Is Tortimer getting uhhh... frisky? And other questions

JackieJax

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Tortoise Club
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Oct 20, 2020
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59
Location (City and/or State)
Grand Terrace
Tortimer is 5 years old... possibly approaching 6 years old and he's around 50 lbs. He's been sleeping through the warm/hot days and coming out around late afternoon and going back in his house around dusk. So he spends around 20 hours a day in his house instead of out and about like he used to when it was colder. I've also noticed that he's been pacing around the front of his house a lot and going in and out of his house. Both things he doesn't normally do. Tonight he chose a spot further away from his heater when normally he's on the side with it. (It's all thermostat controlled to 85 degrees... I tried hotter and he wouldn't go in his house. He seems to like 80-85.) I read online that the pacing could be due to him being sexually frustrated or uncomfortable in some way. A few days ago he came up to me to pet his shell... he's never ever done that. He had me pet one side of his shell, than the other side... I pet the back of his shell and he got mad and "ran" to his house. My questions....

1. Do I need to turn down the heat for Tortimer in his house or just no longer heat it when it gets in the 80s-90s during the day?
2. Why is he pacing around so much and going in and out of his house?
3. If he is indeed... feeling frisky.... is there anything I need to provide him or make him so he's more comfortable since he doesn't have and won't have a mate?
4. Are there safe/appropriate areas to pet a tortiose and are there no- no areas?
5. He hates soaking in water, he tries to escape it as fast as possible... but he doesn't mind getting hosed when I'm watering his grass. Is there a way to convince him to hang out for his soak or is it okay not to soak him? What are alternatives?

I think those are all of my questions for now that I didn't see in the forum chat search for Sulcatas. I'm open to other things I should keep in mind.
 

SatchelMonster

New Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
16
Hey Jackie! Sounds like the house might be too warm for him. I don’t think you’d need to heat it if it’s above 70 outside.
Every spring our male gets super frisky. One summer I had left the lid of the bbq grill on the ground in a place he could access it. He found it to be the perfect size and shape to ease his frustration lol! We took off all the handles and vents so it was smooth and that lid ended up being his girlfriend for another 4 years until he had dented it too much to enjoy haha!
 

Yvonne G

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Jan 23, 2008
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93,391
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Tortimer is 5 years old... possibly approaching 6 years old and he's around 50 lbs. He's been sleeping through the warm/hot days and coming out around late afternoon and going back in his house around dusk. So he spends around 20 hours a day in his house instead of out and about like he used to when it was colder. I've also noticed that he's been pacing around the front of his house a lot and going in and out of his house. Both things he doesn't normally do. Tonight he chose a spot further away from his heater when normally he's on the side with it. (It's all thermostat controlled to 85 degrees... I tried hotter and he wouldn't go in his house. He seems to like 80-85.) I read online that the pacing could be due to him being sexually frustrated or uncomfortable in some way. A few days ago he came up to me to pet his shell... he's never ever done that. He had me pet one side of his shell, than the other side... I pet the back of his shell and he got mad and "ran" to his house. My questions....

1. Do I need to turn down the heat for Tortimer in his house or just no longer heat it when it gets in the 80s-90s during the day?
2. Why is he pacing around so much and going in and out of his house?
3. If he is indeed... feeling frisky.... is there anything I need to provide him or make him so he's more comfortable since he doesn't have and won't have a mate?
4. Are there safe/appropriate areas to pet a tortiose and are there no- no areas?
5. He hates soaking in water, he tries to escape it as fast as possible... but he doesn't mind getting hosed when I'm watering his grass. Is there a way to convince him to hang out for his soak or is it okay not to soak him? What are alternatives?

I think those are all of my questions for now that I didn't see in the forum chat search for Sulcatas. I'm open to other things I should keep in mind.
During hot weather the larger tortoise looks to his house for cool. When it's hot outside they shelter under a bush or go deep down into their cool burrow.
 

ElliMae

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Messages
18
Location (City and/or State)
Hagerstown
Tortimer is 5 years old... possibly approaching 6 years old and he's around 50 lbs. He's been sleeping through the warm/hot days and coming out around late afternoon and going back in his house around dusk. So he spends around 20 hours a day in his house instead of out and about like he used to when it was colder. I've also noticed that he's been pacing around the front of his house a lot and going in and out of his house. Both things he doesn't normally do. Tonight he chose a spot further away from his heater when normally he's on the side with it. (It's all thermostat controlled to 85 degrees... I tried hotter and he wouldn't go in his house. He seems to like 80-85.) I read online that the pacing could be due to him being sexually frustrated or uncomfortable in some way. A few days ago he came up to me to pet his shell... he's never ever done that. He had me pet one side of his shell, than the other side... I pet the back of his shell and he got mad and "ran" to his house. My questions....

1. Do I need to turn down the heat for Tortimer in his house or just no longer heat it when it gets in the 80s-90s during the day?
2. Why is he pacing around so much and going in and out of his house?
3. If he is indeed... feeling frisky.... is there anything I need to provide him or make him so he's more comfortable since he doesn't have and won't have a mate?
4. Are there safe/appropriate areas to pet a tortiose and are there no- no areas?
5. He hates soaking in water, he tries to escape it as fast as possible... but he doesn't mind getting hosed when I'm watering his grass. Is there a way to convince him to hang out for his soak or is it okay not to soak him? What are alternatives?

I think those are all of my questions for now that I didn't see in the forum chat search for Sulcatas. I'm open to other things I should keep in mind.
Tortoise blow up doll maybe...? ???
 

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