sleeping/napping/basking habits for russians?

[khanvict]

in a typical day how active should the tortoise be? when i brought the tortoise home 2 days ago he was very active exploring his new habitat and surroundings but yesterday and today seems dormant almost all, if not, most of the day napping or sleeping with eyes closed. i think i was stressing the tortoise out yesterday trying to get it to eat and i also re-arranged the layout a day after i introduced it to the new surroundings based on observations on how it was interacting. seems more relaxed today. just wanted to know if the inactivity level is normal? also, the tortoise never sleeps in the hide that is provided and at night always cuddles in a corner with the head tucked in. i thought they liked having a hide but the tortoise has not used it yet.

 

[khanvict]

after reading treebon's thread: http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-15725.html and a couple of others after the fact it seems this is probably customary to most russians in their new environment. after i posted this thread i went to go check up on him a couple of times and he was walking around and in different places each time i looked so definitely seems more active after his nap. i think he is still nervous or uncertain about my presence as i always sense that he is more hesitant to roam about when i am in the room but that's ok as i'm sure he still needs time to get used to me being there.

 

[tortoisenerd]

You should see a tortoise get up and bask and eat daily, but especially when young they will spend a lot of the day napping in captivity. The more space you give them the more active they will be. Do you only have one hide? What temperature area is it in, and what temperature area is the tort in? You need to have at least a warm hide (near the basking area), a medium hide, and a cool hide. That way the tort can choose. Otherwise they will either stay too cool, or stay out of the hide to have their desired temp to thermoregulate. Also, sometimes they just don't like the hide. Mine won't use a log or box or similar, only plants and a hay pile. Experiment a bit slowly over time. Have you made an appointment for a vet check up and fecal test yet for parasites? He will settle in over time, and as long as you see him eating and basking each day and there are no health issues, no need to worry. As much time outside (safely) you can get him, the better. Torts will be in a corner because they feel secure being surrounded. That is what hides provide them too, but my guy also prefers corners to hides sometimes. I like to place objects in there like driftwood or a bucket in warmer areas (I have the heat in the middle so the corners are the coolest) so that he has something to cuddle between-the object and the wall for example.

 

[BuffsTorts]

Mine will always take a 2-3 hour nap after lunch or dinner time...
And I have 3 hides per cage, yet 99% of the time they will always pick the same one to use.
They stay out of the hides during the day for me, and only go in at night time.
Otherwise they bask and chill somewhere around 85-90degrees, if they are not exploring looking for food, those greedy lil guys!

 

[khanvict]

You should see a tortoise get up and bask and eat daily, but especially when young they will spend a lot of the day napping in captivity. The more space you give them the more active they will be. Do you only have one hide? What temperature area is it in, and what temperature area is the tort in? You need to have at least a warm hide (near the basking area), a medium hide, and a cool hide. That way the tort can choose. Otherwise they will either stay too cool, or stay out of the hide to have their desired temp to thermoregulate. Also, sometimes they just don't like the hide. Mine won't use a log or box or similar, only plants and a hay pile. Experiment a bit slowly over time. Have you made an appointment for a vet check up and fecal test yet for parasites? He will settle in over time, and as long as you see him eating and basking each day and there are no health issues, no need to worry. As much time outside (safely) you can get him, the better. Torts will be in a corner because they feel secure being surrounded. That is what hides provide them too, but my guy also prefers corners to hides sometimes. I like to place objects in there like driftwood or a bucket in warmer areas (I have the heat in the middle so the corners are the coolest) so that he has something to cuddle between-the object and the wall for example.

I only had one log hide that was in between the basking spot and one end of the enclosure (the basking spot is in the center of the entire enclosure). The basking area is in the mid 90s and the cool area is at about 80.

I just added a cool hide which is basically closing off one of the corners where he usually winds up and I will add another in the corner facing across it tomorrow (he is sleeping in that opposite spot at the moment). I will also try to create a burrow in the basking area.

not yet on the vet. he is basking and was more active after his rest. he plopped himself down by the food a couple of times and even toe dipped his foot in the water for a while which he never even went close to before.

during my observations he is not eating or just walks right over the food. perhaps he nibbles when i'm not watching but if he is it probably is not much.

Mine will always take a 2-3 hour nap after lunch or dinner time...
And I have 3 hides per cage, yet 99% of the time they will always pick the same one to use.
They stay out of the hides during the day for me, and only go in at night time.
Otherwise they bask and chill somewhere around 85-90degrees, if they are not exploring looking for food, those greedy lil guys!

what are you feeding him? the first day i offered romaine lettuce and some chopped carrots and then today i went out and got some spring mix which has some other leafy greens in addition to the romaine which i read were recommended and thought would give him a little variety.

 

[Treebon]

Well I have had my tortoise for almost a week now and he is still not eating, or being too active. The temps are right and his vet visit is Wednesday but I was really hoping he would eat before I took him in. I've tried everything to coax him into eating and am starting to get pretty worried about him.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

I've got two russians that share a tort table and they keep completely different hours. One is awake, active, and foraging in the afternoon but completely asleep in the morning (before noon). The other seems to be a morning tort. She'll come out and be basking right when I wake up. She'll then eat and go back into the hide for the rest of the afternoon. I don't see both of them out at the same time very often.

It seems like their personality plays one of the largest roles in how active they are and what sorts of "hours" they keep.

 

[Treebon]

As a fellow new tortoise owner maybe I can help out by explaining more of my situation. I was going through a lot of the same stuff and through this forum learned that you just have to relax sometimes. My tortoise is starting to be way more active and showing more interest in me, and I think that is because I have been mostly leaving him alone. Just try to keep an eye on his temps and other things but other than that leave him alone for the most part. It seems that is the best way from what I have heard here and personal experience.

 

[khanvict]

I've got two russians that share a tort table and they keep completely different hours. One is awake, active, and foraging in the afternoon but completely asleep in the morning (before noon). The other seems to be a morning tort. She'll come out and be basking right when I wake up. She'll then eat and go back into the hide for the rest of the afternoon. I don't see both of them out at the same time very often.

It seems like their personality plays one of the largest roles in how active they are and what sorts of "hours" they keep.

does one ever bother the other while it's sleeping or wake it up?

As a fellow new tortoise owner maybe I can help out by explaining more of my situation. I was going through a lot of the same stuff and through this forum learned that you just have to relax sometimes. My tortoise is starting to be way more active and showing more interest in me, and I think that is because I have been mostly leaving him alone. Just try to keep an eye on his temps and other things but other than that leave him alone for the most part. It seems that is the best way from what I have heard here and personal experience.

thanks treebon. i agree, yesterday and today i have been enacting a hands-off approach so that the tortoise can feel a little less stressed. it's a lot of change to take in at once with the new habitat for any tortoise i'm sure and it doesn't help when you have an eager new owner watching your every move and manhandling you at times so perhaps with a little patience the tortoise will adapt. keep me posted on the status of your tort

 

[PeanutbuttER]

does one ever bother the other while it's sleeping or wake it up?

Not really. They're pretty content to each do their own thing. She'll sleep in the hide in the afternoons and he'll wander the table having a great time on his own. I'm sure they do bother each other at times, but when it happens they'd probably just take a few steps and get back to resting.

 

[khanvict]

i am debating whether or not i should soak the tortoise? i'm still trying to let him get adjusted and i'd rather leave him alone because there's always the water dish available if the tortoise wanted to on it's own but i feel like if i do it might stimulate him to eat.

any thoughts? he also really does not appear to like the soaking. i have done it twice (once when i first brought him home which he didn't mind that time) but the second time really wanted to get out of the little bucket. i just don't want to stress him out.

 

[khanvict]

i went ahead and soaked him in the bucket and he was very relaxed and seemed very thirsty/dehydrated because he drank a lot. the water dish is always there for him but he never touches it.

tried feeding him again but he turned away like he has been doing and did not seem to like that part. despite no eating i think we are making a little bit of progress so hopefully it's just a matter of time.

 

[khanvict]

i think he ate today for the first time or at least the first time i can determine that he did! i was at work and when i came home he was already napping in his corner hide and stayed there for the duration of the day but i left some romaine lettuce in that corner in addition to the food dish i normally leave and i noticed some significant chews/bites on that piece! tomorrow i'm going to reward him by letting him outside and then re-arranging the enclosure with the suggestions people provided me with in the other thread. i also got him a toy to play with. i am excited. let's hope i continue to see more of an appetite out of him