Aziza

[tehbetty]

Okay, I hope you can look at those pics. I have had way too much trouble with these silly pictures. Aziza hates being held to the point that she doesn't clam up, she flails around. It makes it really hard to hold her so I try not to do it often.

This morning Aziza woke me up really early by pacing the back of her tank so close to the glass that her shell was banging into it. It took me a while to figure it out but I think she's seeing her reflection and really wants to get to know it. Has anyone else had problems with imaginary friends?

 

[Itort]

It's good sign that she thrashs around, I would take it as a sign of health. You may want to put a vision barrier on the glass or put her in an enclosure with opique sides. Torts in general don't understand glass, if I can see it I can go there.

 

[chairman]

I've never had a reflection issue. I also haven't seen many problems when it comes to understanding glass, but some torts do have issues. In my experience, you might want to consider the possibility that your tortoise is just trying to get your attention. Mine do everything from staring, "following" me around the room, whistling, and banging into things when they want something. Just last Saturday I had a pair of torts (my boys) staring at me until it finally got warm enough that I could put them outdoors. It was actually kind of funny to watch them race over to me so I would put them outside.

When it comes to the flailing thing, try offering support for the back legs. One of my boys goes a little crazy if his back legs can't touch anything.

 

[tehbetty]

Well the reason I think it's the reflection is because I only got her recently, so she doesn't like me enough to follow me around, and also she's mostly facing away from me when pacing. Since my last post, I observed her a little more closely and she walked right up to her reflection, touched noses with it, then tried to paw at it. You're probably right about the support thing though, I'll try that next time I get her out.

As for solving the reflection problem, I tried covering the reflective area with dark cloth, but that actually made it worse, and white paper didn't help either. Could I put paper on the inside of the tank or would she chew on it? Thanks for your suggestions

 

[egyptiandan]

The problem is that she wants to get some place dark. This would make her feel more secure. Try taking away all visible light and see how she reacts to that.

Danny

 

[tehbetty]

Okay, covered the enclosure with a blanket (don't worry, I left the top open for air). I can still hear her pacing, but we'll see how she is in a little while.

 

[egyptiandan]

I didn't mean to cover the enclosure I just meant to turn out the lights you have on the enclosure and just let her have ambient room light. Do you have any dark places for her to hide in?

Danny

 

[tehbetty]

OOooh. Well you did say all VISIBLE light. She didn't have bright lights on in the first place, though, I usually get out the UVB for just a couple hours a day and let her have ambient light besides that (although remember "usually" means over the last like three days). She has a hide, but I guess I could cover where the end meets the edge of the enclosure.

 

[egyptiandan]

Does she use the hide? Can she fit into the hide comfortably?

The problem is that she isn't comfortable in the enclosure you have set-up. The pacing means she wants to get out of the enclosure as where she is is causing her stress.

It would be great if you could post pictures of your enclosure and we could give you an idea of what you could change to make her less stressed.

Danny

 

[tehbetty]

She liked her hide fine yesterday. I actually moved it from the back of the tank to the front because she was so anxious to pace the back she was nearly flipping herself trying to get on top.

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I need to clean her tank out anyway. Maybe I should put her somewhere else and go ahead and do that? I was avoiding the duty cause I thought she might get even more agitated.

 

[egyptiandan]

Can she turn around in the hide or would she have to back out to get out?

There definately isn't enough substrate in your enclosure. You should have at least 4 inches. That will let her dig down and hide if she wants to. That much substrate will also help with keeping the enclosure humid.
With her you might want to have a colored enclosure that she can't see out of. A large colored plastic tote will work just fine.

Danny

 

[tehbetty]

She can turn around. And okay, I'll get working on making a new enclosure.

 

[Jacqui]

How about adding a plant or something right next to/over the entrance so the opening is more hidden? Even a plant or two (once more fakes work well) in the rest of the tank might help give her a sense of security.

 

[Kristina]

I drilled holes in the front of my log hides and added silk plants to them, let me see if I can find a picture....

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Okay, this is the stock tank that I used for my first three Hingebacks. See how I used the plants to provide additional cover?

I agree that you need more substrate. If you have a source for clean oak and maple leaves, leaf litter helps hold humidity and gives them a nice place to hide.

 

[Jacqui]

Just don't get frazzled. Bit by bit, you'll get Aziza's enclosure set up so she's happy and your happy. Just takes some tweaking. Your making progress!

 

[chairman]

Jacqui isn't kidding about tweaking enclosures... my hingebacks are on their 4th indoor enclosure (2nd revision) and their 2nd outdoor enclosure. Even after you've "exceeded" her requirements you'll find yourself wanting to do things to improve Aziza's quality of life!

 

[Jacqui]

Jacqui isn't kidding about tweaking enclosures... my hingebacks are on their 4th indoor enclosure (2nd revision) and their 2nd outdoor enclosure. Even after you've "exceeded" her requirements you'll find yourself wanting to do things to improve Aziza's quality of life!

I am still constantly changing, rearranging, experimenting, and tweaking mine. Just as they grow and our knowledge of them grows, so should the way we house them be a constantly evolving process. Sometimes the changes might be major, sometimes they are very small, but who knows what change may be the important missing piece of the puzzle to the mystery of how to make these guys comfortable and "happy".

 

[tehbetty]

Thank you so much for the advice and support, guys.

And Mike, I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am the noob and you are the tortoise god and I'm sorry for shooting your idea down. This morning Aziza was at the clunking for a full hour before I finally got up and gave her food and changed the water. She is now quietly and contentedly eating. I just didn't think it was possible for a tortoise to put all that together (late sleeper, must wake up, clunking wakes up, FOOD!) in only a few days.I guess I'll try to watch her even more closely than before to see if her clunking is consistently a way to bully me into giving her stuff.

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Oh and Kristina, your tortoises don't chew on the plants at all?

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know anything about hingeback tortoises, but here's what I see wrong with your aquarium:

The tortoise can see out and thus is trying to get through the glass to escape. (Its very rare that an animal can recognize a reflection as another animal)

The habitat is too small

The bark bits in the substrate are too large.

You've only had the tortoise a short while and it usually takes a couple weeks or maybe a month for them to settle down and realize they're in a safe place.

The people who have answered in this thread either keep hingebacks or have extensive knowledge of them. You can take their advice. Its good stuff.

 

[Jacqui]

Thank you so much for the advice and support, guys.

And Mike, I would like to take this opportunity to say that I am the noob and you are the tortoise god and I'm sorry for shooting your idea down. This morning Aziza was at the clunking for a full hour before I finally got up and gave her food and changed the water. She is now quietly and contentedly eating. I just didn't think it was possible for a tortoise to put all that together (late sleeper, must wake up, clunking wakes up, FOOD!) in only a few days.I guess I'll try to watch her even more closely than before to see if her clunking is consistently a way to bully me into giving her stuff.

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Oh and Kristina, your tortoises don't chew on the plants at all?

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Never underestimate the ability and determination of a tortoise to get food, get attention, or to escape, if they want to.

They may try eating a bite of the plant, but normally after the first attempt, they stop.