Buried Alive..?!

[M.Curie]

Hello, my name is Marie...you can call me Curie if you like though.
Just brought home a Testudo Hermanni Boetgerri today. Not exactly sure of his/her age... but under a year for sure. I live in Ontario, Canada.

My little one has buried herself alive...and though I know they tend to do this, being a new "mother" I worry as she/he's been buried all day. Do I leave her to relax and sleep....or should i wake her for food tomorrow? How long is too long for this behaviour?

She is currently in a cement mixing tray ( cleaned and sanitized of course). It measures 3x2 and 8inches deep ( If I remember correctly). Eco earth ( coconut fiber) and play sand for substrate. MVB 100w roughly 12 inches from the substrate ( is this too far/too close??) she has a water dish easy to get out and into.. food slab which ive put food out for her she just didn't seem interested.
Temps are- basking 95 ( with infared) 100 with probe ) Cool area - 70.5 middle - 80.
Food I have for her ( but not limited too... suggestions are encouraged!!)
kale,collards,sunflower sprouts, dandelion greens, arugula, spring mix, timothy hay, hibiscus flowers and leaves, assortment of different lettuce.

I also have some repashy superveggie...if anyone knows why i shouldn't use this product let me know... I have used their products for my gekos and my plated and it was recommended by someone... but then i read the first couple ingedients ( alfalfa, pea protien isolate, ...) now im thinking of taking it back.
She also has a sepia bone and pure calcium carbonate.

Have i forgot anything? Is there something else she needs that im overlooking? sorry for the long post...just want to cover everything
i appreciate all input!
ill put a picture of the enclosure....she/he is in there....just buried...

 

[Tom]

I'd leave her alone and see how she feels tomorrow. If she's not up after a few hours, pull her up and soak her.

Some people like a sand mixture for substrate, I don't. It can cause impactions, skin and eye irritations. There are safer things to use in my view. Your Eco-Earth would be fine all by itself.

You talked all about your indoor enclosure, and that all sounds good, but what about your outdoor enclosure?

You don't need the repashy, but those two ingredients won't hurt anything.

Your diet choices all sound good. I'd would add some weeds, grape leaves and opuntia to the list if you can find it. Doubtful that shell eat dry uncut Timothy, but it won't hurt anything unless it gets moldy.

 

[wellington]

Hello and WELCOME

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

 

[lynnedit]

Welcome! They love to bury themselves, we are all in awe of how they manage.
Nice set up!
Height of MVB is fine, if basking area directly under it is about 95 to 100.
Just to verify; what are temps on the warm and cool sides of your enclosure? It might be better to move the light/heat source toward one side to allow for a cooler side of about 70F. If it makes the 'cool' side too dark, you can add a simple house bulb about 50-75w just for additional brightness halfway down with a smaller fixture, even a desk lamp.

 

[M.Curie]

I'd leave her alone and see how she feels tomorrow. If she's not up after a few hours, pull her up and soak her.

Some people like a sand mixture for substrate, I don't. It can cause impactions, skin and eye irritations. There are safer things to use in my view. Your Eco-Earth would be fine all by itself.

You talked all about your indoor enclosure, and that all sounds good, but what about your outdoor enclosure?

You don't need the repashy, but those two ingredients won't hurt anything.

Your diet choices all sound good. I'd would add some weeds, grape leaves and opuntia to the list if you can find it. Doubtful that shell eat dry uncut Timothy, but it won't hurt anything unless it gets moldy.

Thanks for the advice.
I was worried that the eco earth alone wasn't "enough" but id much rather use it on it's own instead of lugging sand so ill switch that then!

My outdoor enclosure is a kiddy pool with the sand and eco earth. Hide/water dish...similarly to how i set up my indoor...minus lights. I wanted to put some flowers and plants in it but i cant find a place around me that can assure me they don't use pesticides so I'm going to have to plant my own.

The weeds shouldn't be an issue...im not sure about grape leaves that may take some hunting. The optunia i think i would have to grow it myself because like the flowers i cant find any place that sells it without the potential use of pesticides. I was planning on cutting the timothy hay up fine and putting it with her greens for more fiber...is this a useless and/or bad idea?

 

[M.Curie]

Welcome! They love to bury themselves, we are all in awe of how they manage.
Nice set up!
Height of MVB is fine, if basking area directly under it is about 95 to 100.
Just to verify; what are temps on the warm and cool sides of your enclosure? It might be better to move the light/heat source toward one side to allow for a cooler side of about 70F. If it makes the 'cool' side too dark, you can add a simple house bulb about 50-75w just for additional brightness halfway down with a smaller fixture, even a desk lamp.

The coolest side is 70.5
middle - 80-83 depending on how close to the light
basking is 95
I get different readings from my probe and my infared...its about a 5-6 degree difference so im not sure which i should trust as the more true temp. The light is more to the left side.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Marie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I usually get my babies up at the crack of dawn before I go outside to do my chores, and place them in a tub of warm water. The water comes up to the middle of their sides and they can keep their head above water quite easily. While they are soaking, I'll get their food ready and place it at the feeding station. After the soak, I place the babies around the food and quickly step out of sight. If they want to run and hide, I let them. And repeat the process the next morning. Sometimes, if there's quite a bit of food left, I'll dig them up throughout the day and place them in front of the food again.

Its important that your baby feels safe in his environment. Put the feeding station next to something that feels like protection to him...under a "tree" or near a rock. Baby tortoises are prey and like to hide a lot.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[M.Curie]

Hi Marie:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I usually get my babies up at the crack of dawn before I go outside to do my chores, and place them in a tub of warm water. The water comes up to the middle of their sides and they can keep their head above water quite easily. While they are soaking, I'll get their food ready and place it at the feeding station. After the soak, I place the babies around the food and quickly step out of sight. If they want to run and hide, I let them. And repeat the process the next morning. Sometimes, if there's quite a bit of food left, I'll dig them up throughout the day and place them in front of the food again.

Its important that your baby feels safe in his environment. Put the feeding station next to something that feels like protection to him...under a "tree" or near a rock. Baby tortoises are prey and like to hide a lot.

Thank you for sharing your schedule!
I noticed i have to leave when she's eating or she just sits there.
I woke her up this morning soaked her as i got her food together... after her soaking i put her on her food area... and she started eating! Her feeding area is sheltered a bit but ill try adding a bit more to make her feel more safe.
I was getting concered because when i first picked her up she was active and would let me rub her head and now she seems so timid..

 

[M.Curie]

thanks for all the warm welcomes!

 

[Zamric]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[lynnedit]

The coolest side is 70.5
middle - 80-83 depending on how close to the light
basking is 95
I get different readings from my probe and my infared...its about a 5-6 degree difference so im not sure which i should trust as the more true temp. The light is more to the left side.
Thanks for your advice.

Temps sound good. It is common to get some variation. The infared thermometer is pretty accurate, but can vary if pointed at an angle, or catches a piece of gravel vs soil, etc. So I usually take 2-3 readings of one spot.
The probe thermometer is a good back up for ongoing monitoring. Even if it is a bit off, you get an idea of the general trend. Also, it can be affected by touching something; air vs soil vs basking rock temps, etc.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[TORTOISEMAN1]

welcome!!