Naughty Tortoise

[emlukken]

This past week I've noticed that Arthur has been filling his water bowl up with dirt and moss. Today I came home to find that he rearranged some rocks/moss in his house AND filled his food bowl completely up with dirt! Is he trying to tell me something??

 

[Yvonne G]

yes..."Welcome to the messy world of tortoise-keeping!"

 

[Az tortoise compound]

Great pic Emily! Very funny...looks like you have a little trouble maker on your hands

 

[MatrixDJ]

LOL I love it

 

[laramie]

Welcome to TFO Wilbur has done that to. I wound up putting his food and water bowl on a stepping stone that I took from outside and put in his enclosure. That seemed to help, plus that is where he likes to bask. I hope that helps.

 

[cmh0936]

Maybe he is trying to raise his humidity! LOL!

 

[emlukken]

Well it sounds like that is just what tortoises do. I thought it was pretty funny myself. I plan to setup a video camera to catch him in the act. If he does do it again I will speed up the video and post it.

 

[fbsmith3]

On a similar note, my two boxies are just as bad. I used to change the water "swim" bowl twice a day. Until they started dumping burrowing under it. I removed all of the Sphagnum moss and rinsed it, then replaced it making the whole enclosure much more "fluffy" moss. I got a temperature and humidity sensor from Lowes for $20.
They still soil the swim bowl, but do not dump the swim bowl or the drinking water.

I know box turtles are not tortoises, but they're all chelonians

 

[dmarcus]

Too funny, looking forward to the video coverage...

 

[tortoise-kid]

Haha Tortoises are very conniving creatures!

 

[ascott]

I think he is just funning ya... lol

 

[african cake queen]

tell him to stop it or hes going to get a lump of coal for christmas!