Need new options.

[SeleneeNicole]

Lately my Penelope has been running into the glass. I'm read that you can put up borders and it should stop her from running into it but it hasn't. I've put borders up and I make them higher and higher but nothing works. I take her out of her enclosure 3 times a day for 2 hour sessions and soak her 3 times for 25 min. I'm not sure if she wants to come out more or what but it's worrying me and I don't want her to hurt herself. She also has been sleeping most or all of the day. I feel bad when I have to wake her up to get her to walk around or to soak. Please tell me if I should take her to the vet or not. I don't know what to do [LOUDLY CRYING FACE]

 

[TommyZ]

Is she just a hatchling? If she is or even a yearling they will kind of just hide all the time, its what their programmed to do. They know instinctively that they're very small and very eatable and probably yummy to a lot of predators so they will just hide and sleep almost all the time. As for the clunking into the walls its not likely she would hurt herself. You got the border up like you should, after a time she will learn that you can't make it through there. I never put a border up and after a little bit my little one realized there's no way he's making it through there and he never tries to walk through the wall anymore. Definitely save your money and do not go to the vet most of the folks here are basically non-practicing, unofficial vets any way that will give you the same answers a vet would.

 

[stinax182]

where do you bring her when she goes outside? since she's outside for 6 hours a day, i would highly suggest building an escape proof and predator proof enclosure outside. that way you won't be breaking up her fun time, which probably confuses her and may stress her out, back and forth, back and forth.




i may have misunderstood, do you take her outside or just out of her enclosure? if you're simply taking her out and letting her roam the house, then this is the problem. she should be in an enclosure or outside. not saying you can't take her out and play, but for 6 hours a day is not a good idea.

 

[peasinapod]

AW: Need new options.

I know my tortoise will run around like crazy on the few times he's moved (or even if something changes in his enclosure). Maybe she will calm down if she's only taken out once a day?

The letargy could be due to the season. In the wild hermann's would start hibernating around now. Peter has been "dead to the world" for 2-3 weeks now.

How are your temps/lights etc?

 

[Tom]

In addition to the above, what are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking and night? What size is the tortoise and what size is the enclosure? There is no need to soak three times a day. Once a day is enough for a hatchling, a couple times a week should be fine for an adult, if needed.

 

[Moozillion]

Does she have lots of places to hide so she can feel safe?

 

[Andrea M]

I had this problem with Hokie for a while, I've broken up the sight lines along the glass side of his table and put in lots of obstacles and plants, so instead of concentrating on the glass he now gets involved in other stuff, I tried blacking out the glass, first with paper, then painted them out but neither of these were successful.

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Meant to say that when I blacked out the glass it was like he still knew it was there and that there was something beyond it. Also wor checking your tort is not seeing her own reflection and going for that