Tortoise keeps hiding under the dogs bed!! WHY??

[becky1]

Hi, We have a Golden Greek Tortoise aged about 45yrs, called Fred. He lives in our conservatory and has run of the garden and house by climbing over the thresholds which he seems to love. He usually spends all day, when it's sunny, in the garden and comes in at night to sleep in his log cabin style house we made him. Just recently he has been making his way right under the dogs bed which is like a big fluffy pillow, even when she is laying on it. I thought he'd done this to keep warm the first time but he is even doing it when it's really hot outside. He is now doing it most days and when we can't find him in the garden, sure enough there he is under the pillow. Does anyone know why he would suddenly start doing this?? Any ideas welcome.

 

[firework]

You can try put the pillow in the garden and see if he goes under it. If he does, I think he just loves the soft texture; if he doesn't, I think it's something about the microenvironment the pillow happens to provide him.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

In the wild tortoises would crawl into the leaf litter and debris on the ground for security. Its a good place to hide out. Your dog bed probably simulates the feel of this to your tort.

 

[Missy]

Hello, welcome to the forum. I would love to see pics of your tort and the conservatory and his log cabin

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Welcome to the show! How about some pictures? It sounds to me like he is uncomfortable with his surroundings for some reason. He doesn't have enough places to hide. In the wild they would dig down under leaf litter to spend the day snoozing, I'm wondering if he's just using the dogs bed like leaf litter as it is easier then digging...I also am wondering if it is warmer under that bed, is he too cold? If you are in the UK he might be too cold now...