Tortoises don't want to use new hide

orgetorix

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Hello. I have had a pair of DTs housed together (I know, I know) for 3 years. So far, so good. In that time, I've had a few different hides for them, ranging from a cardboard box to a LEGO hut to their most recent hide, the bottom of a plastic trashcan with a hole cut in the side. Every night, they both cram in there and honestly there is no room at all. The hole also needed to be enlarged and so I thought I would just find a new solution.

I was able to find a sort of wooden crate that is approx. 12"x12"x18" which is plenty of room. The problem is that they hate it. They haven't used it once in about a week. I have a couple theories.
1. There are slats in the crate so it isn't fully dark until all the lights are off.
2. There is too much internal height, so it feels too much like a cave and less like a burrow.
3. It is too roomy inside and they prefer the sardine situation.

To test #1 I plan on affixing some opaque black acrylic sheet I have to the top and sides to eliminate the light leak and for theory 2, I can bury it in the substrate to reduce the internal height.

Any ideas on what would make a tortoise not like a new hide when they have shown no propensity for being picky at all in the past?
 

JoesMum

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Where the subordinate tortoise chooses to sleep is where the dominant one will also sleep as the dominant one will be trying to let the subordinate one know that it must leave and there will be no peace until it does. Sleeping together is classic mental bullying.

The larger hide gives more room for ramming. The subordinate tortoise feels safer in the smaller one as there’s only room for a bit of shoving. Why would it sleep elsewhere? It wants to be safe.

They are unlikely to move into a larger hide for the reasons above. They need separating.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Thank you. I was hoping this wasn't the answer.
You've been given great advice.
Most new keepers think this behavior is because the torts "like" each other.
Luckily, you can now act before it gets worse....And it will.
 

orgetorix

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Thanks. I already new the advice was sound but of course didn't *want* to follow it. Even separated, the remaining tortoise will not use the new hide though. Last night I placed the old small hide inside the larger one and sure enough he went right in for the night.

One other small detail. In the week where they were still housed together and had the new wooden hide, they didn't cram together, but dug into opposite corners of the enclosure.

So, I have averted potential disaster for now, but any ideas on making the larger hide more appealing? Or should I let the tortoise be my guide and stick with the tiny one that he can barely squeeze in an out of but seems to prefer?
 

wellington

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Thanks. I already new the advice was sound but of course didn't *want* to follow it. Even separated, the remaining tortoise will not use the new hide though. Last night I placed the old small hide inside the larger one and sure enough he went right in for the night.

One other small detail. In the week where they were still housed together and had the new wooden hide, they didn't cram together, but dug into opposite corners of the enclosure.

So, I have averted potential disaster for now, but any ideas on making the larger hide more appealing? Or should I let the tortoise be my guide and stick with the tiny one that he can barely squeeze in an out of but seems to prefer?
You could do either one. If you want to use the new bigger hide, cover the slats if you haven't yet and put more substrate in it so he can burrow in a little more. Keep the old hide out. Then put him in the new hide every night until he gets used to it. Some tortoises are not fond of change specially with their hides.
 

orgetorix

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Thank you for your suggestions. He seems to be pretty dumb. He's never shown picky tendencies before with enclosure changes or food, but he did get in a fight recently with a spider plant that he's been with his entire life and he wasn't winning...
 
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