In dark area a lot.

Sasami32

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Jun 26, 2021
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My Hermann tortoise Zeus will wake up eat and go back in his dark area. Then Zeus will come out later bask then sometimes do laps around his enclosure while after eating left overs. Then he will either go back in dark area or once in awhile bask. Mostly all day he will be in dark area. This has been happening snice I got him 2 months ago. He is pooping and peeing very well. I soak him regularly! He goes outside quite often and he looks good! Eyes are bright , nose is cleared, no pyramiding . Moves fast . Gets calcium, Temp / humidity is fine . I have a Mercury uvb bulb all in one . My question is why is he mostly in the dark area just chillin ? I’m concerned, he just sits there…in the dark all day at most.
outside he is so active!
once awhile he will just sit under light for a long time. Any suggestions???

My indoor enclosure for my Hermann juvenile tortoise is 6ft long ! Has a width of 30 inches and 15inches high . The hide dark area is about 16 inches width. It’s inside . I take him a lot out to roam as well, when nice out.
 
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Ymmjr

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Well. I would recommend removing the dark area and see what will happen
 

Sasami32

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Mi
I’m sorry I meant to say it’s his hide area. Hide dark area
 

Sasami32

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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Mi
My Hermann tortoise Zeus will wake up eat and go back in his dark area. Then Zeus will come out later bask then sometimes do laps around his enclosure while after eating left overs. Then he will either go back India hide dark area or once in awhile bask. Mostly all day he will be in dark area. This has been happening snice I got him 2 months ago. He is pooping and peeing very well. I soak him regularly! He goes outside quite often and he looks good! Eyes are bright , nose is cleared, no pyramiding . Moves fast . Gets calcium, Temp / humidity is fine . I have a Mercury uvb bulb all in one . My question is why is he mostly in the dark area just chillin ? I’m concerned, he just sits there…in the dark all day at most.
outside he is so active!
once awhile he will just sit under light for a long time. Any suggestions???

My indoor enclosure for my Hermann juvenile tortoise is 6ft long ! Has a width of 30 inches and 15inches high . The hide dark area is about 16 inches width. It’s inside . I take him a lot out to roam as well, when nice out.
It’s his hide dark area.
 

Sasami32

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Joined
Jun 26, 2021
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
Mi
My Hermann tortoise Zeus will wake up eat and go back in his hide dark area. Then Zeus will come out later bask then sometimes do laps around his enclosure while after eating left overs. Then he will either go back in dark area or once in awhile bask. Mostly all day he will be in dark area. This has been happening snice I got him 2 months ago. He is pooping and peeing very well. I soak him regularly! He goes outside quite often and he looks good! Eyes are bright , nose is cleared, no pyramiding . Moves fast . Gets calcium, Temp / humidity is fine . I have a Mercury uvb bulb all in one . My question is why is he mostly in the dark area just chillin ? I’m concerned, he just sits there…in the dark all day at most.
outside he is so active!
once awhile he will just sit under light for a long time. Any suggestions???

My indoor enclosure for my Hermann juvenile tortoise is 6ft long ! Has a width of 30 inches and 15inches high . The hide dark area is about 16 inches width. It’s inside . I take him a lot out to roam as well, when nice out.
 

Harryedward

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Jul 27, 2021
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2
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Wigtown
My Hermann tortoise Zeus will wake up eat and go back in his dark area. Then Zeus will come out later bask then sometimes do laps around his enclosure while after eating left overs. Then he will either go back in dark area or once in awhile bask. Mostly all day he will be in dark area. This has been happening snice I got him 2 months ago. He is pooping and peeing very well. I soak him regularly! He goes outside quite often and he looks good! Eyes are bright , nose is cleared, no pyramiding . Moves fast . Gets calcium, Temp / humidity is fine . I have a Mercury uvb bulb all in one . My question is why is he mostly in the dark area just chillin ? I’m concerned, he just sits there…in the dark all day at most.
outside he is so active!
once awhile he will just sit under light for a long time. Any suggestions???

My indoor enclosure for my Hermann juvenile tortoise is 6ft long ! Has a width of 30 inches and 15inches high . The hide dark area is about 16 inches width. It’s inside . I take him a lot out to roam as well, when nice out.
Hi,
I wouldn't take away his dark area. Tortoises don't bask all day, they need a temperature gradient. They are pretty good at knowing when to bask and when to cool down. Not allowing them to regulate their own temp can cause immune issues.

I'd leave a thermometer under his lamp on top of something that corresponds to his height at the top of his shell and check it after half an hour. It should be around 32C, If it's more than this you'll need to either raise the bulb or change to a lower wattage.

My tortoise is only basking for around half an hour, at the moment. The air temp is very warm and then he wants to go out.

They also need to have the choice to get away from people. They like to have private time too. Remove that choice and they can get stressed.

I have lots of boxes, tunnels and plant pots in his outside pen, and a box and end tunnel in his inside table. Hermanns' tortoises like small spaces, it makes them feel secure. Try putting a small box (I use cut down cereal or herbal tea boxes) in his day area, you might find he then goes less in his end area.
 

Grace-Sophia

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Mar 9, 2021
Messages
688
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
My Hermann tortoise Zeus will wake up eat and go back in his dark area. Then Zeus will come out later bask then sometimes do laps around his enclosure while after eating left overs. Then he will either go back in dark area or once in awhile bask. Mostly all day he will be in dark area. This has been happening snice I got him 2 months ago. He is pooping and peeing very well. I soak him regularly! He goes outside quite often and he looks good! Eyes are bright , nose is cleared, no pyramiding . Moves fast . Gets calcium, Temp / humidity is fine . I have a Mercury uvb bulb all in one . My question is why is he mostly in the dark area just chillin ? I’m concerned, he just sits there…in the dark all day at most.
outside he is so active!
once awhile he will just sit under light for a long time. Any suggestions???

My indoor enclosure for my Hermann juvenile tortoise is 6ft long ! Has a width of 30 inches and 15inches high . The hide dark area is about 16 inches width. It’s inside . I take him a lot out to roam as well, when nice out.
Hey! Okay, so what I would recommend doing is posting pics of your torts tail, and cloaca, so we can see is Zeus is really a he. Female torts tend to hide quite a bit more than males, and also tend to sleep a bit more. I’m not saying this is the case for all torts, but based off of personal experience that might be your answer. Also, when did you get him, and how old is he? New/baby torts do tend to also hide a lot more before they get warmed up (;
 

Sasami32

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Jun 26, 2021
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Mi
Hi,
I wouldn't take away his dark area. Tortoises don't bask all day, they need a temperature gradient. They are pretty good at knowing when to bask and when to cool down. Not allowing them to regulate their own temp can cause immune issues.

I'd leave a thermometer under his lamp on top of something that corresponds to his height at the top of his shell and check it after half an hour. It should be around 32C, If it's more than this you'll need to either raise the bulb or change to a lower wattage.

My tortoise is only basking for around half an hour, at the moment. The air temp is very warm and then he wants to go out.

They also need to have the choice to get away from people. They like to have private time too. Remove that choice and they can get stressed.

I have lots of boxes, tunnels and plant pots in his outside pen, and a box and end tunnel in his inside table. Hermanns' tortoises like small spaces, it makes them feel secure. Try putting a small box (I use cut down cereal or herbal tea boxes) in his day area, you might find he then goes less in his end area.
He has hides to hide under 2 of them and his other main hide dark area. So 3. Thank you for advice . I wouldn’t remove his dark area/ hides . He has one hide in cooler spot and one in warm spot then his main hide dark area on the other side of the enclosure
 

Sasami32

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Mi
Hey! Okay, so what I would recommend doing is posting pics of your torts tail, and cloaca, so we can see is Zeus is really a he. Female torts tend to hide quite a bit more than males, and also tend to sleep a bit more. I’m not saying this is the case for all torts, but based off of personal experience that might be your answer. Also, when did you get him, and how old is he? New/baby torts do tend to also hide a lot more before they get warmed up (;
Not sure if he is a he or she but good point!. I was told probably a he but they were unsure .
 

Sasami32

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Well the tail didn’t come out all the way but best I can get
 

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Sasami32

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I
 

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Ymmjr

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Hi,
I wouldn't take away his dark area. Tortoises don't bask all day, they need a temperature gradient. They are pretty good at knowing when to bask and when to cool down. Not allowing them to regulate their own temp can cause immune issues.

I'd leave a thermometer under his lamp on top of something that corresponds to his height at the top of his shell and check it after half an hour. It should be around 32C, If it's more than this you'll need to either raise the bulb or change to a lower wattage.

My tortoise is only basking for around half an hour, at the moment. The air temp is very warm and then he wants to go out.

They also need to have the choice to get away from people. They like to have private time too. Remove that choice and they can get stressed.

I have lots of boxes, tunnels and plant pots in his outside pen, and a box and end tunnel in his inside table. Hermanns' tortoises like small spaces, it makes them feel secure. Try putting a small box (I use cut down cereal or herbal tea boxes) in his day area, you might find he then goes less in his end area.
Well i agree
 

Buckeye Girl

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My Sulcata is outside. He gets up in the morning and pokes his head out and sits there and watches the world. He then comes out to bask, eat and roam, but he's back in his "cave" later in the afternoon to nap I suppose. Then he'll come out later in the evening. If there is a stranger in the yard or someone mowing, he goes in his cave. He is in and out all day.

When he was inside (in the winter) he only went in his cave at bedtime. They tend to have a schedule and they are pretty good at knowing when to get out of the sun/heat. I wouldn't take away the "cave". It might cause stress if they don't have a spot to "get away" to. We all need peace and quiet and privacy, plus torts aren't always the most social animals.
 

Lady Boxsworth

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Jun 2, 2021
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Its normal for a young tortoise to sleep a lot. Its normal to eat look around then sleep, much like a baby. You can take it outside temp permitted for exercise. That is recommend anyway. Your lucky. My red foot little queen Lady Boxsworth will NOT eat left overs and if she don't get her fruit she will tip her food.
 

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