Tortoise won't come out!

Kia Sumner

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I have a Spur thighed tortoise and I do everything right for her but for the past month she doesn't come out anymore, she is always in the cooler shaded area sleeping. She's already been hibernated. I have to either put the heat near her or get her out. Can anyone help? Thanks
 

Yvonne G

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When you say "..has already been hibernated." Do you mean the tortoise has hibernated in the past, or that he has hibernated already this year?

Do you keep the lights on for at least 14 hours a day? How cool is the cool side of the habitat? How old is your tortoise?
 

dmmj

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it sounds like she's cold. What are your temps like?
 

Tom

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Are you using an indoor UV bulb? Is it the screw in cfl type?

What are you using for heating and lighting?
 

Kia Sumner

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She was hibernated when she was a hatchling by the person who I got her from. That was last year. Do they need hibernating every year?
Not on for at least 14 hours because no one is home most of the day. When I do put the lights on and it's a good temp in there she still doesn't come out, I then hear her scratching and she is burring herself. I do have a UV bulb too, a new one is on its way. It's a screw one, using a connecter first then screwed it to that. I use a 100 watt bulb from like Home bargains...just a normal bulb..as I was told that that will be fine...as the bulbs I got from the pet store wasn't making it warm enough but this one does.
 

Blakem

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This species doesn't hibernate. It's strange that they told you that.

You'll need to make some major changes. Get rid of that coil bulb, it can cause your tortoise to go blind. Also, its not warm enough. What type is your new UVB bulb? Your tortoise needs warmth all day. Others Wil chime in on ideas to close that top.

Glad you found the forum! Read the sulcata section
 

Kia Sumner

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Which one is called the coil bulb? The temp gets warm enough in there according to the thermometer when the lights are on. And the house is in an enclosed space, air obviously gets in to.
 

Lexiii

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You also need a ceramic heat emitter connected to a thermostat to keep the temp steadily warm enough.
 

Kia Sumner

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So my one (a Spur thighed) needs to hibernate yearly? Ok ill see what I can find
 

Kia Sumner

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And what does the wattage need to be for these? For my spur thighed, she's a year and half
 

ascott

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I have a Spur thighed tortoise and I do everything right for her but for the past month she doesn't come out anymore, she is always in the cooler shaded area sleeping. She's already been hibernated. I have to either put the heat near her or get her out. Can anyone help? Thanks

How long have you had the tortoise? You say that you turn the light and heat on when you are home..the tort requires steady reliable temps always..so if heating and lighting is off when you are not home you will need to change that in order for the tort to regulate its internal body temp.
 

Kia Sumner

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Yeah I used a timer last night but it didn't work, so I'm gonna have to find another timer to turn lights off and on or figure out why this one didn't work
 
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