Tortoise shell butting wooden decking - why?

[Hararge]

Hi,

I have a 4 yr old med spur-thigh - Lemmy. When I acquired him he already had quite marked pyramiding due to lack of UV and poor diet, but he has always been very active.

I recently built some decking in my garden, and ever since, Lemmy has been spending large parts of the day aggressively butting it with his shell. He doesn't appear to be doing himself any damage, but I'm concerned that if he keeps it up he will. Also, it is quite anti-social and I can anticipate a complaint from the neighbours regarding the noise.

I know they do this to females, but I didn't think he'd be so stupid as to think the decking was a potential mate.

Any ideas why he is doing this? Will he stop? Any suggesitons?

Many thanks,

Harry

 

[Laura]

They like to wander. How large is the area you have him in? It may be too small for his liking.
Is there area planted with grass or dirt? Are there Hides for him? He doesnt like something...make some changes and see if it makes him feel better.
Is he eating ok?

 

[Yvonne G]

This just reinforces what I've always said: they don't like it when you "move the furniture around" in their habitat. Hopefully he'll eventually get used to the new decking and leave it alone.

Yvonne

 

[Hararge]

They like to wander. How large is the area you have him in? It may be too small for his liking.
Is there area planted with grass or dirt? Are there Hides for him? He doesnt like something...make some changes and see if it makes him feel better.
Is he eating ok?

He's more of a jogger than a wanderer. When it's warm, he charges around inside and out like there's no tomorrow. Always eats extremely well, especially during dandelion season. He too big for his age, but that was the case when I acquired him.

The garden is easily big enough, approx 12 x 5 m enclosed. He's never done anything like this in the 18 months he's been out in the garden prior to the decking going down. There are numerous natural hides (plants) which he frequents. He spends a lot of time climbing things, and he can easily climb onto the decking. There is no grass, mainly gravel with some planting beds, and now decking.

It does look like he is actually trying to mount the decking, when he isn't trying to kill it. He stands vertically with his front legs on the deck (as if about to climb up) and extends his neck with his mouth open. When he is on the decking, he takes the odd bite at the knots in the wood. I can't help thinking this is misguided mating behaviour.

 

[Crazy1]

Hararge, it may be misguided mating some will use rocks others boots even resin yard animals. But it could also be a sign of aggression. He may not like the deck in his territory and is tying to make it leave. Mounting to torts is not just a sign of mating but can be used as a sign to go away and leave me alone. Females will do it to males when they don't want to be bothered or have already mated. I think once he figures the deck isn't going anywhere he will lose interest in it. In the mean time I would just keep a watch on him that he doesn't sustain injury by the continual ramming.