I'm inviting everyone to share their ideas about setting a tortoise up in a new habitat...ideas on how to help the tortoise over come his fear of being in a new place.
Here's what I do:
First of all I make sure there are plenty of hiding places in the new habitat.
Once the weather is nice enough for the tortoises to stay outside all day long (I'm talking about youngsters), I feed them indoors in the place where they are used to living and eating. After they're finished eating, I'll soak them, then carry them outside in their soaking water. I place some food at the new feeding tile, then place the torts around the food and step quickly out of sight. Most of the time they will scurry off to find a hiding place. But after a week or so, they'll come to know that this new place is an ok place and they can relax and be comfortable, eating, walking, etc. I bring them in at night, feed them in the morning before I take them out, then take them out to spend the day outside. I never leave the youngsters outside at night until they're about 3 or 4 years old.
What do you do? Share with us.
Here's what I do:
First of all I make sure there are plenty of hiding places in the new habitat.
Once the weather is nice enough for the tortoises to stay outside all day long (I'm talking about youngsters), I feed them indoors in the place where they are used to living and eating. After they're finished eating, I'll soak them, then carry them outside in their soaking water. I place some food at the new feeding tile, then place the torts around the food and step quickly out of sight. Most of the time they will scurry off to find a hiding place. But after a week or so, they'll come to know that this new place is an ok place and they can relax and be comfortable, eating, walking, etc. I bring them in at night, feed them in the morning before I take them out, then take them out to spend the day outside. I never leave the youngsters outside at night until they're about 3 or 4 years old.
What do you do? Share with us.