Hatchling won’t wake up

[ChillyChelonia]

I got my hatchling about a week ago, and she doesn’t seem to wake up on her own. Unless I take her out to soak her or put her under her basking light she spends all day buried in a corner of her enclosure. Once I dig her out she will eat, but then goes right back to her corner. I also don’t think she’s pooped since I got her.

The temperatures in her enclosure are 73-75 on the cool end and 90-95 under the basking light. I had a zoomed 26 watt coil UV bulb for jungle tortoises for the first few days, but I saw on here that maybe the coiled UV bulbs are bad for tortoises’ eyes so I replaced it with a normal bright light bulb and am in the process of getting a better UV light. The substrate is a mix of coco coir and cypress mulch and I spray it every day to keep the humidity up. The humidity has been around 70% in the enclosure.

She has plenty of overhead cover and I have included a picture of her enclosure.


Is this normal? Is she still just stressed out from being in a new enclosure? When should I start to get worried?

Thank you! Any help is appreciated!

 

[Maro2Bear]

I got my hatchling about a week ago, and she doesn’t seem to wake up on her own. Unless I take her out to soak her or put her under her basking light she spends all day buried in a corner of her enclosure. Once I dig her out she will eat, but then goes right back to her corner. I also don’t think she’s pooped since I got her.

The temperatures in her enclosure are 73-75 on the cool end and 90-95 under the basking light. I had a zoomed 26 watt coil UV bulb for jungle tortoises for the first few days, but I saw on here that maybe the coiled UV bulbs are bad for tortoises’ eyes so I replaced it with a normal bright light bulb and am in the process of getting a better UV light. The substrate is a mix of coco coir and cypress mulch and I spray it every day to keep the humidity up. The humidity has been around 70% in the enclosure.

She has plenty of overhead cover and I have included a picture of her enclosure.


Is this normal? Is she still just stressed out from being in a new enclosure? When should I start to get worried?

Thank you! Any help is appreciated!

View attachment 272145

Greetings. Try uploading your picture agsin using the website app, not just pasting in the imsge. Sounds like one of two things or both: your tortoise is still scared, and/or the overall temps of the enclosure are too cold. Try increasing your temps, but also give it time to acclimate to the new house & keeper.

 

[Ketta]

Greetings. Try uploading your picture agsin using the website app, not just pasting in the imsge. Sounds like one of two things or both: your tortoise is still scared, and/or the overall temps of the enclosure are too cold. Try increasing your temps, but also give it time to acclimate to the new house & keeper.

How long does it take for them to adjust to their new home? Mine have been similar to the OP but he does comes out on his own to eat and drink water, he also comes out to take the sun in his basking spot on his own . But other than that he does sleep a lot!

 

[SWFLTortoise]

Hi,

We just got 4 R.F.s 1 1/2 weeks ago. They were hatched 1 or 2 weeks prior. For the first week, they were exactly like yours, hiding all day. They only ate when we got them out for their daily soak. They would ear a little, and then right back to bed. This week, they are starting to venture out during the day for 20 - 30 minutes to graze a little. I only know because we have a webcam on them. Having 4 makes it easier to compare habits and growth. (At least in Redfoots)

 

[Ketta]

Hi,

We just got 4 R.F.s 1 1/2 weeks ago. They were hatched 1 or 2 weeks prior. For the first week, they were exactly like yours, hiding all day. They only ate when we got them out for their daily soak. They would ear a little, and then right back to bed. This week, they are starting to venture out during the day for 20 - 30 minutes to graze a little. I only know because we have a webcam on them. Having 4 makes it easier to compare habits and growth. (At least in Redfoots)

I have had mine since Friday... so like 5 days. Still he already walks around his area in the house. For 10 to 15 min then I put him back in his enclosure.

 

[Yvonne G]

I like to keep my babies at 80F plus or minus degrees all over the whole enclosure. With babies there is no need for hot side/cool side, and they do much better when kept warmer. Your enclosure turned out very nice. I'd like to see you update your "Enclosure" thread.

With new babies, I take them out and put them in front of the food every time I think about it throughout the day.

 

[dmmj]

How long does it take for them to adjust to their new home? Mine have been similar to the OP but he does comes out on his own to eat and drink water, he also comes out to take the sun in his basking spot on his own . But other than that he does sleep a lot!

Honestly it varies from tortoise to tortoise. Could be a couple of days, couple of weeks, month or two all depends on the tortoise

 

[ChillyChelonia]

Thank you so much to everyone who answered!

I’ll try turning the temperature up a bit and see if that helps. Also it’s good to know that I’m probably not hurting her by digging her out.

And I will definitely update the enclosure thread once I get home and can take new pictures!