Tips on moving tort to new habitat

[Yvonne G]

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.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I do the opposite of Yvonne. I don't feed them inside on a day that the sun is shining here and I'm going to put my small tortoises outside. I have the place all set up with hides and stuff to climb on and it's on the grass. Then I don't feed them hoping they will get the idea and munch on the grass. After a couple of hours I bring them in. I don't ever them them out all day. I leave them out for a few hours is all. I do offer food when I bring them inside...

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Whoa, so you do leave them outside overnight?

Not in a locked hide of some sort?

I am scared to death of some kind of predator getting to my baby if I left her in her pen even though she has her crate in there.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Neither Yvonne nor I ever leave any of our animals out at night. We make sure ALL are locked up tight in a protected environment...

 

[Tom]

Good thread. I just stick mine out there for short periods at first and gradually put them out longer and longer. I don't worry about them too much as I know they will all get used to it. If had had one so stressed that it went off food I'd proceed with more caution. I don't leave anything over night until its big enough to just live out there full time.

 

[GBtortoises]

Speaking only for my Northern Mediterranean and Russian tortoise species: I make sure the the outdoor enclosure is set up and ready (hides, water, etc...), as in not having to make changes after the tortoises are placed in it. I then wait until the weather is suitable for them to stay out, usually once the daytime temperatures are going to consistently be above the mid 60's and night temperatures aren't going to be much below 45 degrees.

I never bring them in at night or bring them back and forth. I think it's better for them to be placed in the new environment and left alone rather than transporting them back and forth. I think that is probably more stressful on them than just a one time move. I treat young and adults exactly alike, even to the point that their enclosures are the same, just on a different scale.

That's it.