Wont sleep in humid hide

Jennica

Member
Joined
May 18, 2014
Messages
36
I have a baby sulcata,Shredder,that will not sleep in his humid hide. He burrows in the substrate in the corner where his heat lamp is. As far as i can tell it was raised before i got it in an all dry enclosure. I have managed to almost get humidity levels right. We have no A/C in our house so it stays anywhere from 75-90 degrees in our house during the summer. Since he sleeps in the corner should i put a heat pad under the tank in that corner to keep him at at least 80 degrees?
 

alex_ornelas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Messages
499
Location (City and/or State)
newark ca
When i first got Oliver he wouldn't either till i put a heat pad under the humid hide. Then i was never able to get him out xD. Try that but i know my sully liked the heat pad
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Here's a tidbit you won't read in a book: You know how sulcatas are burrowing animals and they spend all their time underground? Well NOT the babies. Hatchlings avoid any sort of hole in the ground as if the hole itself is going to eat them. This is probably a useful survival mechanism in the wild where everything wants to eat them. Avoiding whoever dug the hole is probably a good survival strategy.

In captivity what this means is they won't use underground burrows or shelters in outdoors pens, they won't go down or near gopher holes or squirrel holes, and they won't use a hide box humid or otherwise if it feels like a "hole", which a proper humid hide should. The best solution I have found is to put them in there every night and block the door way until morning if need be. After a month or two, you will typically see exactly what Alex explained. They won't hardly come out of the humid hide. Its as if it takes a while for them to realize that the the "animal" that dug that "burrow" is not around any more and eventually they realize that THEY now own the burrow. None of mine have ever tried to dig or use a burrow until they are at least 8" long. I've had some 6" ones dig out a little pallet at the base of a plant, but just enough to tuck into it, not really a "burrow". Once they hit 8" or so, they seem happy to make their own burrow or use the one you give them indoors or out, but they still take a while to get used to it if they didn't dig it themselve.
 

Jennica

Member
Joined
May 18, 2014
Messages
36
Thank you both. I guess he isnt technically burrowing but he does dig out the corner,as you can see.1401925214006.jpg
 

Jennica

Member
Joined
May 18, 2014
Messages
36
Update: I felt so bad blocking him in his hide the first night but i was able to pin a rock in the doorway so he could still see out. I didnt want him to feel like he was in a tomb. The last 2 nights i have watched him peeking out at me. He then goes in the back and gets comfy for the night. Thanks for the advice both of you!
 

DeanS

SULCATA OASIS
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
4,407
Location (City and/or State)
SoCal
Tom is so right about them occupying (or, in this case, not occupying) a hide (initially). When the ITs are ready for a nap in a biome...they look for a cactus plant or a nice crook in the fence or a big rock to nestle into (or under). In the wild, there are probably a lot more babies hiding in plain sight than most field biologists (or predators) realize! ;)
 
Top