Wondering about my Greek's behavior

[Terry Allan Hall]

Moved Ptolemy out into his outside enclosure (about 8' X 4') earlier in the week but, when I go out to look in on him, he always seems to be nose-first in the same corner, even though he has a couple good hiding spots, quite a bit of foliage to wander around in, a large water dish and a nice piece of slate set in a good basking spot.

When he lived in a 20-gal "long" tank, in my bedroom, he was considerably more active...he'd wake about 7, start looking for his breakfast, eat, nap for a couple hours, later wander over to his feeding dish and wait for me to feed him again, eat, nap again for a couple hours, wander around until lights out...

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Yvonne G]

It takes a while for them to start to feel comfortable in a new place. Mine are the same way. I just leave them alone, however, when I put the food out, I will dig them all up and place them around the food (quickly stepping out of sight).

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I forgot to mention that I don't have Greeks...I was talking about my baby Texas tortoises and baby box turtles.

 

[GBtortoises]

I agree with Yvonne. Often when being placed in new surroundings a tortoise's first instinct is to hide in the first spot they can find. In a few days as long as there are no abrupt changes, the tortoise will probably be out and about.
I don't think species has much to do with it's behavior in this case. Most, if not all of my Mediterranean tortoises & Russian tortoises act very much the same way when confronted with drastic change.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Thanks, folks...possibly I'm worrying too much, but all my other tortoises were out exploring their new surroundings in a matter of hours...Previous Europeans were always adults, 10yoa or older, and maybe what I'm seeing is variations of juvy behaviors...

Jennifer (Hermanni B.) and Ptolrmy (Graeca ?) are the first juvenile Testudo tortoises I've ever kept. Jennifer was shy in her new enclosure for maybe 48 hours, but now seems to be "at home".

Ptolemy has been out in his enclosure for about 5 days. Guess I'll (try to) be patient, and (maybe) worry less...



Sully, the sulcata I recently sold, even as a hatchling, was NEVER shy about ANYTHING!

 

[GBtortoises]

Juvenile Testudo, as well as most species of animal in general, hide out of self preservation. If the predator can't find the food, it doesn't become food! That and to lessen the chance of dehydration because of exposure to heat and sun are probably the main reasons that the baby tortoises hide. It's very normal. Rarely do I see any of my baby and young tortoises out much during the daytime in their outdoor enclosures. If they are it is usually in the early morning for a short while after the sun comes up and again in the early evening when the sun is going down. Even then they rarely stray far from their hiding spots.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Juvenile Testudo, as well as most species of animal in general, hide out of self preservation. If the predator can't find the food, it doesn't become food! That and to lessen the chance of dehydration because of exposure to heat and sun are probably the main reasons that the baby tortoises hide. It's very normal. Rarely do I see any of my baby and young tortoises out much during the daytime in their outdoor enclosures. If they are it is usually in the early morning for a short while after the sun comes up and again in the early evening when the sun is going down. Even then they rarely stray far from their hiding spots.

Kinda thought that might be the case...otoh, the spot he (thus far) always chooses is in a very exposed spot (considerably less cover than most of his pen)...

EDIT: Just went out to look in on him, and set him on the flat rock where I feed him...he very quickly dug into his breakfast (yesterday and today are the only days that he's seemed to eat since moving outside...the other days I'd find all (or most) of his greens dried up, so perhaps he's finally "coming out of his shell" sorry, couldn't resist a good pun!)

BTW, at what point do we consider a Greek tortoise no longer a juvenile? Ptolemy is about 4.5" in length, maybe a pound (or a just bit more) in weight.

Thanks for the help!

 

[tortoisenerd]

I would try to add more hides that create that same feeling as being up against a wall. They like to feel surrounded, thus the hiding in the corner thing although under a plant would be more cover. A flower pot, piece of driftwood under a plant, etc, can create that. My little guy will pile up his bedding on one side if he isn't next to an enclosure wall, sleep under the vertical part of the log hide, etc. This sounds like quite a big change in enclosure size so it might take some time for him to get used to it. Very cool though!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I would try to add more hides that create that same feeling as being up against a wall. They like to feel surrounded, thus the hiding in the corner thing although under a plant would be more cover. A flower pot, piece of driftwood under a plant, etc, can create that. My little guy will pile up his bedding on one side if he isn't next to an enclosure wall, sleep under the vertical part of the log hide, etc. This sounds like quite a big change in enclosure size so it might take some time for him to get used to it. Very cool though!

Think I'll make him another "cave" out of flat limestone rocks, then...not like we don't have several tons to spare!

Thanks!

 

[tortoisenerd]

I bet that will be much appreciated because it will be nice and toasty too!

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Today I was reminded of this thread because I gave my tort his first flower pot hide. He is fast asleep now, nestled up outside of it, lol. He didn't understand he was supposed to get into it and the nice pile of aspen. He piled up the aspen on his own against one side of it. Silly tort.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Built Ptolemy a another "rock cave" in "his corner", and it occurred to me that maybe the other "cave" is too big for him, as I'd built it large enough for an adult Graeca to fit comfortably into...so, I built the new "cave" of a size where a 4-1/2" tortling is pretty snug. He's asleep in there, right now.

OTOH. I've only found him in the larger "cave" one time, the first morning he was outside, and, AFAIK, never since.

Am I correct in this assumption...that a Graeca youngster prefers a snugger hideaway spot?

Or does he just like that corner?

My Hermanni, Jennifer, seems not to care...she'll bed down pretty much anywhere in her enclosure, as long as she's under something.