Tortoise coming indoors

[Talisha]

Hi everyone

My tortoise Chandelier has been acting very strange the past 3 days. A bit of background info, he just one day arrived at our house. We asked all our neighbours if he belonged to them but no one knew where he came from. He's rather large and eats absolutely everything (lots of fruit and leafy veggies). He lives outside in the garden and is free to roam (I live in sunny South Africa) so all sorts of heaters etc aren't necessary. The last 3 days he keeps trying to come into the house. He climbs up and down the little step all day. We let him in a couple of times to try figure out what he wants, but he just walks around and then goes outside again. He does this about 20 times a day. We haven't changed his diet or living conditions or anything in the year that he has been living here.
Any suggestions as to what he wants?

 

[Madkins007]

It may be something as simple as him exploring 'his' territory, looking for food sources, water sources, hiding places, potential mates, etc.

Do you know what kind of tortoise it is? If not, you can post a few photos and we can try to help identify it.

 

[Tom]

Sounds like he's begging for food.

 

[Yvonne G]

Or, it may be a female looking for the exact right spot to dig a nest. (or he just likes your company)

Welcome to the Forum! I love it when SA folks join and clue us in all tortoise-keeping in your country. Please post pictures of Chandelier. I want to see this humanized tortoise.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi. Could it be the weather that may be too hot? I don't know what it's like now but I do know that it's an extremely hot area when talking of Africa. Although torts like hot weather.....I noticed that during the very hot months of June July and August, my beloved tort gets "annoyed" when it's too hot and looks for the shade. And notice I live in a flat: in other words my tort is not in the striking sun, whilst you mentioned that your tort lives outside. Good luck.