Slow Mornings

[Alex Madden-Beatley]

Hello!

I wanted to get some advice on my 4-5 months old Sulcata, Olive. Some mornings Olive seems very sleepy and takes some time to get out of the borrow. Usually me talking gets Olive out and looking for food, but I was wondering if this is normal? I believe it might have to do with the cooling weather making Olive want to stay in the borrow longer. My heat lamp gets to around 110 degrees directly under it and the rest of the temp in the cage is around 75-85, which I am working on to get higher this weekend with a heating pad.

Also, I notice that Olive is much more active when I am home and doing things. Olive has always been an active tortoise, but some days it seems like Olive only likes to come out when it hears my voice.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[wellington]

Does your tort live inside? As for your temps, they don't need to be higher. The basking is good and if anything get the other temp to 80 that's with the humidity at 80%.
Now as for slow moving. Mine live outside in the summer with a shed to go in and out. In the dead of summer, they were leaving the shed around 8:00. Now, it's more around 8:30-9:00 and going inside for the night any where between 5-6 which in the dead of summer was more like 6-8.
Hope this helps. Oh, mine are leopards and Russian.

 

[Alex Madden-Beatley]

Does your tort live inside? As for your temps, they don't need to be higher. The basking is good and if anything get the other temp to 80 that's with the humidity at 80%.
Now as for slow moving. Mine live outside in the summer with a shed to go in and out. In the dead of summer, they were leaving the shed around 8:00. Now, it's more around 8:30-9:00 and going inside for the night any where between 5-6 which in the dead of summer was more like 6-8.
Hope this helps. Oh, mine are leopards and Russian.

Yeah, Olive lives inside! Maybe Olive's slow mornings are normal then since I get up around 7:30am, which might be a little early for Olive. Olive goes to bed closer to 7pm so that would make sense!

 

[wellington]

Yeah, Olive lives inside! Maybe Olive's slow mornings are normal then since I get up around 7:30am, which might be a little early for Olive. Olive goes to bed closer to 7pm so that would make sense!

Even inside with artificial heat, they still have a sense of weather and earth changes.
Mine being outside, it's warm during the days and because our nights are getting cooler, they have heat at night. Yet, they still act like fall/cooler/shorter days are coming.

 

[Fredkas]

Mine also. 2 months ago, he always there when the light came up in the morning which i make it 5.45 a.m.
But now he is so lazy, around 6.30 to 7 a.m he almost everytime half way between her hide and light source, sitting inside tunnel that i made for him waiting for me to grab him and soak him. If not halfway, the he is inside his hide.

 

[JoesMum]

It's a bit hot under that basking lamp. 95-100F is plenty.

 

[Alex Madden-Beatley]

Mine also. 2 months ago, he always there when the light came up in the morning which i make it 5.45 a.m.
But now he is so lazy, around 6.30 to 7 a.m he almost everytime half way between her hide and light source, sitting inside tunnel that i made for him waiting for me to grab him and soak him. If not halfway, the he is inside his hide.

Olive is the same way. I am happy to know this is normal! I didn't realize how much sleep they need

 

[Speedy-1]

Do you have some sort of night heat ? If you are turning off the light at night as you should be , it is probably getting too cool .

 

[Alex Madden-Beatley]

Do you have some sort of night heat ? If you are turning off the light at night as you should be , it is probably getting too cool .

I agree, I am going to get an under tank heater this weekend. Any suggestions?

 

[JoesMum]

I agree, I am going to get an under tank heater this weekend. Any suggestions?

I'm not sure that under tank heaters are particularly effective.

If you need night heat, a Ceramic Heat Emitter on a thermostat is much more effective and efficient

 

[Speedy-1]

I agree, I am going to get an under tank heater this weekend. Any suggestions?

The CHE "ceramic heat emitter" is the way to go ! They look like this ;

They give no light just heat , come in white or black I prefer the black one.

 

[Alex Madden-Beatley]

It's a bit hot under that basking lamp. 95-100F is plenty.

Olive seems to enjoy it and often basks under the lamp for 10 mins at a time. I feel that if

The CHE "ceramic heat emitter" is the way to go ! They look like this ;

They give no light just heat , come in white or black I prefer the black one.

Thank you!!