Tortoise never digs?

[Lucas791]

I have my 5 inch hermanns tortoise on a 80% soil 20%cypress mulch substrate in his enclosure, keep it moist enough to where an earthworm could live in it, is there a reason he won't dig? I read this species is an avid digger? Thanks all.

 

[ascott]

I would not stress just yet How deep is the substrate? How long have you had the tort in this enclosure? do you bring the tort out for natural sun time....

 

[Lucas791]

I would not stress just yet How deep is the substrate? How long have you had the tort in this enclosure? do you bring the tort out for natural sun time....

The substrate is 6 inchs deep, I've had him two months, and whenever he begs to go out I'll put him out there in the 110 Texas heat for a few hours, hotter than his basking lamp everywhere, don't want him to bake lol

 

[Elohi]

I would not stress just yet How deep is the substrate? How long have you had the tort in this enclosure? do you bring the tort out for natural sun time....

The substrate is 6 inchs deep, I've had him two months, and whenever he begs to go out I'll put him out there in the 110 Texas heat for a few hours, hotter than his basking lamp everywhere, don't want him to bake lol

Where in Texas is it anywhere near 110 yet? Let me know, I follow the heat. I'm in south Texas and 95 is the hottest it's been so far and that was just one day, nothing quite that warm since, but I'm ready for summer!


Elohi(Earth)[TURTLE]

 

[Tom]

Now I don't have a lot of hermanni experience, but I do have some. I've never known them to be much of a digging species. Not like my russians, CDTs or older sulcatas. If conditions are good above ground, no reason to dig in and get away from them.

What size is your enclosure?

 

[Lucas791]

I would not stress just yet How deep is the substrate? How long have you had the tort in this enclosure? do you bring the tort out for natural sun time....

The substrate is 6 inchs deep, I've had him two months, and whenever he begs to go out I'll put him out there in the 110 Texas heat for a few hours, hotter than his basking lamp everywhere, don't want him to bake lol

Where in Texas is it anywhere near 110 yet? Let me know, I follow the heat. I'm in south Texas and 95 is the hottest it's been so far and that was just one day, nothing quite that warm since, but I'm ready for summer!


Elohi🌎(Earth)[TURTLE]

Recorded temps in abilene stay above 100 day and night for months in a row apparently

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Now I don't have a lot of hermanni experience, but I do have some. I've never known them to be much of a digging species. Not like my russians, CDTs or older sulcatas. If conditions are good above ground, no reason to dig in and get away from them.

What size is your enclosure?

My enclosure is 4 feet by 2 feet, working on a 5x2 soon

 

[ascott]

Recorded temps in abilene stay above 100 day and night for months in a row apparently

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My enclosure is 4 feet by 2 feet, working on a 5x2 soon

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Again, I would not worry at this point...just be sure to check our over all temps and if his activity level is sound, then just give him some time---do you provide plenty of hiding places for him to move from one to the other? Please take caution when he has outdoor time---especially since you are in a high temp part of the world....ant be mindful of those horrid ants there...I mean, we have them here as well--but just not yet as thick as in your part of the world....they will dig, but they are not a burrower---so there is a difference, you will likely see them fluff and form a pallet vs a tunnel burrow...