Need help with wall scratching

[Totosdad]

Hi everyone! Just trying to get some clarification on this behavior. Toto (our tortoise,new tortoise parents) has been fine and delightful over the past six months, but just recently about four days ago, after switching his substrate to eco earth, he’s started climbing up the walls and particularly the corners. He will scratch and claw for hours if allowed and has flipped himself at least 8 times in the past couple days. Just don’t understand why the behavior started. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Totosdad]

Trying to figure out how to post a video. But once I do, there will be a video up as well! Thank you!

 

[Sarah2020]

Hi please share pics of the enclosure, size and temps also what species do you have? They scratch to get out. We can advise ways to deter once we get more info.

 

[Totosdad]

Thank you for the quick reply! It’s a sulcata. I would guess around 2 years old. The enclosure size is 3’x4’. Temps are good hovering right around 95-100 under his light dependent on the day and ambient temp in the apartment. I’ll post a picture when I get back home!

 

[Totosdad]

Here’s a picture of his enclosure and just came home to find him climbing in the same corner and suffered a bloody chin from hitting the wall with his chin. I need help ASAP!

 

[Maro2Bear]

Trying to figure out how to post a video. But once I do, there will be a video up as well! Thank you!

You need to post ur video to YouTube first, then copy the YT URL and paste it into your thread here.

Ps - your enclosure is just too small. Thats one reason for the “wanting out & climbing” behavior.

Also, between the hide, the watering dish & food bowl, there is very little actual walking & crawling space left.

 

[Totosdad]

He gravitates to that same corner with the water every time. No matter how I rearrange it or try and block it. He moved the log to get back into that corner while I was gone right now.

 

[PollyAda]

Hi @Totosdad - as Maro2Bear has pointed out, your sulcata's enclosure is not an adequate size I'm afraid. Your sulcata is going to rapidly grow in size. Have you planned for this?

Have a read of this care sheet https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181497/

 

[Totosdad]

Thank you guys for the replies! Us this any better with the middle wall removed? Or does it still need to be bigger for the time being?

 

[PollyAda]

@Totosdad Did you read the care sheet in full? Lots of info there so you may want to read it a few times. For ease, this is the enclosure size paragraph:

Enclosure Size:
Simply put: The bigger the better. I start babies in a 30x48 inch closed chamber. As a minimum, I would suggest no smaller than 36"x18" for a tiny hatchling, but you'll need to upgrade quickly. They need room to roam around. Once you put in the food and water bowls, the humid hide, and any decorations or potted plants, there is hardly any room left over to walk. Tortoises do not tend to do as well as some other types of reptiles when stuffed into small enclosures. They need room to roam inside their safe heated enclosures, and the floor is not a safe option. Don't think that you'll use a smaller enclosure, and just let Sheldon out to roam the floor for some exercise. This almost always ends in disaster. Its bad for your tortoise and impaction, sickness, injury, or death is the usual result. "But, but, but... I make it safe and supervise closely..." says every person until the day that disaster eventually strikes and they realize they were wrong. Its a terrible sickening feeling to hold a dead tortoise in your hand. Don't put yourself through this. Make a large enclosure. Don't have room for a large enclosure? Get a different pet that can live in a smaller enclosure that you have room for. Tortoises aren't good pets for everyone. For a sulcata, even 4x8' is only going to last a year or two. You might get three years with it for a star, leopard or slower growing sulcata, but that is optimistic. Outdoor enclosures can be even larger. Babies will NOT get lost or overwhelmed in 10x10 foot enclosure. In the wild they roam far greater distances than that.

@Tom is the author of the care sheet - I'm sure he will answer any specific questions you have, but please do take note of the above and rethink your sulcata's enclosure, as what you have is too small.

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone! Just trying to get some clarification on this behavior. Toto (our tortoise,new tortoise parents) has been fine and delightful over the past six months, but just recently about four days ago, after switching his substrate to eco earth, he’s started climbing up the walls and particularly the corners. He will scratch and claw for hours if allowed and has flipped himself at least 8 times in the past couple days. Just don’t understand why the behavior started. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

What substrate did you have before?

I see some problems:
1. The enclosure is way too small. At this size you need something 4x8 feet, and if all goes well that will be outgrown within a year too, and then you can move him outside with a heated night box full time. Life gets easier at that point in our climate.
2. That type of enclosure isn't suitable for your tortoise, or any other tortoise. They are too small for adults, and too open for babies. The bottom will quickly rot and leak through if the substrate is kept damp, as it needs to be.
3. Your tortoise needs a large closed chamber. There is no way to heat and humidify an open topped enclosure correctly. That is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof. It doesn't work.
4. Those ramped water bowls are great for lizards and snakes, but literally death traps for tortoises. You need to remove it right away. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate work best.
5. I see no night heat.
6. I only see one bulb and fixture. If that is a mercury vapor bulb, its the wrong bulb. Those have lots of problems, but being unreliable with their UV output and causing pyramiding are the two deal breakers.
7. Your tortoise needs a proper humid hide. An open ended log hide is not sufficient.

It looks like you got the same wrong care info that most people get. You are not alone. I did it all wrong too years ago. You now have the right info with that care sheet that PollyAda linked for you. Questions are welcome!

 

[SinLA]

also please remove that water bowl ASAP, its a death trap.

Long story short tho - that box isn't big enough, wall or no wall. The wall helps create a dark hide for them to go in, but doesn't solve your space issue

 

[Levi the Leopard]

You need to post ur video to YouTube first, then copy the YT URL and paste it into your thread here.

is this really the only way to post a video? that stinks.

To the OP,
you've been given accurate advice. He's trying to get out of there. I too, am curious what substrate you were using before...

 

[Cathie G]

Hello 🤗 Of course it could be a fluke that the tortoise started trying to escape at the same time the little brat grew but THERE was a substrate change. I would suspect the change of substrate first and then fix the other stuff next. The work never ends 😭🤗🐢.