Our new russian tort

[momo3lja]

We've had 'buster' for about a month now. He's constantly trying to climb the walls of his habitat. Is this normal behavior?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi momo3lja:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Your problem is one of the reasons that I always say Russian tortoises (Testudo horsfieldii) should be kept outside. They need an awful lot of roaming room, as that's what they've evolved to do in nature. If that's not possible, then the absolutely largest tub/table/habitat that you can possibly provide for indoors is what's needed. The digging and climbing to escape is just something you have to live with.

 

[laramie]

Welcome to TFO

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[pdrobber]

welcome. Russians are awesome!

 

[slowpoke]

WELCOME , Do you have a pic or can you tell us the size of your habitat ...

 

[ascott]

Welcome to the Forum We LOVE PICS

 

[The Speedmister]

My Russian behaves like this too. I reccommend that you buy a bridge-like rainbow-shaped hideout, with little separate logs joined so he can climb up it, because mine adores his. He climbs up it, and then lifts his arms and legs and slides all the way down into a soft pile of substrate and repeats this for hours! You should buy one meant for a chinchilla or guinea pig, because then it will be big enough for him to sleep under (my tortoise sleeps under his every night when his heat lamp turns off).