HELP PLEASE tortoise digs in corners

[Dasten]

ok so i have have a russian tortoise her name is venus. ive had her for quite some time and unfortunaly i have to keep her in a 10 gallon tank due to lack of expenses to get her a better enclosure. but recently, even when i let her out to wander around, she gets into a corner and continually beats her self up against the corner, be it her tank of the corner of the room. is there anything i can do to get her to stop, or is there somthing i can do to get her to calm down? she used to be in my bedroom but ive since moved her to the living room because this is an all night thing.

 

[G-stars]

Seems like she's in to small of an enclosure. Best thing to do is get a bigger one. I don't know if anything else will help.


— Gus

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum!! in my opinion torts constantly run into walls because they are bored and not entertained. when i first made my russian tortoise outside enclosure all they did was run into the walls, at the time there was just dirt and a small hide in the enclosure. so i made the enclosure double the height what it was before and added grass, weeds, multiple hides a pice of drift wood, hills. when i added all those things the torts just stopped running into the walls, i haven't seen them do it yet.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

how big is your russains cage at the moment? for one russian the smallest cage should be 4 feet by 8 feet.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

this is the russian care sheet, probably the most up to date russian care sheet out there.

 

[Dasten]

she is about 3 or 4 years old. and she is in a 10 gallon tank right now, i started on an out door enclosure but its almost fall here and i cant have her outside.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

10 gallons is way to small for your tort she needs exercise. can you make an indoor enclosure?

 

[Dasten]

can she roam around the bedroom?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

i would not recommend that. reasons 1. she could eat dust and stuff that is not good for her. 2. she needs around 70% humidity and a normal room can't hold that. 3. she need UVB from the sun to make her shell and bones form healthy.

 

[mike taylor]

Whera are you located? If your around the Houston area I can help you with a bigger enclosure . I have no problem building enclosures on the cheap and willing to help people where needed . I do it for the animals not for glory .

 

[leigti]

A really cheap option, if you can get a hold of one this time of year, is to use one of the plastic kiddie pools.they are not huge but can be easily made into a decent enclosure until spring comes and you can make an outdoor one.there are pictures of some here on the forum.

 

[mike taylor]

You can hit up resale shops also and find things to turn into enclosures . The cool thing is you have a Russian so humidity isn't a big deal . A old book shelf on it's back makes a killer enclosure on the cheap .

 

[ascott]

70% humidity is too high as a constant for this species...and the kiddie pool idea is a good one...especially if you are in a pinch.....

 

[smarch]

You have the opposite problem I do, Nank has to live in a 20 gal because I believed what the petstore man said... and I don't have space for anything bigger. i'm researching double decked ideas and building one and stuff, but with school its a slow process. Cheap ideas are chrsitmas tree boxes, i'm sure theyre out around now or soon where you are, the kiddie pool is also a good idea if you have the space, if you could find any theyd be nice and cheap end of season sell out prices also if you have a local flea market or hit up yard sales you never know what you'll find!

Its not what people recommend at all, but i'm in a similar situation with an active tort in a small space. I do let franklin out in the house once a week in the winter (we have warm floors and all that) and because he's so cooped up in a small area all the time he literally sprints around the house with no focus on sniffing anything just getting somewhere anywhere and fast. I only do it for 5-10 minutes and have to keep a VERY close eye on him, no phone no anything, because the tort can and will play Houdini! And expect an accident of tortoise poo on the floor. Nank's pretty good about not having accidents but I wouldn't blame him if he did. Be aware hard floors are uncomfy on their arms/claws. I know its against popular opinion so i'm not recommending it but given the circumstances if you are going to do it its best someone lets you know how to do it safe.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Rubbermaid storage tubs are really cheap. A 50 gallon tub would work great. Smaller ones can be attached together. Stock tanks work.

Glass tanks are expensive, but they're not what you need in any size.

A 10 gallon tank is too small for proper lighting or temperature control or gradations. So not only does the tortoise have too little space, it has an inadequate environment in other critical aspects.

Venus' needs are not being met. To be fair to her, you'll have to be creative to give her a proper habitat. You can do that very cheaply except for the UVB bulb. That will cost you. If you can't expand her habitat, you should consider rehoming her.

 

[Tom]

10 and 20 gallon tanks are WAYYYYYY too small for tortoises people. Our tortoises deserve better and it does not have to be all that expensive or troublesome to do better, especially for an easy species like a russian.

Dasten,
Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Dasten]

Whera are you located? If your around the Houston area I can help you with a bigger enclosure . I have no problem building enclosures on the cheap and willing to help people where needed . I do it for the animals not for glory .

I live in Indiana lol

 

[Dasten]

10 and 20 gallon tanks are WAYYYYYY too small for tortoises people. Our tortoises deserve better and it does not have to be all that expensive or troublesome to do better, especially for an easy species like a russian.

Dasten,
Please read these:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

thank you ^_^

 

[Dasten]

i will have to admit that this is my first tort, ive always wanted one, but i did do alot of research on the topic before getting venus, but im happy for all the help that i can get lol

 

[leigti]

Hello Dasten, I hope you are having some luck in finding an affordable in indoor enclosure for your tortoise. Don't get discouraged, overwhelmed, or confused by the varying opinions you're getting. read the care sheets and all you can in the Russian tortoise section of the forum. ask any questions you need to. You will find something that will work for your tortoise just fine.and when you do post some pictures and you will get other suggestions to improve it. Believe me, I have had my Russian tortoise for two years and I am constantly upgrading the enclosures. It's actually kind of fun but it doesn't have to be expensive or fancy to give your tortoise what it needs.