Hingeback active times

[Tim/Robin]

All our tortoises are so unique and interesting. Since getting the Speke's we have noticed their activity differs from all the others we care for. Speke's are active in the early morning hours, like before 7 am, and evening time when all other torts are in bed. It makes it fun for us since we spend so much time watching our torts, we have someone that's active at most hours of the day now. We had read that hingeback's are "secretive". We don't find that to be any more true for them as any other tortoise species. They just have their clock set differently! There is also nothing like watching them race for the mushrooms at feeding time. It seems like candy to the Speke's!

Does anyone else notice a tortoise species whose active time is so different from the others?

 

[Itort]

Both my RF's and MEP's are active sunrise to about 9 am and then active again toward sunset. From the research I've done this is normal for MEPs and I believe for RFs also being forest torts. I can understand it in Speke's also being that they closely related to Bell's (another forest tort). When I had Bell's (noguey ssp.), they acted the same.

 

[Redfoot NERD]

Different species= different hemisphere.. different environment.. different TIME ZONES..

.. etc., etc.

It never ceases to amaze me also.. how some [ so called "experts"?? ] lump ALL tortoises into the same 'care' category!

My RF's cruise in the early morning and again early evening.. stay hidden otherwise.

The stars love the sunshine during the day.. into the 90's.. then to their hide well before dusk.

No wonder we see so many stressed ones on these forums!!!

NERD

 

[Crazy1]

My Greeks and DT are the same, up at sunrise and down about 9am then up in the early evening. During the heat of the day they are all sleeping.
When they were in the hospital tank the behavior was much different, much smaller space more heat. They were up most of the day pacing. Very stressful times for them.

 

[Jacqui]

When talking about Hingebacks being secretive, that is normally just pertaining to the Homes and Erosa. Bells and Spekes are entirely different animals all together. Also talking recently WC, not long term or captive bred animals. All four of the species will become much more people oriented with time, however.

 

[Laura]

I was told they are more of a nocturnal type of tort. Secretive, shy, hunters. .. big eyes.. kinda makes sense...

 

[-EJ]

Wild caught tortoises act totally different than captive animals. Once they acclimate to captivity they all seem to have the same activity pattern... active in the morning and in the afternoon depending on the season. As the weather gets cooler they are more active.

The wild caught Spekes that are currently available do seem to be more active at night but I had some long term Spekes that developed the same activity pattern as all my other tortoises.

All our tortoises are so unique and interesting. Since getting the Speke's we have noticed their activity differs from all the others we care for. Speke's are active in the early morning hours, like before 7 am, and evening time when all other torts are in bed. It makes it fun for us since we spend so much time watching our torts, we have someone that's active at most hours of the day now. We had read that hingeback's are "secretive". We don't find that to be any more true for them as any other tortoise species. They just have their clock set differently! There is also nothing like watching them race for the mushrooms at feeding time. It seems like candy to the Speke's!

Does anyone else notice a tortoise species whose active time is so different from the others?

 

[-EJ]

Both the Erosa and the Homes are just as active and outgoing as any other hingeback once they are acclimated to captivity... they can have similar personalities to the Redfoots.

When talking about Hingebacks being secretive, that is normally just pertaining to the Homes and Erosa. Bells and Spekes are entirely different animals all together. Also talking recently WC, not long term or captive bred animals. All four of the species will become much more people oriented with time, however.

 

[-EJ]

Well... I keep my redfoots the same as my pyxis the same as my leopards the same as my chacos the same as my golden greeks the same as my stars the same as my Aldabras the same as my sulcatas the same as my pancakes the same as my hingebacks the same as my russians the same as my Libyan greaca the same as my egyptians... no problems here... no stressed animals either.

Different species= different hemisphere.. different environment.. different TIME ZONES..

.. etc., etc.

It never ceases to amaze me also.. how some [ so called "experts"?? ] lump ALL tortoises into the same 'care' category!

My RF's cruise in the early morning and again early evening.. stay hidden otherwise.

The stars love the sunshine during the day.. into the 90's.. then to their hide well before dusk.

No wonder we see so many stressed ones on these forums!!!

NERD

 

[Jacqui]

Both the Erosa and the Homes are just as active and outgoing as any other hingeback once they are acclimated to captivity... they can have similar personalities to the Redfoots.

When talking about Hingebacks being secretive, that is normally just pertaining to the Homes and Erosa. Bells and Spekes are entirely different animals all together. Also talking recently WC, not long term or captive bred animals. All four of the species will become much more people oriented with time, however.

Hmmm thought that was what I said, except never mentioned the RFs.

 

[-EJ]

It's called selective reading... I hate when people do that...

Both the Erosa and the Homes are just as active and outgoing as any other hingeback once they are acclimated to captivity... they can have similar personalities to the Redfoots.

When talking about Hingebacks being secretive, that is normally just pertaining to the Homes and Erosa. Bells and Spekes are entirely different animals all together. Also talking recently WC, not long term or captive bred animals. All four of the species will become much more people oriented with time, however.

Hmmm thought that was what I said, except never mentioned the RFs.

 

[Jacqui]

It's called selective reading... I hate when people do that...

Both the Erosa and the Homes are just as active and outgoing as any other hingeback once they are acclimated to captivity... they can have similar personalities to the Redfoots.

When talking about Hingebacks being secretive, that is normally just pertaining to the Homes and Erosa. Bells and Spekes are entirely different animals all together. Also talking recently WC, not long term or captive bred animals. All four of the species will become much more people oriented with time, however.

Hmmm thought that was what I said, except never mentioned the RFs.

Me too....