Minor Lost & Found

[Kymiie]

So I let crush out yesterday in my room... and to cut a long story short I lost him then i found him after ten minutes looking under my radiator where it is nice and warm sleeping!

Now i know its not as good as a heat lamp or UV but do you think it is safe for him to stay under there for about half an hour if he likes too?

I try to block the enterance off but tortoises are very strong and can move anything lol xxx

 

[Meg90]

Its really not a good idea to let your torts roam around at all....there are tons of things on tort level that are dangerous, or potentially so. If you are going to let him, keep a close eye on them. I don't think he went under the radiator because he liked it. I think he went under there because he was scared and chilled in an unfamiliar place, and he wanted to be somewhere hidden and warm.

 

[Kymiie]

HE loves roaming around, here in the UK its winter so he is indoors all day everyday now and his enclosure is only 3ft by 2ft so in the day i let him roam around then put him back in to get uvb then stick him back out... he gets vets checks every 3 month and he has been roaming for 1 year now in my home and no problems... even my other pets love him!
Hes not scared hes a happy chum!

I know some people do not like their tortoises to roam in the house and i understand what your saying but why there is no problems i wont stop! Everybody is intitled to their own opinion.

Thanks xxxx

 

[Crazy1]

Kymiie, you are right everyone is intitaled to there opinion. Most of us think it is a bad idea to allow your tort to roam in a room however you have stated you plan to continue this so that's that. But you asked if it was bad for him to rest under the radiator for a half hour or so. That is a hard call for most of us we know nothing about your house or the temperature under your radiator. But if he is hunkering down there I would think that he is chilled and it is a warm place and that it is also a nice place to hide. I like Yvonnes suggestion that one takes off their clothing and lay on the floor to see just how cold it really feels. I have hardwood floors and live in So California and I know in the winter my floors are really cold and drafty. I know you like to give him more space but I have to agree it would be bet to increase the size of his pen rather than to let him roam. However that is totally up to you.

 

[dmmj]

I am pretty sure it ia against the law to lay on your floors naked, at least maybe it should be for some of us.

 

[Kymiie]

Thank guys for your opinion and i do totally respect them, i watch him constantly. MY house is really hot so it takes him a while to get cool however when he is cold i do put him in to heat up. I do look after him like a good mummy and wouldnt want anything to happen to him, as i one lost an hatchling and it broke my heart i blame myself and wouldnt want that to happen to crush so if i thought he was in danger i wouldnt do it xxxx

 

[mctlong]

I am pretty sure it ia against the law to lay on your floors naked, at least maybe it should be for some of us.

LOL!

 

[Laura]

What do you clean your floors with? Are there any scraps of paper? Tacks? Dust bunnies? You lost him once.. so there must be 'stuff' on the floor.
Heat rises.. so for you, your house may feel warm, but on the floor it may not be.
He cant tell you is he is cold or scared, so what he is 'telling' you by hiding under the radiator is that he is cold, and might be scared..
I see you also have a dog.. I would be Very careful....
There is a reason that a lot of people tell you not to let them roam. They have been doing this for years and possibly learned the hard way already.. We are supposed to learn from that.. but we can make our decisions and do what owrks for Us, but we need to do what is Best for our Torts.

 

[reptylefreek]

Kymiie... I too let my torts run around. My baby sully only gets a small space compared to the leopard, but I really know where your coming from. But Marlin, my baby, got under the fridge once and I didn't know where he was and it freaked me out. I wouldn't recommend letting him under the radiator, unless you know exactly how hot it gets and that it isn't dusty or dirty. Under my fride is pretty gross so I just blocked it off. My boyfriends mom got me onto this, and I know people are gonna be against it but she has a post, like a lamp post, that she hangs a domed heat lamp or UVB bulb from. It hangs about 12 inches from the floor. And it's never dropped or burned the carpet. Don't use the lamp fixture. She does it for her beardies, but when I take the torts over there they bask there to. So the tort can run around then go to a spot to heat up. Then at night just go back to its enclosure. Only if you want I can take a picture of it so it's a little more clear. But I would definetly keep a close eye on the rediator.

 

[Kymiie]

I didnt mean for him to go to te radiator lol he was just running around... no no mess our house gets hoovered everyday! My room in my house is very small itself so my radiator itself on full akes my room very very hot! I keep my biggest eye on him as i said befor i lost a baby hermann due to the wrong info and i wouldnt want to loose crush which is why i do anything for him... he doesnt eat anything on the floor. Befor he went under the radiator hes was running arounf for abbout 20mins. I never let him get cold. I know he is happy, i know what a tortoise does when its stressed and scared and crush is VERY WELL LOOKED AFTER he doesnt eat hairs or dust ...we dont have any..my dog is not allowed up stairs nor my cat just crush and my sisters pets upstairs!
xxxx