Is my sulcata going mad?

[jenmadere]

I've always wondered what my sulcata does while I am asleep, and tonight while I was up doing some online shopping I found out. She starts off at one corner of her enclosure and continues to make laps through her hay in the shape of an L. Then when she hits her big hideout log, she turns around and goes the other way. Her enclosure is a mess right now, here are some pictures. Anyone know what this means? It baffles my brain. I wish I could attach the 48 second video I took of her doing this. View attachment 62947

 

[jenmadere]

I've always wondered what my sulcata does while I am asleep, and tonight while I was up doing some online shopping I found out. She starts off at one corner of her enclosure and continues to make laps through her hay in the shape of an L. Then when she hits her big hideout log, she turns around and goes the other way. Her enclosure is a mess right now, here are some pictures. Anyone know what this means? It baffles my brain. I wish I could attach the 48 second video I took of her doing this.

 

[erica anne]

How big is the tank and how big is your tort? He may simply need more space. Do you take him out for exercise during the day?

Also, sometimes when there is clear glass they obsess about what is outside of their tank. Often times people with cover the sides with some type of paper...

 

[vanessa]

Is it a new habitat?

 

[sibi]

Well, I don't see any pics, but, it would seem that there's something not right in the enclosure. Don't know if it's temps, lighting, humidity or lack of. Is there anything you changed in her enclosure recently?

 

[lkwagner]

Probably because the substrate is not right, it needs something like coco coir or cypress mulch so it holds a high humidity and can dig into. The water dish is wrong, use a Tera cotta saucer it's like $2 so it doesn't drown. I can't really see much in the pic tho :/

 

[Yvonne G]

It would help if the tortoise was outside in a bigger enclosure, but this is pretty much normal behaviour for sulcata tortoises (Russians too). They pace.

My Dudley - 110lbs male sulcata, has worn a path alongside his fence from pacing. Some days he's happy just to go out there and graze and sit in the sun, and other days he just goes back and forth along the fence:

 

[Tom]

Your enclosure should be dark at night. They usually don't move around in the dark at night. That substrate is too dry, and those rock slabs are a flipping hazard. You ought to be simulating the African rainy season, not a desert.

Here is a care sheet for housing your baby: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html

And a feeding sheet: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

 

[mike taylor]

Yep my 30 lbs sulcata does the same thing .

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Yep my 30 lbs sulcata does the same thing .

 

[edwardbo]

tom ,your a saint...all the information here a they show a bare bottemed tank. Yvonne, looks like you have a nice piece of property.