Lazy boy, beak and stress

[TheLastGreen]

Today I took him outside, he warmed up but sat still. (He always sits still for hours in the same place, and then he goes to sleep in his hide at night.)
I took him outside, and he sat still, warmed up and after a few minutes still sat still, so I thought screw it, I remembered hydro therapy, lifted him slightly up off the ground so that he'll engage his legs, first he did his front legs, then back legs, and then he started to walk againIt concerns me that he's so lazy. He'll sit still for an entire day, eat, drink water and then sleep. I know he's a yearling, but he needs to be active for healthy limbs and digestion. Any advice?
(Image of lazy boy himself, also, does his beak look good? Do these type of excursions cause too much stress for torts?)

 

[Yvonne G]

He's a beauty, and not a species we see here on the forum. What species is he?

 

[TheLastGreen]

He's a zombensis hingeback, so Kinixys zombensis zombensis, the ones from SA, I think the second zombensis is called a nominative species?

 

[TheLastGreen]

@Yvonne G , do you think this is normal behaviour for a young tort, what do you think about the beak and stress?

 

[TheLastGreen]

(Forgot to tag) @Jacqui and @2turtletom do you have hatchlings, do they act like this, what do you guys think about the beak? @William Lee Kohler , I heard you have yearlings, what do you think?

 

[Jacqui]

I don't currently have hatchlings, but have had them in the past. As I recall, mine were active like other hatchlins, such as the redfoots. Babies like the cooler, dampness found with heavily planted spots, not open areas.

I made this mistake with my first outside enclosures. They were open, filled with short grasses and sunshine, the tortoises hated them. Now I try for jungles. Open moist dirt under overhanging bushy plants. Thick dead leaves and grass mulches. The dapple shade. They need to feel safe and self regulate temperatures, sunshine level and moisture levels.

 

[TheLastGreen]

I see, my enclosure looks like this, I was scared that it was too cool, but it is kept constantly at 25C
So you would recommend I cover it more up, what type of leaves do you use?

 

[Jacqui]

Just leaves from my yard. Would have been high in mulberry lol. You need to add lower cover they can crawl into and "disappear "

 

[TheLastGreen]

A mini update
I lowered the leaves in the enclosure.
With it being Summer here, I'll have to keep an eye out for leaves, our gardener was here yesterday, so I'll have to wait, in the meanwhile I'll check into those mulches

 

[TheLastGreen]

Here he is, eating some mushrooms. (This is in real time)
Does he eat too slow and relaxed or does this vary from tort to tort?

 

[William Lee Kohler]

Here he is, eating some mushrooms. (This is in real time)
Does he eat too slow and relaxed or does this vary from tort to tort?
View attachment 339949

One thing I must add is your little one is pyramiding badly. He needs a much more damp, high humidity substrate and enclosure and as an added help to turn it around soak at least 3 times a week in warm water for an hour or so.☺️.

 

[Lyn W]

Here he is, eating some mushrooms. (This is in real time)
Does he eat too slow and relaxed or does this vary from tort to tort?
View attachment 339949

I wonder if your baby would do better with food chopped up into smaller pieces?
His beak seems to cross over so biting could be hard work for him.
Have any of the more experienced members offered advice about his beak?

 

[TheLastGreen]

Oh do you mean this @Lyn W
That is a piece of old mushroom he had stuck on his beak, (I do think the mushroom in the video was a bit "tough", last of the bunch from the store)

 

[Lyn W]

Oh do you mean this @Lyn W View attachment 340172
That is a piece of old mushroom he had stuck on his beak, (I do think the mushroom in the video was a bit "tough", last of the bunch from the store)

LOL I thought he had a cross bite!!
Glad it's nothing more than mushroom!