Concerned Burrowing Behavior. New Owner

turtlebean

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
Connecticut
Hey guys,

Just wanted to ask a question on here since I have been strolling through the forums and have yet to find a concrete answer.

I have had my adult CB tortoise for just about a week now. He seems to like his enclosure, I have been soaking regularly, he’s been eating a healthy diet of various greens and weeds and today I just introduced him to the zoo med pellets. I added three to his normal greens today. He is very active during the daytime.

However, it’s was such a beautiful day outside I wanted Tortillini to enjoy some sunlight outdoors! It was about 60 and sunny here. We zoned off an area for him to walk around in for about 30 minutes or so before it got too cold or dark out. I was only a foot or two behind him and watched him, literally like a hawk.

He did great outside, he walked around a lot but after about ten minutes he then tried to burrow underground. I got scared he would burrow too deep and get lost so I brought him back inside to his normal indoor enclosure and he almost immediately went to burrow again. He has only moved a little since I brought him in, and that was back to his hide where he burrowed deeper than normal in there as well.

His enclosure temperatures are all normal, and can be found as well as pictures of it on my enclosure build thread.

I am mostly curious and perhaps shadowed by unwarranted concern at this behavior. I know russians burrow and this is normal for their species, but i’m just so thrown off because he has not done it or anything like it for the 7 days I have had him. I definitely think it has to do with me taking him outside. That is the only change I have done in the whole week. I am a first time tortoise owner, so any advice would be appreciated! Was it too cold out there for him or did I just scared him and now he feels threatened and needs to hide? Should I be concerned?

Thank you for reading, hopefully you guys can tell me whatcha think!
-Julia R
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
He's just stressed because he's in a new place. I wouldn't worry about it. Once the weather warms enough for him to live outside, it will be better.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
To explain further, your tortoise found itself in a new and unfamiliar place. It was also on the cool side. The safest place for your Russian to avoid predators and cool temperatures is underground. When the weather is warmer, and the tortoise is more familiar with its outdoor enclosure, it will be less inclined to hide underground.
 

turtlebean

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2020
Messages
190
Location (City and/or State)
Connecticut
Thank you all for your replies. I figured it would be better to ask this question then to not and then regret it later! Tortillini has been doing excellent, very active and a large appetite lol.

Always a pleasure to hear from you all,
Julia R.
 

New Posts

Top