We have some questions about what is normal behavior for a sulcata tortoise. Ours is about 9 years old.
When we got him, the prevowner said that during the cold months tortoises pretty much just stay in their hide all day and do nothing. We were like OK and took him home. The first night I made him a more temporary home. I threw it together with the stuff I had in my backyard. For the first day or so he just stayed there doing nothing. Until we installed a red 150watt heat bulb that comes on overnight. The next couple days, he was off to the races. He wandered the entire backyard, checking things out. Since then, he pretty much stays in one place during the day, under this bush we have, and kinda digs under it a little. The other day, we built him a bigger more permanent home. That night, we put him in it, but he wandered over to where the old home was. So we put him back. Last night, we just left him under the bush.
I'm putting him back into his home each night to get him used to it. Should doing this until he starts going there on his own?
Is it true what the prevowner said about tortoises during winter?
Is it normal for him to be under a bush all day?
Is my hide too big? It's 4' wide and 6' deep (front to back).
When we got him, the prevowner said that during the cold months tortoises pretty much just stay in their hide all day and do nothing. We were like OK and took him home. The first night I made him a more temporary home. I threw it together with the stuff I had in my backyard. For the first day or so he just stayed there doing nothing. Until we installed a red 150watt heat bulb that comes on overnight. The next couple days, he was off to the races. He wandered the entire backyard, checking things out. Since then, he pretty much stays in one place during the day, under this bush we have, and kinda digs under it a little. The other day, we built him a bigger more permanent home. That night, we put him in it, but he wandered over to where the old home was. So we put him back. Last night, we just left him under the bush.
I'm putting him back into his home each night to get him used to it. Should doing this until he starts going there on his own?
Is it true what the prevowner said about tortoises during winter?
Is it normal for him to be under a bush all day?
Is my hide too big? It's 4' wide and 6' deep (front to back).