Suicidal tortoise

[creygout]

My tortoise is usually very calm but in the last 30 minutes he/she has been running up and down the cage non stop, scratching at all the corners and climbed his ramp in the picture below and walking to the edge and falling off. S/he normally has no trouble walking down the ramp but is just going to the edge and falling off what is quite a large drop for it! S/he is now in the corner head in shell and making squeeking noises. Any one know if I should be worried or just a hype moment? Thanks

 

[T33's Torts]

I don't think your tortoise is suicidal. I think he is simply itching for more space to play.

 

[creygout]

My tortoise is 3inches and the cage is a metre and a half long so he has got plenty of space

 

[T33's Torts]

Refresh my memory, how many feet in a meter? 3?
So lets say your cage is
5'x 3'. In my opinion, that isn't quite enough space. Maybe he needs more obstacles in the cage. Maybe he's just playing. I'm positive he's not suicidal.

 

[creygout]

Ok thanks

 

[HermanniChris]

Can you please describe in more detail your enclosure? Temps? Bulbs? How far off the substrate are the bulbs? Ambient room temps?

Has ANYTHING changed? Think hard on this one. Any new foods? Any change at all to the environment at all?

The tortoise in my opinion is acting like it's either over heated, extremely stressed or it could even possibly have eaten something foreign. It is not "playing". Tortoises do not play and should not be pacing relentlessly like that unless something is not quite right.

Any info you can give us will help to determine what could be wrong.

 

[144 Grandpa Turtle]

I'm thinking do you keep the substrait damp ? When is the the last time the substrait and the straw was changed ?

 

[laramill]

Does anyone feel concerned about the "squeezing" noise?

 

[HermanniChris]

yes absolutely but it can be attributed to the tortoise being over heated. Or it can of course be respiratory.

 

[Yvonne G]

The tortoise is trying to get away from whatever is bothering him. Go over your husbandry with a fine-toothed comb and maybe get a new thermometer to be sure you have the temp you think you do.

 

[Evy]

What is the temperature of the water ?
They don't like cold or very warm water.
Mine likes to go for walks or just soak the sun

 

[bouaboua]

The answer is:

All above!!

The member do provided very valuable suggestions. This is a great place to learn.

 

[creygout]

Well he used to be on just readi grass which is a straw like substrate. The pet shop told me to use that but after being in her I realised that's wrong so I now have some reptile soil, it's always kept damp. The light is on for exactly the same time as it always is! The only thing that has changed is he went out side for the first time on Sunday but that was 4 days ago. Could that still affect him? Thanks so much for all your help

 

[144 Grandpa Turtle]

The reason I ask about the substrait is the straw may be molding just enough to start mold and the spores could be he problem ! All we can do is brain storm .

 

[creygout]

Ok would I be best off changing all of it to the soil?x