Trying my best to out stubborn my tort

[Renee_H]

So for several nights in a row after bringing Leonora home she would put herself to bed in her house no issues. Now to preface this, I am trying to remove human emotions and not project my feelings onto her -BUT- She’d never been locked in her house prior to me getting her. For 25years she’s lived outside with free choice to use or not use her house and for many upon many of those shared a deep burrow with a sulcata. I’ve been putting her in her house about 730-8pm and opening the door about 730am. When I open it she climbs out faster than I can even get the ramp situated most times to the point of face planting into the grass below her. She has a favorite spot in the yard next to the waterfall under a large potted fern. If she’s not out walking around or eating she’s in that spot. Well now after I feed her she marches right to her spot and tucks herself into her shell. I usually leave her for a bit and then move her and place her in the direction of her house. She’s FAST. She very quickly changes direction heading right back to her spot. So I move her again and put her on the ramp and repeat. Try to nudge her inside and she pushes against me turns and charges back to her spot. So I’m having to hoist her fully inside and put the ramp up quickly. This is giving me weird feelings. For one I don’t want to handle her so much and just let her do her own thing. But obviously this is for her own good. Is this pretty typical? I’m working on a larger house for her on weekends but I’m still a ways off from being done. Not sure if: option 1. She doesn’t like her house (small 2’x3’) or
Option 2. She doesn’t like being locked inside? or
Option 3. She just prefers her spot? or
Option 4. I am neurotic it’s none of the above I am over thinking and just need to get used to picking her up every night and moving her and stop thinking about it?

 

[Tom]

What is the temperature inside the house?

Any bugs in there? Crickets, ants, roaches, etc...

Some of them take to their houses in short order, and others fight you on it for months. I try to figure out why they don't want to go in, and I take steps to try and make it more comfortable, but they have to go in every night, one way or another. Many times, I've had them refuse to use the box until the weather changes. Either it gets cold and they go in for warmth, or it gets hot and they go in to escape the summer heat.

 

[Renee_H]

What is the temperature inside the house?

Any bugs in there? Crickets, ants, roaches, etc...

Some of them take to their houses in short order, and others fight you on it for months. I try to figure out why they don't want to go in, and I take steps to try and make it more comfortable, but they have to go in every night, one way or another. Many times, I've had them refuse to use the box until the weather changes. Either it gets cold and they go in for warmth, or it gets hot and they go in to escape the summer heat.

We have those super teeny tiny ants but I haven’t seen many inside her box. Either way they’re in the dirt she’s snuggled into under her fern too. The box is far too small but it’s all I have right now. But she didn’t seem to mind going in there I think until she realized she was being locked in. I’ll pick up my speed on her new box this weekend. Hopefully she won’t object to it so much.

 

[Tom]

We have those super teeny tiny ants but I haven’t seen many inside her box. Either way they’re in the dirt she’s snuggled into under her fern too. The box is far too small but it’s all I have right now. But she didn’t seem to mind going in there I think until she realized she was being locked in. I’ll pick up my speed on her new box this weekend. Hopefully she won’t object to it so much.

And the temperature inside the box? Is the box in the shade?

 

[Renee_H]

And the temperature inside the box? Is the box in the shade?

It’s under 2x shade and I don’t have a remote way in this box to monitor. I’ve only been able to check with a basic digital I stuck in there. Highest I’ve seen it when I put her to bed was 88 and most of the time it’s been like 82-84. In the morning when I open it it’s been lowest about 72 highest 78. But tbh I have not been checking daily, I’ve checked a handful of times in the morning because letting her out is the last thing I do as I rush out the door.

 

[Renee_H]

Hmmm I’ve been removing the lid in the afternoon and hosing the house out letting it air dry and replacing the lid before I send her to bed. I wonder if after the lid goes on heat is building up? Is that logical? It hasn’t seemed too hot in the morning. I should be done with her new box in the next couple of weeks. I haven’t ordered the tech for the box yet. Let me go ahead and do that and try and add a better thermometer I can monitor from my phone. I just have one now that had been on my fridge with a magnet for years. I suppose it may not even be all that accurate.

 

[Tom]

Hmmm I’ve been removing the lid in the afternoon and hosing the house out letting it air dry and replacing the lid before I send her to bed. I wonder if after the lid goes on heat is building up? Is that logical? It hasn’t seemed too hot in the morning. I should be done with her new box in the next couple of weeks. I haven’t ordered the tech for the box yet. Let me go ahead and do that and try and add a better thermometer I can monitor from my phone. I just have one now that had been on my fridge with a magnet for years. I suppose it may not even be all that accurate.

I use that digital type thermometer for almost everything. They are close enough.