Odd tort behavior ?

[Legmaker72]

Ok, so this is the background to my question about my 7 y/o Margi Tort.
I have her in a new enclosure. Wood with a plexi front. See photo.
She paces back and forth along the plexi and tries to climb up. Only in that part of the enclosure.
So, to see if it would deter her, I covered the plexi from the outside with construction paper.
Didn't do anything to change the behavior.
I was wondering if she can still see the reflexion of the enclosure from the inside of the plexi and it looks like she should be able to keep walking further to her.
I just put more construction paper on the inside today to remove the reflection...so I will have to see how that does. So far she still paces and climbs, but not as much.

I'd like to keep the plexi so the kids and it can see her easier, but not if it's going to stress her out or keep her staying only at that one end of the enclosure pacing. So before I replace the front with wood, I'd like to know your thoughts.?

She seems to be very social. As soon as I open up the top and put my hand in, she rushes over to me. And tries to climb up my hand and arm like she wants out !

Another strange behavior was when I took her out in the house, I put her one the tile floor (very clean) and when she walks over to me (to my feet) she would jut at my feet as to bump me with her shell. She can easily climb over my feet and hands etc, but she was purposely thrust forward at me. Punching with her back legs and letting her front legs relax to allow her front of her shell to bump me. I read that there are specific species that do this to each other for male dominance behaviors, but it was interesting coming from her.
Any thoughts on this ?

 

[Lyn W]

Ok, so this is the background to my question about my 7 y/o Margi Tort. View attachment 161839
I have her in a new enclosure. Wood with a plexi front. See photo.
She paces back and forth along the plexi and tries to climb up. Only in that part of the enclosure.
So, to see if it would deter her, I covered the plexi from the outside with construction paper.
Didn't do anything to change the behavior.
I was wondering if she can still see the reflexion of the enclosure from the inside of the plexi and it looks like she should be able to keep walking further to her.
I just put more construction paper on the inside today to remove the reflection...so I will have to see how that does. So far she still paces and climbs, but not as much.

I'd like to keep the plexi so the kids and it can see her easier, but not if it's going to stress her out or keep her staying only at that one end of the enclosure pacing. So before I replace the front with wood, I'd like to know your thoughts.?

She seems to be very social. As soon as I open up the top and put my hand in, she rushes over to me. And tries to climb up my hand and arm like she wants out !

Another strange behavior was when I took her out in the house, I put her one the tile floor (very clean) and when she walks over to me (to my feet) she would jut at my feet as to bump me with her shell. She can easily climb over my feet and hands etc, but she was purposely thrust forward at me. Punching with her back legs and letting her front legs relax to allow her front of her shell to bump me. I read that there are specific species that do this to each other for male dominance behaviors, but it was interesting coming from her.
Any thoughts on this ?

My tort will try to barge me out of the way by bashing my legs or side if I sit on the floor of his indoor or outdoor enclosure. He makes it very clear he doesn't like me on his patch!!

 

[Tom]

Your tortoise is behaving that way because you've moved it out of its comfortable known territory and into some other tortoises unknown unfamiliar territory. Its going that direction because that is the only open area that it can see since there rest of the enclosure is solid tall walls.

The ramming behavior is typical territorial behavior. Its trying to drive the other tortoise (your foot) out of the territory.

Most likely you tortoise will do the trying to climb out thing for a while, then it will likely go into hiding mode for a little while. In time it will desensitize and become comfortable in its new home.

Your enclosure looks so nice and I didn't want to be discouraging in your other thread, but its really way too small for a 7 year old Margie. You really need something 4x8' or larger, and that is part of your current problem.

Last thing: Letting your tortoise loose on the floor is not good. Its a very dangerous practice and many tortoises get impacted, injured or dead because people do this. All of them have the best of intentions and try to make it safe and profess to supervise closely, but the accidents still happen. Its also too cold down there. @Yvonne G will also tell you that it messes with them mentally. She explains it better, but I agree with her.

Hope things things offer some insight.

 

[Legmaker72]

Your tortoise is behaving that way because you've moved it out of its comfortable known territory and into some other tortoises unknown unfamiliar territory. Its going that direction because that is the only open area that it can see since there rest of the enclosure is solid tall walls.

The ramming behavior is typical territorial behavior. Its trying to drive the other tortoise (your foot) out of the territory.

Most likely you tortoise will do the trying to climb out thing for a while, then it will likely go into hiding mode for a little while. In time it will desensitize and become comfortable in its new home.

Your enclosure looks so nice and I didn't want to be discouraging in your other thread, but its really way too small for a 7 year old Margie. You really need something 4x8' or larger, and that is part of your current problem.

Last thing: Letting your tortoise loose on the floor is not good. Its a very dangerous practice and many tortoises get impacted, injured or dead because people do this. All of them have the best of intentions and try to make it safe and profess to supervise closely, but the accidents still happen. Its also too cold down there. @Yvonne G will also tell you that it messes with them mentally. She explains it better, but I agree with her.

Hope things things offer some insight.

Thanks for the reply Tom. Always appreciate your input
I'm hoping she will get accustomed to her new home I time.
Do you think I should replace the front plexi with solid wood or will she get used to the plexi after a while?

As far as the size of the enclosure, it's as big as I could go.
I took over care of her from a family member. She was my nieces since she was a little tort. But my niece was not taking care of her, so she is now with us. She was in a smaller "tank", so this is an upgrade for her and as large as I can go at the moment.
Maybe some day I can get her into something larger, but that is not an option right now. I'm trying to do my best by her with what's available to me.
I will refrain from the "on the floor" activities. It was just brief.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the reply Tom. Always appreciate your input
I'm hoping she will get accustomed to her new home I time.
Do you think I should replace the front plexi with solid wood or will she get used to the plexi after a while?

As far as the size of the enclosure, it's as big as I could go.
I took over care of her from a family member. She was my nieces since she was a little tort. But my niece was not taking care of her, so she is now with us. She was in a smaller "tank", so this is an upgrade for her and as large as I can go at the moment.
Maybe some day I can get her into something larger, but that is not an option right now. I'm trying to do my best by her with what's available to me.
I will refrain from the "on the floor" activities. It was just brief.

I think she'll get used to the new enclosure in a few days or even a couple of weeks. Eventually, she will realize that this is home and become comfortable in there. At that point it won't matter if its plexi or wood in front. She's doing what she's doing right now because the plexi is the only "escape from this foreign land" that she can see. Once she doesn't feel the need to "escape" this strange territory, she will settle in and the plexi will be fine.