Tortoise behaviour

[Raquel1978]

About 2 weeks ago a friend of mine asked me if I wanted her nephews 2 year old Herman's, he was of to university and just didn't have the time for him.

Luckily we have the room for him and he is totally separate to my baby Herman's they have no interaction at all.

When we picked him up he was in a tiny little box which was what he had always been kept in so he now has a large enclosure I set him up exactly the same as my little one same substrate and lightning etc and apart from being a little dry and slight pyramydin he's very healthy.

He's always trying to climb we had to remove his flower pots his ramps everything that we had in there he was climbing on, he drags his food everywhere and is constantly pacing back and fore he just never seems like he's settled he's constantly trying to get out.

I'm so used to my little hatching I'm not sure if this is normal behavior for a 2 year old or if it's due to the fact he's lived in a very small environment for the past 2 years.

We are in the middle of building a outdoor enclosure for him only in the day tho weather permitting and I did take him in garden other day and put him in a old swimming pool with lots of grass and things he could eat and he seemed to enjoy that but the weather here in UK has changed and we are back to rain.

Even tho we have removed all the hazards he makes so much noise trying to climb the sides I'm constantly checking on him.
Will he settle down eventually? Or is this just his personality 😁.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

He might settle down. He could be stressed because of the change in the environment. If that is the case, slower growth might be expected in the next few weeks. Read this for reference: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/turtles-and-tortoises-dont-like-change.179518/

It took a few weeks of escape attempts for my Russian to get used to his new enclosure and routine.

 

[Raquel1978]

Thanks I'll definitely read up on it..

 

[TammyJ]

He may be trying to get back "home", probably until he realises that he IS home.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

He may be trying to get back "home", probably until he realises that he IS home.

That is one valid explanation too. Probably just trying to find back to it's old "territory". He will get used to this new area though

 

[wellington]

Let him get settled to his new home. He needs to check it out, make sure it's safe from Amy other intruders. He should settle in.
As for the hatchling, he should be in a closed chamber with high humidity to prevent pyramiding.
The two year old needs humidity too, 50% although he also could still be in a closed chamber for another year or so.

 

[Yvonne G]

He's going through relocation stress. Once he realizes the food god visits him with food and water on a regular basis he'll settle down and learn to enjoy his new space.

 

[Raquel1978]

Let him get settled to his new home. He needs to check it out, make sure it's safe from Amy other intruders. He should settle in.
As for the hatchling, he should be in a closed chamber with high humidity to prevent pyramiding.
The two year old needs humidity too, 50% although he also could still be in a closed chamber for another year or so.

Thanks for the advice my little one has a greenhouse over his house so I will buy another one for the older one..

 

[Raquel1978]

Thanks for the advice all, hopefully he will settle down once he realises this is his nice forever home.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks for the advice my little one has a greenhouse over his house so I will buy another one for the older one..

If the tortoise is full grown he doesn't need the same humidity as the baby. I don't thin another GH is necessary Just moisten the substrate.