More questions!

[sheldon1306]

So, I've had Sheldon for about 4 months now. I think he's doing well but wanted to get some opinions from people who are more knowledgable than I.
1) He seems to be pretty content but sometimes tries to walk through the sides of his enclosure repeatedly. It's a 30 gallon long tank, with 3" high sides to make it appear as a wall. Is he already out grown the enclosure? The biggest space I can make until September would be 36x20 which is the same as a 40 gallon breeder I believe?
2) He doesn't eat his cuttlebone, which is puzzling me. Maybe he just doesn't like it? He uses it as a plow more so then anything.
3) And lastly he absolutely hates soaks, not that he tells me but I've tried temps from 70 degrees up to about 110, also under the MVB and out of it. He always just climbs the sides of the container until I take him out then he crawls in his hide until the next morning. Would misting him 3-4 times a day be a sufficient alternative?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[GBtortoises]

All of the above is normal behavior. You don't say how big (carapace length) that your tortoise is. But at four months a 30 gallon long tank probably is not too small, but bigger would be better. Rubbermaid type containers work well, come in a variety of dimensions and are inexpensive. They work very well for raising baby tortoises. Tortoises that small rarely show any interest in cuttlebone. I provide small, shallow dishes of powdered calcium which babies will consume readily on their own. I also spread very small pieces of cuttlebone throughout their enclosures because at some point as they get older and larger they will begin to consume it if they have a need to. Sitting with their entire body in water is not something that most species of tortoises would do on their own. Some tortoises tolerate it in captivity, some do not. It is based purely on the individual. Water temperature has little to do with it. I rarely ever soak baby tortoises. But I do keep their substrate moist (not wet), spray them twice daily and have a shallow container of fresh water available to them in their enclosure at all times.

 

[sheldon1306]

Thanks! He seems to be doing fine, I was just curious to what my thoughts were... I built a new hide for him out of some wood I had lying around in my garage and he still prefers to dig. I'm not sure of the exact length at the moment but at 3 months he was just about 1 1/2" or so. I did break up the cuttle bone but I'll just save it for when he is a little bigger. I'm going to hopefully upgrade to a 40 gallon breeder for a year or so soon, which from what I hear will accommodate him for the time being until I move? He is all sorts of riled up about his new hide, I love how much of a "personality" he has!

 

[JoesMum]

My soaking tips are in my sig below. Successful soaking is best done first thing in the morning before your tort warms up properly.

 

[sheldon1306]

Thanks! I'll try it in the morning tomorrow, I'll be sure to post my results! Although maybe I'm thinking he self soaks now... I came home unexpectedly early today and found him lounging in his water dish!