Hatchling behaviour

DJ Kirk

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Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Messages
98
Location (City and/or State)
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
So we've had Taco for about a week - it's about 3" in length right now - good size enclosure (4.5'x2.5') for a least a few years I think. Temps are constant day between 80-90 and night between 70-80 depending on where in the enclosure and humidity is on the lower end but is constant around 70-80%. I know it should be slightly higher and we are working on it. There is a 18" flourescent T8 light over one end for UVB but not too much.

Question: the hatchling spends 23 hrs hiding. Is this normal? I have to take it out of the hide (always in the cooler end around 75 degrees) to soak and eat then straight back into the hide. We are just worried that something is wrong.

Any advice here may waylay our fears a bit.
 

Ben02

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Joined
Oct 21, 2018
Messages
1,830
Location (City and/or State)
Brighton, Southcoast, UK
So we've had Taco for about a week - it's about 3" in length right now - good size enclosure (4.5'x2.5') for a least a few years I think. Temps are constant day between 80-90 and night between 70-80 depending on where in the enclosure and humidity is on the lower end but is constant around 70-80%. I know it should be slightly higher and we are working on it. There is a 18" flourescent T8 light over one end for UVB but not too much.

Question: the hatchling spends 23 hrs hiding. Is this normal? I have to take it out of the hide (always in the cooler end around 75 degrees) to soak and eat then straight back into the hide. We are just worried that something is wrong.

Any advice here may waylay our fears a bit.
Hatchlings hide most of the day, plus the stress of being in a new environment will have a toll on the little guy. Aslong as he eats, poops, pees I would worry too much.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Jan 7, 2018
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Location (City and/or State)
Ga
So we've had Taco for about a week - it's about 3" in length right now - good size enclosure (4.5'x2.5') for a least a few years I think. Temps are constant day between 80-90 and night between 70-80 depending on where in the enclosure and humidity is on the lower end but is constant around 70-80%. I know it should be slightly higher and we are working on it. There is a 18" flourescent T8 light over one end for UVB but not too much.

Question: the hatchling spends 23 hrs hiding. Is this normal? I have to take it out of the hide (always in the cooler end around 75 degrees) to soak and eat then straight back into the hide. We are just worried that something is wrong.

Any advice here may waylay our fears a bit.
Perfectly normal, Hatchlings spend most of their time hiding, they're instinct is to do it. It took a good 3 months before my hatchling started coming out to the food dish on it's own.
 

Darthmaulsmom

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Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
25
Location (City and/or State)
Chesapeake
Hatchlings tends to hide. My tort is just coming up to 1 year and he very rarely goes into his hides anymore. He usually just chills out and about then comes charging when I bring food.
 

willee638

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Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
So we've had Taco for about a week - it's about 3" in length right now - good size enclosure (4.5'x2.5') for a least a few years I think. Temps are constant day between 80-90 and night between 70-80 depending on where in the enclosure and humidity is on the lower end but is constant around 70-80%. I know it should be slightly higher and we are working on it. There is a 18" flourescent T8 light over one end for UVB but not too much.

Question: the hatchling spends 23 hrs hiding. Is this normal? I have to take it out of the hide (always in the cooler end around 75 degrees) to soak and eat then straight back into the hide. We are just worried that something is wrong.

Any advice here may waylay our fears a bit.
I am in almost the same situation as you, I only had my baby red foot under a month. She hides & sleeps 98% of the time except coming out once in a while to drink probably at nights more often than days, I had to bring her out from hiding to feed her & soak her in water for hydration. Now I take her out to parks to bask in the natural sunlight & feeding 3 or 4 times weekly for at least an hour to try get her out of the bromating kind of behaviour, I was informed by other experienced forum members red footed tortoises don't bromate but mine is only active under sunlight & roam around outdoors but once back to her enclosure even under UV lights returns to her dormant state.
 

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