Hyper-Active Sulcata Tortoise.

[Tor-tweezles]

Hello Tort lovers!

I just made this account today, but I've been reading all of your awesome threads for a couple months now. Now it's time for a question...

I have a young male Sulcata Tortoise about 6-10 years old and weighs 29 pounds. Every single day without fail this Tortoise is running around at top Tortoise speeds! I clocked him going at a constant 1.1 MPH which doesn't seem like a whole lot I suppose, but he never stops!
We've considered maybe a brain problem, tons of energy, or in constant searching for adventure?? I've been searching health problems everywhere I can find to try to diagnose anything he may have but he seems fairly healthy and his still gaining weight every month.

Anything and everything you can share, please do.

-

 

[Yvonne G]

My Dudley, 110lb sulcata, wakes up in the a.m. and sits in the doorway of his shelter for about a half hour, then he goes outside and sits in the sun for about an hour. After that he marches up and down along his fence for about an hour. Then he settles in to grazing. He eats the grass and weeds in his yard until he gets hot, then he finds a bush to sleep away the rest of the day. But he marches so much that he has worn a path along the edge of the fence:

 

[RayRay]

I remember a member from the UK, had a russian tortoise that would run and run and run, so much it couldn't hibernate due to loss of weight.

The vet they were bringing them to said, that he had to much testosterone, and was looking for a mate. Because he was losing so much weight they finally had to implant a testosterone reducer. I haven't ever seen how the tortoise turned out tho.

 

[BrianWI]

I remember a member from the UK, had a russian tortoise that would run and run and run, so much it couldn't hibernate due to loss of weight.

The vet they were bringing them to said, that he had to much testosterone, and was looking for a mate. Because he was losing so much weight they finally had to implant a testosterone reducer. I haven't ever seen how the tortoise turned out tho.

This sounds a bit fishy....

 

[Tom]

Some of the are just very active and outgoing. My Scooter was that way. Always marching up and down his entire enclosure.

Where are you? Temps? What size enclosure?

 

[RayRay]

This sounds a bit fishy....

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/hormone-implant-for-male-tgg-with-a-one-track-mind.48004/

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I remember a member from the UK, had a russian tortoise that would run and run and run, so much it couldn't hibernate due to loss of weight.

The vet they were bringing them to said, that he had to much testosterone, and was looking for a mate. Because he was losing so much weight they finally had to implant a testosterone reducer. I haven't ever seen how the tortoise turned out tho.

Is this about Joe, @JoesMum?

 

[Jodie]

Agreed, they march. That is what they do. My male spends several hours each evening walking up and down his enclosure.

 

[BrianWI]

Fishy was the wrong word; it is more like I feel like it isn't something I'd want to do to anything. Chemical castration, which is really what this is, seems harsh. I wonder if there is another solution?

What percentage of male sulcatas exhibit this behavior to this extreme, anyone know?

 

[RayRay]

Fishy was the wrong word; it is more like I feel like it isn't something I'd want to do to anything. Chemical castration, which is really what this is, seems harsh. I wonder if there is another solution?

What percentage of male sulcatas exhibit this behavior to this extreme, anyone know?

I was just saying it had a similarity sound to it.

 

[surfergirl]

my sully is very active. acts exactly the same way as most of the others have described. He sits in door of his house even at night ( the watchman) if anything is going on or I turn the lights on he will start checking everything out, walking around, following me if I am in his space even at 5:00am in the dark. lol!
he came out and greeted me this morning at 5:00am -still dark except the lights which do light up my backyard like a football field. he was all around my feet while I was feeding and changing his water for the day, temp was over 75 and humidity at 80% so he was on...lol!

 

[Tom]

What percentage of male sulcatas exhibit this behavior to this extreme, anyone know?

This is hard to quantify because everyone perceives things differently and expresses what they see differently. How do we measure this objectively?

For example: I find regular leopard tortoises and Indian star tortoises to be very shy in comparison to my marching sulcatas or ankle ramming South African leopards. Other keepers like my friend Neal, find their leopards and stars to be outgoing and personable. Likewise: What one person sees as a hyperactive pacing tortoise, I might just see a sulcata behaving what I would consider "normally".

 

[BrianWI]

Trying to standardize behaviors and perception is definitely a challenge.

Another issue is if I asked every question I had, I'd have a hundred posts in each topic on the board.

 

[MichiganFrog]

We have a male sulcata that likes to ram inanimate objects and knock them down. It's pretty amusing to watch, and I should probably take a video of it. Needless to say, it's a good thing that we keep our tortoises separated at all times. I think the one female we have is driving our males crazy...

 

[Tor-tweezles]

Some of the are just very active and outgoing. My Scooter was that way. Always marching up and down his entire enclosure.

Where are you? Temps? What size enclosure?

Tennessee, Pretty Damn Hot(80-100) I spray them with water and they chill in the shade though), 30ft. by 60ft. oval approx...
He is also the only Tortoise I have that instead of freaking out when he gets nervous just goes into a dead sprint instead!
At night, we take our Torts into a heat barn and he calms down in there.

 

[mike taylor]

Herry marches all around his enclosure all day long. Most of the time Sally is on the other side just sitting in a shady area munching on grass . For the first few weeks together Harry would sex up Sally now they are like an old couple. You stay on your side I'll stay on my side ,but you can sleep by me . Bahahaha tortoises are so cool !

 

[Tom]

Tennessee, Pretty Damn Hot(80-100) I spray them with water and they chill in the shade though), 30ft. by 60ft. oval approx...
He is also the only Tortoise I have that instead of freaking out when he gets nervous just goes into a dead sprint instead!
At night, we take our Torts into a heat barn and he calms down in there.

Can we see a pic? I'm wondering how much shade and cover there is.

 

[SKOLsuper]

Hello Tort lovers!

I just made this account today, but I've been reading all of your awesome threads for a couple months now. Now it's time for a question...

I have a young male Sulcata Tortoise about 6-10 years old and weighs 29 pounds. Every single day without fail this Tortoise is running around at top Tortoise speeds! I clocked him going at a constant 1.1 MPH which doesn't seem like a whole lot I suppose, but he never stops!
We've considered maybe a brain problem, tons of energy, or in constant searching for adventure?? I've been searching health problems everywhere I can find to try to diagnose anything he may have but he seems fairly healthy and his still gaining weight every month.

Anything and everything you can share, please do.

-

 

[SKOLsuper]

Hi my tortoise is only .1.5 years old and he’s started to get very hyper and eats ok and drinks