Tortoise wants to come out all the time

[slawsonx]

I have a baby horsfield who lives in a large (for its size) tortoise table. It has a basking area, uv strip and a cool area with all the temperatures and humidity monitored.
I know during the summer my horsfield will be more active, but she/he wants to let out all the time. I know this because even when there is food in her little dish or when she has been fed in the day she will look out for me bobbing her little head up and run to the side of the table scraping on it. It seems like she wants to get picked up all the time and be let out. She is a tame tortoise always crawling everywhere no matter who is there and even will crawl on your hands herself.
Is she stressed or does she just want to roam all the time now she is more active? I know already she associates me with food but I didn't know she could associate me with being let out aswell. Since im her owner she says me significantly a lot more than anyone else.

 

[JoesMum]

Why not post some pictures of your enclosure so we can see what you're talking about and recommend some changes to help her settle

 

[Tom]

The tortoise should not be "let out". They need to be contained in a tortoise enclosure either indoors or out, or both indoors and outdoors. Loose on the floor is a recipe for disaster.

Most people use enclosures that are too small. This contributes to them doing what you are seeing, but they will still sometimes do it even in a large enclosure.

Try these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[slawsonx]

I have a pen for the outdoors with protection from all predators and a secured a space for indoors. She/he is around 9 months. Obviously we are planning to upgrade when it grows.
I am not currently available to take photos at the moment but the measurements are 1 1/2 metres long and half a metre wide

 

[slawsonx]

I have to add she (vet suspects a girl) is around 3 inches from head to tail

 

[Sara G.]

If she's that small then I doubt you could tell if it was male or female for a long while.

Is the enclosure glass? Can your tort see out of the enclosure? Pics will definitely be helpful when you get the chance to post them.

 

[slawsonx]

The problem I guess is that the tortoise can see over
empty bowl is the food bowl

 

[Sara G.]

I think you're looking for trouble with your water dish.
If you sink it so the lip is level with the substrate it won't be a flip hazard for your baby. Plus you might come to find your baby using it more.

And if you use a piece of slate or something as the feeding dish instead of the bowl, you'll find that you won't have trouble with beak overgrowth in the future.

How is the humidity in that enclosure? Humidity for babies is very important to prevent pyramiding.

I know your tort is small but that enclosure might just be starting to get too small. You might want to think about upgrading soon.
In the meantime I would definitely add some safe, edible live plants to the enclosure.
That will raise the humidity a little, and help break up sight barriers to make the enclosure feel larger for your baby.
Plus your little tort will have plenty of places to hide then (which helps them feel more secure) and can do more adventuring and browsing around instead of trying to get out.

Sorry, I gave you a lot of info all at once! Whoops!

 

[Sara G.]

Spider plants are really good plants to use. They're cheap and reproduce like crazy.
But if you buy plants from Home Depot or something you need to replant them in chemical free soil (organic potting soil usually works for me) and wait roughly 6 months before adding them to your tort enclosure.
Maybe you can find a nursery that has chemical free plants.

And @Pearly uses some awesome mosses and might have more plant suggestions for babies, even though yours isn't a red foot.

 

[TortoiseWarrior]

I think you're looking for trouble with your water dish.
If you sink it so the lip is level with the substrate it won't be a flip hazard for your baby. Plus you might come to find your baby using it more.

And if you use a piece of slate or something as the feeding dish instead of the bowl, you'll find that you won't have trouble with beak overgrowth in the future.

How is the humidity in that enclosure? Humidity for babies is very important to prevent pyramiding.

I know your tort is small but that enclosure might just be starting to get too small. You might want to think about upgrading soon.
In the meantime I would definitely add some safe, edible live plants to the enclosure.
That will raise the humidity a little, and help break up sight barriers to make the enclosure feel larger for your baby.
Plus your little tort will have plenty of places to hide then (which helps them feel more secure) and can do more adventuring and browsing around instead of trying to get out.

Sorry, I gave you a lot of info all at once! Whoops!

Sounds good

 

[slawsonx]

I'll keep the tortoise table I have for now as it is easier to maintain humidity levels which is crucial for babies. I have sunk the water dish in lower as well as adding known safe edible plants (i have had for a 5 years in organic soil). I often water mist spray just increase the humidity slightly. I think around summer/autumn i will invest in a larger table.

At the moment he/she is too interested in the tiny plants to care about being let out.
Thank you

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum!