dish every day and frish water.....and I sprinkle water on her beding so its not dry....and iv got a few fairly large rocks in her house....may be shes board in there? she perks up some when i soak her....and walks around in the water..... it just seems since we put her in her bigger house she spends most of her time in her cave.... am i doing something i shouldnt be or not doing something i should be doing for her? the last time she spent any real time out of her cave was on the 19th....when my daughter and her husband were here....she stayed out for a couple of hours ......not going back into her cave until after they left....

 

[zolasmum]

Hi guys, yup its me AGAIN.....my anxity it seems is getting the better of me....I try not to come here to often to ask questions espically ones iv already asked before...but could you tell me just how often and how long a russian tortoises will go to and stay in there cave? Sissy seems to spend most of her time in her cave....is this this normal? she came out a bit yesterday to eat....then spent the rest of her day in the cave...she spent all day the day be for yesterday in her cave too and today she has not come out of her cave at all and she hasnt eaten today either.... I put frish food in her dish every day and frish water.....and I sprinkle water on her beding so its not dry....and iv got a few fairly large rocks in her house....may be shes board in there? she perks up some when i soak her....and walks around in the water..... it just seems since we put her in her bigger house she spends most of her time in her cave.... am i doing something i shouldnt be or not doing something i should be doing for her? the last time she spent any real time out of her cave was on the 19th....when my daughter and her husband were here....she stayed out for a couple of hours ......not going back into her cave until after they left....

I think she is probably just settling in -is she eating most days.? And is she warm enough.? Try not to worry - Zola has strange moods sometimes, and I don't quite know what to do - I end up leaving him alone and it wears off after a bit -it could be weather conditions - low or high pressure affecting them.
Angie x

 

[Dragon]

Thanks I'll have to dig around in her bedding to find the thermonter...Her new house is in front of the living room windo now...but so is my chair and i dont feel any cold air comming in....although i did open the curtins this afternoon so i could see the driveway....spike went on a short road trip abut 50 miles away and i wanted to be able to watch the driveway to see when he came home. she ate a bit yesterday and she ate good the day before cleaned out her food dish competely....she stayed in her cave for the 2 days before that..... also her new house is right next to the heat regester...... I'll check the temp in her house when i find the thermetor or get a new one tomarrow and i'll i close the curtins .....I think your proubly right....and shes just getting used to her new home.....she was out all day on the 19 when my daughter was here visiting....guess she just didnt want to miss anything lol

 

[Cathie G]

My little Russian has been a lazy little Russian lately too. I usually just do a check on him and or place him next to his food. That used to make him mad when I first got him. He would stomp all over the food 🤨 now I think he's adjusted to owning me because he'll go ahead and eat. Also I always continue regular care every day. It's actually normal for him this time of year in Ohio.

 

[Cathie G]

Thanks I'll have to dig around in her bedding to find the thermonter...Her new house is in front of the living room windo now...but so is my chair and i dont feel any cold air comming in....although i did open the curtins this afternoon so i could see the driveway....spike went on a short road trip abut 50 miles away and i wanted to be able to watch the driveway to see when he came home. she ate a bit yesterday and she ate good the day before cleaned out her food dish competely....she stayed in her cave for the 2 days before that..... also her new house is right next to the heat regester...... I'll check the temp in her house when i find the thermetor or get a new one tomarrow and i'll i close the curtins .....I think your proubly right....and shes just getting used to her new home.....she was out all day on the 19 when my daughter was here visiting....guess she just didnt want to miss anything lol

You probably should keep the curtains open for light every day for photo for both of you. When I say photo I mean daylight. Opening the curtains and turning on the lights are the first part of my daily schedule.🤗

 

[Dragon]

your weather is about the same as mine most of the time.... I just havent had sissy long enough to know what her normal or regular runteen is. lol but i'll get the hang of it..... Im a little more observent of all the animals right now..... and my anxity has been on high lately i believe iv told you about my little service dog...shes 17 now and lately she hasnt been eating very good....and every now and then she seems a little confused.... and shes been more clingy then usual lately this just started this past week..... Iv had enough dogs in my life time to know that shes either just not feeling to good right now...or that her body is perpairing to shut down. Sheba IS my calm...even here at home....and God has allowed her to be with me for a long time....I know I cant have her forever but.....the thought of loosing her is almost more then i can bear....the very thought of her not being here brings tears to my eyes and sends my panic off the charts....sigh but iv been here before...sheba is my second service dog....I got her after my first service dog charlie had to be put down. He displayed a lot of the things sheba is displaying now...one day he was trying to walk to me when his hind legs just gave out....for what ever reason he could no longer use his hind legs at all....I picked him up and held him the rest of that evening and night until we could get him to the vet the next day....I held him close to me as they gave him the shot and told him it was ok he could go and rest id be alright....he was gone before the vet even took the needle out....sigh i dont look forward to going through all that again

 

[Dragon]

You probably should keep the curtains open for light every day for photo for both of you. When I say photo I mean daylight. Opening the curtains and turning on the lights are the first part of my daily schedule.🤗

We do open at least one of the curtins part way these days to let some sunlight in. since i started getting the bowtox shots we dont have to keep the house dark anymore. I also suffer from photo phobia....not sure why they call it that....im not scared of light lol unfrountly before the shots I had to stay in the dark as light of any kind would trigger my migrines and make them worse..... we have a small light with an orange bulb in it that i could turn on for short periods of time when i needed to see something....and i wore welders glasses when ever i had to go outside.....now regular dark sunglasses is all i have to wear. Its kind of nice not having to be in the dark all the time lol

 

[Cathie G]

your weather is about the same as mine most of the time.... I just havent had sissy long enough to know what her normal or regular runteen is. lol but i'll get the hang of it..... Im a little more observent of all the animals right now..... and my anxity has been on high lately i believe iv told you about my little service dog...shes 17 now and lately she hasnt been eating very good....and every now and then she seems a little confused.... and shes been more clingy then usual lately this just started this past week..... Iv had enough dogs in my life time to know that shes either just not feeling to good right now...or that her body is perpairing to shut down. Sheba IS my calm...even here at home....and God has allowed her to be with me for a long time....I know I cant have her forever but.....the thought of loosing her is almost more then i can bear....the very thought of her not being here brings tears to my eyes and sends my panic off the charts....sigh but iv been here before...sheba is my second service dog....I got her after my first service dog charlie had to be put down. He displayed a lot of the things sheba is displaying now...one day he was trying to walk to me when his hind legs just gave out....for what ever reason he could no longer use his hind legs at all....I picked him up and held him the rest of that evening and night until we could get him to the vet the next day....I held him close to me as they gave him the shot and told him it was ok he could go and rest id be alright....he was gone before the vet even took the needle out....sigh i dont look forward to going through all that again

😘 I feel that same way when I lose a rabbit. It's awful. And even though Razberri is continuing to live a long life (unusual) they don't have the lifespan of a tortoise. She is my fourth house rabbit. I almost have to have a rabbit with me. Sapphire my little Russian keeps me going though. It was really rough when I first got him I was scared to death even though I knew a little bit. After 14 years and it will be 15 in May I feel a bit safer. Especially after I found TFO. If I see something iffy I have them to ask for advice.🤗

 

[zolasmum]

your weather is about the same as mine most of the time.... I just havent had sissy long enough to know what her normal or regular runteen is. lol but i'll get the hang of it..... Im a little more observent of all the animals right now..... and my anxity has been on high lately i believe iv told you about my little service dog...shes 17 now and lately she hasnt been eating very good....and every now and then she seems a little confused.... and shes been more clingy then usual lately this just started this past week..... Iv had enough dogs in my life time to know that shes either just not feeling to good right now...or that her body is perpairing to shut down. Sheba IS my calm...even here at home....and God has allowed her to be with me for a long time....I know I cant have her forever but.....the thought of loosing her is almost more then i can bear....the very thought of her not being here brings tears to my eyes and sends my panic off the charts....sigh but iv been here before...sheba is my second service dog....I got her after my first service dog charlie had to be put down. He displayed a lot of the things sheba is displaying now...one day he was trying to walk to me when his hind legs just gave out....for what ever reason he could no longer use his hind legs at all....I picked him up and held him the rest of that evening and night until we could get him to the vet the next day....I held him close to me as they gave him the shot and told him it was ok he could go and rest id be alright....he was gone before the vet even took the needle out....sigh i dont look forward to going through all that again

I am so sorry to hear about Sheba - I can't imagine how you will feel, after such a close relationship, but if she knows her time is up, you won't want her to suffer. It may sound a bit silly, but I feel very close to Zola, and he is a great comfort at times - he seems to sense how I feel. Of course, other times, he tries to take my mind off things by racing around, biting my shoe, and usually pooing frantically - it does work, in a way !!
Best wishes from Angie x

 

[Dragon]

sheba is sitting sleeping next to me on my chair....she stays close most of the time these days...and i simply enjoy our being together, and of course i take lots of pictures lol and no it dosnt sound silly to me at all....I am very close to all my animal children....and to me thats what they are, I have to countue to tell spike that at maturity a dogs mental ablitys are that of maybe a 3 to 5 year old. lol which is hard for him since he never had any children lol ahh sissy came out just long enough to eat. lol so things are going well here. lol she and holms( the bird) have had there food and water changed and the dogs are sleeping what the cat is doing i dont know lol she scratches on the bedroom door in the morning to be let out...then she makes her rounds and goes back into the bedroom !! lol shes in and out all day....