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My russian completely ignores his hides, instead he just burrows in the same spot every day. Would it be okay to remove it?
Are hides neccesary?
- Thread starter 7oasty23
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It's best to always have a place available that allows a tortoise to hide and get away from any possible stress.
Yes. If he doesn't use it, move it to where he likes to go, or maybe it's too small. Make it big enough he can turn around in it.
As stated by Hunter, tortoises do need availability for hides. What kind of hides? Have you considered plants.
my greeks do not have a hide in the indoor enclosure because they wouldn't use it they prefer mounds of orchard grass to bury in but in the outside enclosure they have a big hide and they use it - go figure
All Russians 'need' em 
they'll eventually know better
they'll eventually know better
I think they are. Many times they choose not to go inside and then one day, they just decide they like it now and you can hardly get them out. Also just having it in there helps break up the line of sight. They don't usually like to be exposed on open flat ground, so sight barriers can make them feel comfortable.
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- Apr 15, 2013
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Would it help if I made it more burrow like? Maybe cover it in substrate?
A hide doesn't just have to be a box with a doorway. You can get creative with it.
My Leopard's indoor enclosure has a lot of fake plants all around the perimeter but with the leaves bent in to make a canopy. He loves to hide in the foliage.
The Leopard's outdoor hides are flower pots cut in half and then buried with dirt. He can walk over them or hide in them.
My Russian's outdoor pen has the traditional "box" type of hide. It's 3' x 1 1/2'. So its big and has dividers in it to make separate hiding areas in the hide.
They also have some dug in spots under logs with ice plant growing over it. They love to hide under this during the heat of the day.
You could try the cinderblock/cap type hides that Kameya (member here) uses.
You have a lot more options than the sub standard "half log hide" IMO. Since your russian burrows in a particular spot, I'd suggest making a hide around that area.
My Leopard's indoor enclosure has a lot of fake plants all around the perimeter but with the leaves bent in to make a canopy. He loves to hide in the foliage.
The Leopard's outdoor hides are flower pots cut in half and then buried with dirt. He can walk over them or hide in them.
My Russian's outdoor pen has the traditional "box" type of hide. It's 3' x 1 1/2'. So its big and has dividers in it to make separate hiding areas in the hide.
They also have some dug in spots under logs with ice plant growing over it. They love to hide under this during the heat of the day.
You could try the cinderblock/cap type hides that Kameya (member here) uses.
You have a lot more options than the sub standard "half log hide" IMO. Since your russian burrows in a particular spot, I'd suggest making a hide around that area.
Team Gomberg said:
I would love to see a picture of this Canopy
Often, we make hides to our specifications, not the tortoises. Tortoises in the wild often wedge themselves into places like burrows, spaced between roots, etc. They seem to like the sensation that they are hard to extract, that they are nice and secure. I offered my torts a wide variety of hides in a big outdoor enclosure, and the most popular by far was a pile of branches, leaves, etc. they dug into, and that I had placed a tarp over part of (to make it rain-proof and hold the stuff together).
Ok I'll work on getting some pics and upload them here..
Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app
**Not the BEST pics**
This is the enclosure as a whole.
An overview picture when I open the top. Alot of plants are planted along the back glass but the foliage is curved inward
The cool end has a powder coated bathroom shelf with plants laced through the top. I also hold my digital hydrometer on top. My still leopard has access all the way under it and around the legs. He is growing fast though and very soon this will need to be modified
His terra cotta water saucer is under this.
The basking rock has some plants on either side of it. Also dug into the edges with the leaves bent inwards.
The front corner by the basking area. Picture taken from the inside. It's his favorite sleeping spot.
Again, not really the best pictures. :/ The tank's glass is full of spots from the humidity and the pics of this tank NEVER look as good as it does in person.
BUT I hope it gives you an idea...
If you go with a flower pot buried under dirt it can work well too.
Let us know what you come up with
Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app
**Not the BEST pics**
This is the enclosure as a whole.
An overview picture when I open the top. Alot of plants are planted along the back glass but the foliage is curved inward
The cool end has a powder coated bathroom shelf with plants laced through the top. I also hold my digital hydrometer on top. My still leopard has access all the way under it and around the legs. He is growing fast though and very soon this will need to be modified
His terra cotta water saucer is under this.
The basking rock has some plants on either side of it. Also dug into the edges with the leaves bent inwards.
The front corner by the basking area. Picture taken from the inside. It's his favorite sleeping spot.
Again, not really the best pictures. :/ The tank's glass is full of spots from the humidity and the pics of this tank NEVER look as good as it does in person.
BUT I hope it gives you an idea...
If you go with a flower pot buried under dirt it can work well too.
Let us know what you come up with
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