New member with a question

[Pbun]

My name is Pam and I’ve inherited a 15yo male sulcata tortoise I have a lot of questions about raising him but the most pressing one is about his behavior tonight.

He usually puts himself to bed by 5-6 but he was wandering around tonight around 8 in the dark. He seemed as if he wanted to come into the house as he was scratching in the door (another new behavior) I gave him a small snack thinking he was hungry but again he was at the back sliding glass door. After an hour he put himself to bed. The temperature was very mild (70 degrees)

Why would he be wandering at night?

 

[COmtnLady]

Could there be a marauding critter around so he can't go where he normally wants to be?

Earthquake vibes?

Something irritating his skin?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

@Tom and many other people recommend locking your tortoise in at night to a insulated shelter. This is done to protect from any wild animals or weather conditions.

 

[Tom]

My name is Pam and I’ve inherited a 15yo male sulcata tortoise I have a lot of questions about raising him but the most pressing one is about his behavior tonight.

He usually puts himself to bed by 5-6 but he was wandering around tonight around 8 in the dark. He seemed as if he wanted to come into the house as he was scratching in the door (another new behavior) I gave him a small snack thinking he was hungry but again he was at the back sliding glass door. After an hour he put himself to bed. The temperature was very mild (70 degrees)

Why would he be wandering at night?

I have a whole ranch full of tortoises. I go around every single night and make sure each of them is snug as a bug in a rug. Sometimes one will still be outside of its shelter. Sometimes I can see a reason, like another one parked right in the door way blocking passage, or ants, or hot weather, but sometimes there is no apparent reason. I just put them in their box and move on to the next pen.