Tortoise Enrichment

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

My Leopard pen has a dry river bed deviding it in half. Leopards always want to be on the other side ! And the others have their pens devided in thirds with the center third 2inches higher then the two ends so they have to climb up to get to the other end !

 

[DesertGirl]

The issue with reptiles and these seemingly enjoyable moments and behaviors is that because they don't have a hippocampus (the part of the brain that's believed to control emotions, learning, etc.) it's believed they are incapable of these things. Also, since we can't tell how a tortoise thinks and feels we assume that the observable behaviors that we can't explain outside of basic instinct is in fact that basic instinct we understand and observe frequently. This leading to the conclusion that we owners, enthusiasts, and alike humanize these creatures and in doing so we see the behaviors that wee want to see. Like a self fulfilling prophecy.

I'm sure they do find things interesting, amusing, etc. Definitely not to the extent that we do though. But until we are able to get inside a reptiles head we will never know.

If a tortoise, or any animal, human,etc., can’t learn, they won’t survive. They have to learn where the food is, where’s the water and where did I dig that burrow? Our DT has learned what doors are, stares at the doorknob. If we don’t get there fast enough, she clicks her nails repeatedly on the metal flashing to get our attention. She has learned to take her little hat off its stand when she wants out, she loves car rides and walks on a leash. I fully believe in mental stimulation.

 

[drew54]

If a tortoise, or any animal, human,etc., can’t learn, they won’t survive. They have to learn where the food is, where’s the water and where did I dig that burrow? Our DT has learned what doors are, stares at the doorknob. If we don’t get there fast enough, she clicks her nails repeatedly on the metal flashing to get our attention. She has learned to take her little hat off its stand when she wants out, she loves car rides and walks on a leash. I fully believe in mental stimulation.

I absolutely agree. That's pretty impressive cognitive power there.

 

[Jnics10]

If a tortoise, or any animal, human,etc., can’t learn, they won’t survive. They have to learn where the food is, where’s the water and where did I dig that burrow? Our DT has learned what doors are, stares at the doorknob. If we don’t get there fast enough, she clicks her nails repeatedly on the metal flashing to get our attention. She has learned to take her little hat off its stand when she wants out, she loves car rides and walks on a leash. I fully believe in mental stimulation.

My lil guy loves car rides too, or at least his body language while we're in the car is similar to that of other "enjoyable" activities (like when I give him "treat" fruits like bananas).

But yeah, drew54, you're absolutely correct, we have no idea what's going on in their little heads.

Why don't we have the technology to read animals' minds yet?! I mean come on, it's almost 2019!!!

 

[drew54]

My lil guy loves car rides too, or at least his body language while we're in the car is similar to that of other "enjoyable" activities (like when I give him "treat" fruits like bananas).

But yeah, drew54, you're absolutely correct, we have no idea what's going on in their little heads.

Why don't we have the technology to read animals' minds yet?! I mean come on, it's almost 2019!!!

That's a whole different discussion right there. There are some very interesting military tech geared toward animal communication.

 

[drew54]

I've been thinking about attaching another larger rub to the main enclosure. To make it one bigger and two to provide a little more enrichment. I was thinking about adding more hides, plants, and maybe some small length tunnels to crawl through. I think the "tunnel" idea has me intrigued.

I think in a way the tunnels would simulate a burrow and provide a more interesting hide spots to explore. I don't think they need to be elaborate or very long like say a hamster tunnel system, but I think it would be something worth trying out.

 

[DesertGirl]

I've been thinking about attaching another larger rub to the main enclosure. To make it one bigger and two to provide a little more enrichment. I was thinking about adding more hides, plants, and maybe some small length tunnels to crawl through. I think the "tunnel" idea has me intrigued.

I think in a way the tunnels would simulate a burrow and provide a more interesting hide spots to explore. I don't think they need to be elaborate or very long like say a hamster tunnel system, but I think it would be something worth trying out.

Try some elevation changes too. Frisbee loves to climb. She’s always climb over a rock than go around. The hard way seems the fun way to her!

 

[drew54]

Try some elevation changes too. Frisbee loves to climb. She’s always climb over a rock than go around. The hard way seems the fun way to her!

I thought about getting these foam half balls and using them to shape the terrain into some hills and making the second micro climate a little more natural like. Maybe Nyx will enjoy the two different areas.

My first tortoise loved to climb over and through everything. Nyx, my second, doesn't seem to interested in anything.

 

[DesertGirl]

I say do it! We have a 4’ x 8’ rock garden that she loves to motor through. She’ll select the most difficult path possible. We rearrange the rocks periodically.

 

[drew54]

I say do it! We have a 4’ x 8’ rock garden that she loves to motor through. She’ll select the most difficult path possible. We rearrange the rocks periodically.

I read that rearranging the items in the enclosure is also suggested to keep them exploring. Do you find this helpful in anyway?

 

[JoesMum]

I read that rearranging the items in the enclosure is also suggested to keep them exploring. Do you find this helpful in anyway?

It depends on your tortoise. Quite a lot of them don't handle change well. If you keep changing things round then it all has to be checked out for invaders again and some tortoises find this stressful.

 

[drew54]

It depends on your tortoise. Quite a lot of them don't handle change well. If you keep changing things round then it all has to be checked out for invaders again and some tortoises find this stressful.

The post mentioned that also. What kind of things do you put in your habitats?

 

[JoesMum]

The post mentioned that also. What kind of things do you put in your habitats?

My tort is an outside roamer. No indoor habitat.

The obvious things are plants. Live ones grow best in pots that are sunk into the substrate with a half inch of rim showing. Once they're eaten and/or trampled the pot makes it easier to replace them.

In a large enclosure, log roll lawn edging can be used as an effective sight barrier and to make paths through the enclosure

 

[Tim Carlisle]

My tort is an outside roamer. No indoor habitat.

The obvious things are plants. Live ones grow best in pots that are sunk into the substrate with a half inch of rim showing. Once they're eaten and/or trampled the pot makes it easier to replace them.

In a large enclosure, log roll lawn edging can be used as an effective sight barrier and to make paths through the enclosure

Got any pics of your outdoor enclosure? I love to see it.

 

[drew54]

That was my next question.

 

[JoesMum]

Got any pics of your outdoor enclosure? I love to see it.

It’s my entire garden. He had free range over all of it except the patio.

Sadly, Joe had to be put to sleep last year after 47 years with us after succumbing to an internal tumour [emoji22]

 

[Tim Carlisle]

It’s my entire garden. He had free range over all of it except the patio.

Sadly, Joe had to be put to sleep last year after 47 years with us after succumbing to an internal tumour [emoji22]

I sawry

 

[TammyJ]

I've actually thought about doing that. However, I would make it an option for the tort. What I mean is that I would have the same food on the fish as I would in the toy. If it chooses the toy then I would imagine the tort wants to do it.

I think this way letting the tort choose would almost eliminate the stress. When the tort is done it can eat from the dish if it chooses to.

I do think that just putting a toy with food in it without the option would be very stressful for the tort especially if can't pull any food out.

I don't think this is really much different than hanging food, hiding it, etc. As long as food is always available in the dish and the tort can choose.

Maybe the tort does not actually "choose" anything as we think of a choice. Maybe he sees the food in the dish and in the toy, but thinks of the toy as if it was another tort holding on to what should be HIS food, and attacks it.

 

[TammyJ]

And how about this "stress" thing? How do we know if our tortoise is stressed? I mean, apart from an obvious thing like just after being dropped five feet onto concrete, or just after being taken out of the dog's mouth?

 

[JoesMum]

The first sign of stress is a change in behaviour. Going off food, hiding away, ramming an object (territorial behaviour), scarbbling at boundaries...

You need to learn what your tort is like when relaxed and happy (the sprawl with all limbs splayed, and other behaviours) to see the stress.

A tortoises's unstressed day involves basking, browsing for food, snoozing, checking the boundaries for an incomers, eating, basking and more basking. They're never happier than grazing some clover or chomping the heads off dandelions.