Bored sulcata?

[Dessy]

My baby sulcata seems bored. His new bigger and warmer enclosure is currently being built and its too cold to take him outside. I live in chicago and our autumns are really chilly. How can i keep him entertained?

 

[Careym13]

You could add some plants, driftwood or small stones for him to climb over. Just don't put them where he could flip and get stuck under the heat lamp.

 

[Stephanie Kalahurka]

Okay. I clicked on this forum with the express intent of starting a thread entitled "Can a tortoise get bored?" Your post was at the top. Soooo, maybe I'm not crazy. Maybe they can get bored. Do they make baby tortoise toys that are safe for his enclosure?

Currently, we try to take him outside every day for some closely supervised exploring time. He is always very active during those times and seems to love it, but Winter is Coming!

I'm interested to see if anyone has ideas.

 

[dmmj]

may I ask what makes you think he's bored? is he saying I'm bored there's nothing to do?

 

[Stephanie Kalahurka]

My little guy just paces around and around his enclosure, always taking the same path. He eats. Then sleeps. Then paces.
He has a large enclosure for his size, so I don't believe that is a problem.
I know he's not a puppy, but I was wondering if he might enjoy some stimulation.

 

[Stephanie Kalahurka]

He's doing his bored thing right now . . .
http://kalahurkakiddos.com/tyrion-cam/

 

[dmmj]

nice name my phone doesn't support that page. is he pacing? pacing does not equal boredom he is patrolling their territory his enclosure is too small probably the best way to fight that is sight barriers

 

[Stephanie Kalahurka]

Thanks for your kind words about his name. Definitely our favorite GoT character.
He is pacing back and forth along one wall. He is in a 40 gallon aquarium right now -- and he's only 2 inches/50 grams, so I feel like he has plenty of space for now (could be wrong).
I hadn't thought about sight barriers. Maybe that's something to try. I guess there's no such thing as a tortoise toy :-(.
The link is to Tyrion's tortoise webcam. It's pretty cool, but you have to have Chrome, FireFox or Safari to see the camera. Maybe I will figure out how to fix that someday . . .

 

[Angel Carrion]

Thanks for your kind words about his name. Definitely our favorite GoT character.
He is pacing back and forth along one wall. He is in a 40 gallon aquarium right now -- and he's only 2 inches/50 grams, so I feel like he has plenty of space for now (could be wrong).
I hadn't thought about sight barriers. Maybe that's something to try. I guess there's no such thing as a tortoise toy :-(.
The link is to Tyrion's tortoise webcam. It's pretty cool, but you have to have Chrome, FireFox or Safari to see the camera. Maybe I will figure out how to fix that someday . . .

So he can see through the glass? That might be why right there. He's trying to figure out why he can't go over there to that far giant place, what is this invisible force field holding me here? It can stress them out, as well. I suggest taping notebook paper to each wall so that he can not see out.

 

[dmmj]

site barriers work best to make a tourist think is it bigger enclosure when you can see someone in the dark you closer to the other it sort of bother you then say barriers block the view from one end to the other

 

[Stephanie Kalahurka]

So he can see through the glass? That might be why right there. He's trying to figure out why he can't go over there to that far giant place, what is this invisible force field holding me here? It can stress them out, as well. I suggest taping notebook paper to each wall so that he can not see out.

Yes. He can see through the glass. In the camera, you can also see his reflection. I'm not sure if he can see it from the inside, but if so, maybe he thinks its another tortoise and that's why he's so fascinated with packing back and forth with it . . . .

Sight barriers -- definitely something to try.

P.S. @Dessy I totally co-opted your discussion. Apologies!

 

[Yvonne G]

Let's get Dessy's thread back on track.

Dessy: Can you tell us a bit more about how your sulcata is set up? Size of enclosure, substrate, what kind of enclosure, indoors? outdoors? what are you offering for food? hiding places? water? How old is the tortoise? what is he doing that makes you think he's bored?

 

[DawnH]

Tuleo paces around (this can be very normal for a Sulcata) so I like to make sure I do slight barriers with plants he can eat, etc. I also go around the main garden and get clippings to add to his enclosure and "hide" them so he has to find them. Under certain plants, etc. That way he doesn't expect his clippings by his water bowl every day (I offer him more than he can possibly eat in one day and toss whatever is left in the garden when he comes in at night.) He LOVES to climb over his 7 gallon bucket hide. He has tracks in the dirt/mud over it because he enjoys it so much. I also like to shake things up by blocking part of his outdoor oasis and planting grasses in it, when it is established open that area up and block another part and start again. It keeps him on his toes. One thing I never mess with is his large Mexican Heather. He has made a little trench under it and that is where he hangs out all day (he won't go into his hide, he's never really cared for hides - he's weird.) I want his Mexican Heather to be his safe spot. It never changes, gets moved or things placed around it. He likes that (he told me.)

 

[Dessy]

Its okay i like hearing what everyone has to say well i have no idea how old he is. Maybe about four months? His enclosure is a wooden box 24 × 18.5 inches with a plastic tub over it. He has a small diffuser in there with zilla jungle mix and currently no live plants. i just recieved seeds in the mail and his new home will be bigger with a plexiglass top and with orchid bark. I feel like hes bored because he does (as someone mentioned above) pace around alot and tends to sleep in the same corner every night. He currently eats dandelions turnip greens mallow and weeds but i will be planting a larger variety. He's not really shy which i think is a good sign

 

[Dessy]

He gets short daily soaks because he hates water

 

[Yvonne G]

Ok...from what you're describing, he's not bored. He's acting normal. Most tortoises sleep in the same "burrow" every night, whether it be an underground spot or a half log or flower pot. And one thing that sulcatas do is pace the perimeter. I'll run out real quick and take a picture of Dudley's "path." Hold on......

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm having computer trouble and it won't allow me to take pictures off the camera. But this is one I took last year of Dudley's track:



He goes down to the end, makes a 'u' turn and comes back along the same track. I'm guessing that he uses this fence and not the one on the other side because on the other side of this fence are other tortoises, while the fence on the right is just a sight barrier and his yard is on the other side. So he patrols to make sure his territory stays tortoise free.

 

[DawnH]

Tuleo's track is way bit smaller than Dudley's but you can see his as well. He prefers to go OVER his hide (even hanging out and sunning on top) then sleeping in it. You can see him tucked in his little bunker in the corner. (You can't tell he is 10" long because he is half buried...)

 

[dmmj]

I wouldn't say he's bored he sounds like a very content tortoise to me

 

[Big Charlie]

I'm having computer trouble and it won't allow me to take pictures off the camera. But this is one I took last year of Dudley's track:

View attachment 145340

He goes down to the end, makes a 'u' turn and comes back along the same track. I'm guessing that he uses this fence and not the one on the other side because on the other side of this fence are other tortoises, while the fence on the right is just a sight barrier and his yard is on the other side. So he patrols to make sure his territory stays tortoise free.

Charlie has a similar pacing spot. There aren't tortoises on any side of our yard but his pacing track is the longest stretch without things in the way. He usually does it in the evening before bedtime but the other day he did it in the afternoon after I hosed him down.