Hello!
I am new to this forum, but have had my Russian tortoise for about 14 years. I got her when she was young and I was 12, and we have grown up together. Throughout this time, I've learned a lot more about how to care for her and have always tried to give her as big and as good of enclosures as I can given space and money constraints (I am a student in grad school currently). Right now, she lives in 2 Zoo Med Tortoise Houses put together (a 6'x2' enclosure) inside and also has a 7'x4' chicken coop outside that I leave her in for several hours a day when it's nice out, which is often because I live in California. However, this brings me to my question - no matter how much space she has, she is ALWAYS scratching at the walls and digging. She goes through periods where she is always scratching at the walls of her cage inside, and when I move her outside, it's the same. Even when I let her free roam in the backyard with my eye on her, she just immediately finds a plant and starts digging at the base. Is this a sign that she is lacking something in her environment/enclosure, or is this just how she is? I know that her indoor cage could be bigger, and I am planning on building her a larger tortoise table as soon as I have a semi-permanent home and can build something custom/know that I have enough space (I've been moving into new spaces every year for the last 6 years). Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it, and am happy to provide more details if helpful.
Thanks again!
I am new to this forum, but have had my Russian tortoise for about 14 years. I got her when she was young and I was 12, and we have grown up together. Throughout this time, I've learned a lot more about how to care for her and have always tried to give her as big and as good of enclosures as I can given space and money constraints (I am a student in grad school currently). Right now, she lives in 2 Zoo Med Tortoise Houses put together (a 6'x2' enclosure) inside and also has a 7'x4' chicken coop outside that I leave her in for several hours a day when it's nice out, which is often because I live in California. However, this brings me to my question - no matter how much space she has, she is ALWAYS scratching at the walls and digging. She goes through periods where she is always scratching at the walls of her cage inside, and when I move her outside, it's the same. Even when I let her free roam in the backyard with my eye on her, she just immediately finds a plant and starts digging at the base. Is this a sign that she is lacking something in her environment/enclosure, or is this just how she is? I know that her indoor cage could be bigger, and I am planning on building her a larger tortoise table as soon as I have a semi-permanent home and can build something custom/know that I have enough space (I've been moving into new spaces every year for the last 6 years). Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it, and am happy to provide more details if helpful.
Thanks again!
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