Intrigued.

[Help2022]

Hi, I live in England, about 40 miles from London. I have an eight month old Herman tortoise called Norman. Every morning when he wakens, I give him a warm bath, then breakfast. The other morning, I was in a rush, so before he awoke, I put his breakfast out, and then left him. When I got home some time later, he hadn't touched his breakfast, and was just lying exactly where I usually put his bath. I'm wondering if he was waiting for his usual routine to begin? Aren't they just the most wonderful creatures.

 

[zolasmum]

Hi, I live in England, about 40 miles from London. I have an eight month old Herman tortoise called Norman. Every morning when he wakens, I give him a warm bath, then breakfast. The other morning, I was in a rush, so before he awoke, I put his breakfast out, and then left him. When I got home some time later, he hadn't touched his breakfast, and was just lying exactly where I usually put his bath. I'm wondering if he was waiting for his usual routine to begin? Aren't they just the most wonderful creatures.

You are so right !! Our Hermans tortoise gets really unsettled if his morning and evening routines are not followed correctly, and he will give us a look that shows how despairing he is of our incompetence.The rest of the day, he is pretty flexible about things, and prepared to enjoy anything we do with him.
Angie (from Devon)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Tortoises are cold blooded and don't move around too much when they are cold. They also can't digest food if it's cold. So it might be the warm water soak that gets him started in the morning

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum, @Help2022 .

Oli, (my Greek tort) becomes very inactive during cold Winter days, here in Jordan.

Please post pics of your tort and his enclosure and read the care sheets available. Do not hesitate to ask questions whenever in doubt.

 

[Grace-Sophia]

Yep! If I do dare to be late to feeding time, I''ll find all four of mine sitting in their food dish staring at me, waiting, watching.... 🤣

 

[BernieL]

Our tort Pete's mood varies: there are days he likes ironclad regular routines, and will do what Norman does (did?), and others when he running around like a (slow) hummingbird, and can't be bothered with food or us. Maybe it's their nature.

 

[wellington]

In the wild tortoises will wake, warm themselves up and then go on the hunt for food. After eating and when the hottest part of the day starts rolling in, they find a cooler place to hide away until late afternoon hours when its cooler again and they start the hunt for food again. When the only food they have is from you, they have no choice but to wait for it. When you soak them first thing and then forget, it takes them longer to warm up and then too eat. Their routine got changed and they are waiting for it to begin.