Tortoise loves corners??

[Augustus1508]

So my lil baby Augustus - Greek tortoise, is obsessed with this one corner, and i swear he will not move for hours after I put his lights on to go eat. If I put food infront of him he'll eat it but it seems the older he's getting - he's freshly 1, the lazier he's becoming. I know the UK weather's are starting to get cooler but his viv temps are 29-32c on thr warmer side near basking lamp with humidity ranging from 75-89%. Cooler side is 26c with humidity 70% and below. Substrate is coco coir with bark chips which have newly been added so unsure if its change on environment causing this.

I'll post a pic off the tortoise too!

Just need some advice on if this is normal, have been told by a few people on this forum that my husbandry seems to be good.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Is this corner in the warm side or the cool side? Are there different kinds of hiding places in the enclosure?

 

[Augustus1508]

Is this corner in the warm side or the cool side? Are there different kinds of hiding places in the enclosure?

It's in the cooler side, he does also like a corner on the warmer side so it alternates, he has hides in both cooler and warmer side to give him option

 

[zovick]

So my lil baby Augustus - Greek tortoise, is obsessed with this one corner, and i swear he will not move for hours after I put his lights on to go eat. If I put food infront of him he'll eat it but it seems the older he's getting - he's freshly 1, the lazier he's becoming. I know the UK weather's are starting to get cooler but his viv temps are 29-32c on thr warmer side near basking lamp with humidity ranging from 75-89%. Cooler side is 26c with humidity 70% and below. Substrate is coco coir with bark chips which have newly been added so unsure if its change on environment causing this.

I'll post a pic off the tortoise too!

Just need some advice on if this is normal, have been told by a few people on this forum that my husbandry seems to be good. View attachment 394387

Your tortoise is beginning to pyramid, probably from being too dry, unless you have changed things since the photo was taken. The substrate in the photo looks like sandy soil or dirt not coco coir with bark chips. The substrate pictured is much too dry.

 

[Augustus1508]

Your tortoise is beginning to pyramid, probably from being too dry, unless you have changed things since the photo was taken. The substrate in the photo looks like sandy soil or dirt not coco coir with bark chips. The substrate pictured is much too dry.

This was before I sprayed the substrate. He already had the pyramiding when I got him, I dont leave his vivarium dry and spray it a few times a day. This was just after I moved his hide from ontop of him. I've been told my temps incl humidity are all fine so the pyramiding was probably poor care before I got him.

 

[zovick]

This was before I sprayed the substrate. He already had the pyramiding when I got him, I dont leave his vivarium dry and spray it a few times a day. This was just after I moved his hide from ontop of him. I've been told my temps incl humidity are all fine so the pyramiding was probably poor care before I got him.

That substrate on which the tortoise is pictured is not coco coir with bark chips and is dry as a bone. Unfortunately, just spraying the enclosure a few times daily is not going to produce the type of humid environment that you need for your tortoise.

 

[Augustus1508]

That substrate on which the tortoise is pictured is not coco coir with bark chips and is dry as a bone. Unfortunately, just spraying the enclosure a few times daily is not going to produce the type of humid environment that you need for your tortoise.

Im managing to reach the correct humidity temperatures which is minimum 84% and they stay consistently at that point

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Im managing to reach the correct humidity temperatures which is minimum 84% and they stay consistently at that point

Whilst reaching the humidity you need might not be impossible with this thanks to the viv you have, I would still highly encourage you looking into a different substrate, the trouble with these reptisoils is they’re mixed with sand, which poses an impaction risk in captivity unfortunately, spraying will only temporarily get your humidity into the 80’s, if those lower layers aren’t damp all the way through, it won’t efficiently maintain it where needed. Coco coir and orchid bark would be perfect, but this looks like a reptisoil in the photo.

I can’t recall if I’ve added these for you before, but here they are anyway!

This is a guide from one of the most experienced and knowledgeable members on here

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I made this thread based on the forums care information and added visual aids, it covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, double check the basking bulb type), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out! This goes over a greenhouse style set up, but the viv you have is an even better choice, I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers should you even need them because with how our climate fluctuates, it never hurts to have a topper to lock in heat easier

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

These are some different closed chamber options, vivs are the best choice, once this guy is full grown, there’s a great uk company called Southdown aquatics that make custom size ones!

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is importantly to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope they help! Please feel free to ask any further questions, if you have changed the substrate that’s in the photo, the recent change in environment could explain the behaviour, they really hate any kind of changes lol

 

[Augustus1508]

Whilst reaching the humidity you need might not be impossible with this thanks to the viv you have, I would still highly encourage you looking into a different substrate, the trouble with these reptisoils is they’re mixed with sand, which poses an impaction risk in captivity unfortunately, spraying will only temporarily get your humidity into the 80’s, if those lower layers aren’t damp all the way through, it won’t efficiently maintain it where needed. Coco coir and orchid bark would be perfect, but this looks like a reptisoil in the photo.

I can’t recall if I’ve added these for you before, but here they are anyway!

This is a guide from one of the most experienced and knowledgeable members on here

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

I made this thread based on the forums care information and added visual aids, it covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, double check the basking bulb type), correct levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and a really handy diet link to check out! This goes over a greenhouse style set up, but the viv you have is an even better choice, I’ll add some more ideas below for closed chambers should you even need them because with how our climate fluctuates, it never hurts to have a topper to lock in heat easier

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

These are some different closed chamber options, vivs are the best choice, once this guy is full grown, there’s a great uk company called Southdown aquatics that make custom size ones!

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is importantly to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope they help! Please feel free to ask any further questions, if you have changed the substrate that’s in the photo, the recent change in environment could explain the behaviour, they really hate any kind of changes lol

Yeah I recently changed the underneath to the bark chips and since then I've noticed he's been a bit more cautious. He seems happier now though!

Are bark chips okay instead of orchid bark?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Yeah I recently changed the underneath to the bark chips and since then I've noticed he's been a bit more cautious. He seems happier now though!

Are bark chips okay instead of orchid bark?

That’s good

What kind of bark chips are they? I’d only recommend orchid or forest floor bark

 

[Augustus1508]

That’s good

What kind of bark chips are they? I’d only recommend orchid or forest floor bark

To my knowledge its these ones:
Buy ProRep Bark Chips Coarse Online at £17.49 https://share.google/hSzjs8qEIXQp1B0ZCif these aren't recommended I will change asap!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

To my knowledge its these ones:
Buy ProRep Bark Chips Coarse Online at £17.49 https://share.google/hSzjs8qEIXQp1B0ZCif these aren't recommended I will change asap!

They’re fine no worries