The problem with leaving the area when he's eating is she'll hear noise in another room and stop eating and wants to see who's making the noise like it's a predator. As long as I stay with her and she knows it's me, particularly seated, she'll keep eating, even as I drop more food i n front of her. I have actually \stooped to tiptoeing away threw the kitchen, tiptoeing down the kitchen porch steps and walked around to peak at her thru the window from outside to see if she was affected by the noise and stopped or still eating. It's just best to sit next to her or walk around near her in front of her so she eats. I wish I could let her be but I'm home too much and she's where I need to walk thru a lot. This and the steps are driving her batty sometimes. We need to be on a one floor carpeted condo (where she lived for over 3 years), not a 4 level Dutch colonial with steps and steps (wher she lives now with me.) Am considering the plant and substrate modifications-thank you.Wow...I am exhausted and it sounds as though you should be as well....and I say that NOT at all being mean....no intention of that whatsoever....here is what I would do if it were me...first of all--take a deep breath and relax...
I would change some of that hard lumpy bark stuff for some more earth type substrate...coco coir or a peat moss...and mix it like 60 % earth substrate and that lumpy stuff towards the bottom (keep in mind that this species of tortoise can burrow itself down several (yes, several) feet and still breath...
I also would add a top (foil or some other type of top) that would cover near 3/4 of the top to allow for temp to balance out....I also would add a couple plant (silk plants, not real) canopies to allow the tort to move about from area to area and still feel safe.... I would also offer food and then WALK AWAY AND LEAVE THE AREA to allow the tort some private time---this is a common issue with a variety of tortoise--very common....don't gawk... and let the tort be for a majority of the day...keep the lighting on / off right on schedule--tortoise are creatures of and thrive on habit and strict routine....and for goodness sake....stop fussing so much over the tort to the point you make yourself and the tort crazy....
Tort is supposed to be about 6 or 7 at this point. yes the enclosure is new but same format as her old to ease her in-again, she was supposed to have a whole room to run and burrow and does get out to run on table next to her while it is too cold to run the backyard., but it's been a weekly learning experience. For UVB-PowerSun. Some of the new substrate today seemed a tad moist-I had the same concern as you. thank you.
I think we found the problem
I know mine sure did. It is fun to watch them eat. but they will eat if you do not watch them also.
What's the problem?I think we found the problem
She may get startled and go into her hide. But in a few minutes she will come back out and eat some more. she will get used to the noises and vibrations in the house. if you keep her on a schedule pretty soon she'll be waiting at her food bowl for you to feed her. And some days they eat more than others although Russians usually don't have much problem eating
if you get her the bigger enclosure I suggested you can put food in two or three different places and make her look around for it. when I first got my tortoise I was constantly going in and staring at her. Work on her environment to keep her healthy and as happy as she is going to be until she gets back outside when the weather gets nice. put down the food in the morning and let her eat it. If you want to give her a little more in the evening that's fine too. Or just feed her once a day and the next day toss out the old and add new. It is all up to you. she will not starve and you will have more time to actually live your life rather than staring at your tortoise.
Thank you for taking this time here. Substrate's 6" deep, but unless she's scared, she seems to just like going under the "shell" hide-only digs under there if alarmed by some activity of guest. She seems to burrow more from fear than temperature control the last 4 years I've noticed. She ran around on the floor in her previous home amidst a do who caused no issue-in my home though, only a "tortoise proof" floor of one upstairs would do, so no, she's not on floors. Thank you for your concern. Regarding the temps-it's the heating system coupled w/the zero degrees outside in this crazy old house that's the problem. I believe it thermostat gets set to high, it stops working (like central air but the opposite end.) Regarding the eating-the problem was she would stop eating and hide, that's why I accidentally discovered if I stay near, she eats and keeps eating. It's not her reaction while I carry her, it's her reaction after. She would hide from coming out-if she's afraid to bask or stay basking or afraid to eat or keep eating, this is not good. I think I have been misunderstood or this is an unusual tortoise, but she's sensitive-it took a few years in her last home to lax-out. If she had too much unusual excitement or saw new people, she could actually just peek her head out of her hide and sit an stare until she had to be tricked out a couple inches by putting some food some inches past the opening of the hide. I'm about to move phones, laptops, etc. next to her-it's kind of boring, sitting there while she eats! You list so many good points that I am "pasting" them on a separate document for my own use as food for thought.I have not read every single word of this thread so please forgive me if I am repeating some things. First, it sounds like your tortoises too cold overall. And if it is possibly coming down with a respiratory infection do not let the temperatures get below 80 even at night. do not let the substrate get dry and dusty. If you squeeze it water should not drip out of it. But it should hold its form a little bit. Make it at least 4 inches deep and Pilate even higher in some areas. They like to dig in the corners and they like to bury themselves sometimes completely and that is fine. your tortoise should not be out running around on the floor, it is very cold and it could get into things. What you are seen as great activity is actually the tortoise been stressed out and finding a place to hide. It needs a much bigger enclosure, something with much more floor space. I used a large 54 gallon tote from Home Depot and it worked well. A kiddie pool works well too but would be very difficult to keep warm this type of year so the bin with higher sides would be easier. A mercury vapor bulb in a large 11 inch ceramic based fixture will help with UVB and heat. You can use a ceramic heat emitifier set on a thermostat at night if it gets too cold.and don't tiptoe around your tortoise. Just like a baby will learn to sleep through regular household noise, your tortoise will get used to it also. They will train you very quickly to feed them on command if you let them
Do you feel that your tortoise is stressed out when you were carrying them because he is wiggling? That is normal. Support the underside and hold on firmly. you would wiggle your arms and legs too if you felt like you were dangling in mid air. and I think part of it may be instinctual, they're trying to get somewhere and so of course they're going to move. It does not necessarily mean they are stressed out.
I know people say you should not give human feelings to animals. I don't necessarily agree with that. but it does help if you realize what is causing the animals behavior rather than trying to figure out what they are feeling or thinking. I know that animals do you feel, they do think, they manipulate their environment, and they have "emotions". But they may not do any of this the same way we do so we are kind of comparing apples and oranges. This last paragraph will probably cause a total conniption fit to some people but I could care less. I want your tortoise to have a good environment and I hope that you can feel more secure about it.
You are so encouraging and make sense. Maybe I'll get some sleep! I just hope she's OK. She's all I have left, but to be honest, I was crazy about her even when my human loved one's were still alive-she's a helpless little reptile who I wish could safely have the run of 3 acres, 12 months a year. Thanks so much.She may get startled and go into her hide. But in a few minutes she will come back out and eat some more. she will get used to the noises and vibrations in the house. if you keep her on a schedule pretty soon she'll be waiting at her food bowl for you to feed her. And some days they eat more than others although Russians usually don't have much problem eating
I'm sorry you had the problem-I admit this site (as opposed to a "competitor" site out there) I discovered a while back gets a little roudy sometimes, to put it politely, but there are a lot of nice. knowledgeable and caring members in between.I think it's great that you care so much. There are no many out there that do. When i was posting for help i got some not very nice replies and it almost makes me feel like Leaving, however i think it's great how much you care, keep being you and i don't doubt that she needs you there to eat. My tort is the same way, strange but true
First, thank you for saying "in tune". A major problem is people get very programmed, particularly professionals. Every tort is different and what works for one doesn't always work for the other. Crucial care needs to be uniform but the rest needs to be modified respectively to the indiv. tort's reactions. I believe in leaving them alone but what's going on right now makes me have to contradict that philosophy but one also needs to know when to stop the attention and leave them back alone. It's a daily learning experiment and I am going along with her reactions as they come. Thank you for encouraging the direction I want to go on re-expanding her horizon. She has had her adventures and as she gets more relaxed in my home, the enrichment area will go back beyond that one room and definitely the primary enclosure should be bigger and more rewarding particularly that I have her now motivated to spend time out of her hide and explore even in the enclosure.
Thanks-concise and respectfully put.
