My Tortois and Walls

[dvanz]

I got a Hermanni Tortoise for my 7 year old son last week. I've been enjoying getting to know her. Never having a turtle before, I watch and see what she's like; feed, water etc. Under supervision and safety I offer her roaming rights for when I'm in the living room, bedroom or porch. I also have a temp baby pool decked out for her to sun in. My question for now is WHY does she spend ever waking moment trying to get out of any place she is? It is constant. Will this calm down?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO fromAZ . By letting her walk a round the house you are showing her there is more space and she wants it . We don't repermend letting a tort walk around the house because it's to easy for her to get hurt .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[dvanz]

Hello and welcome to the TFO fromAZ . By letting her walk a round the house you are showing her there is more space and she wants it . We don't repermend letting a tort walk around the house because it's to easy for her to get hurt .


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

I guess then she won't get used to the open space? I feel terrible leaving her penned up but that could be me projecting and she probably doesn't care in the long run?

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I know how you feel !


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum

 

[dmmj]

Tortoises roam, it's what they do,she explores new spaces.Keeping her in one place,she will eventually settle down, as stated house roaming even under supervision is not a good idea.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the forum!

It's just not a good idea to allow a tortoise to realize that there's a whole big world outside his walls. Then he's not satisfied to stay within those walls...and a tortoise needs his own territory. He needs it for his mental well-being. He also needs the biggest habitat you can possibly give him.

 

[lismar79]

They pace for room, to find a hiding space, & sometimes pacing to find the right temperature. You really have to double check everything to make sure.

 

[dvanz]

Drat. I don't know how this is going to work. If I build an outside pen for her, she'll be in a place where I won't see her much. I'm a dog person and I honor, cherish and adore my dogs. This is so sad that I can't bring some of that to our tortoise. I've got to think about this. I don't want her to have a crappy life.

 

[Yvonne G]

Tortoises are solitary creatures. They don't need the company of other animals to be content. You need to provide the tortoise with the biggest habitat you can, then enrich it with many sight barriers and plants. So when the tortoise gets up in the morning he can't see his whole world. Then place little bits of food around the habitat, making the tortoise go searching. This is what keeps them from becoming bored (if it were possible for them to get bored).

 

[dvanz]

"Solitary" is easier to understand and to see the big picture. Thank you all for your input.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

A tortoise makes for a great "look at pet" or "moving garden ornament".

Dogs and cats make for good companion pets

That said....i loooove having tortoises! Hehe

 

[Flipper]

A tortoise makes for a great "look at pet" or "moving garden ornament".

Dogs and cats make for good companion pets

That said....i loooove having tortoises! Hehe

This is a fascinating sentiment! I need to roll it around my brain for a while

 

[Aunt Caffy]

Welcome to the forum!

It's just not a good idea to allow a tortoise to realize that there's a whole big world outside his walls. Then he's not satisfied to stay within those walls...and a tortoise needs his own territory. He needs it for his mental well-being. He also needs the biggest habitat you can possibly give him.

This is definitely something for me to consider as I ponder design ideas for a future outdoor enclosure. That really puts things into perspective. Thank you!

 

[DDickie]

A tortoise makes for a great "look at pet" or "moving garden ornament".

Dogs and cats make for good companion pets

All this is true... However, my tortoise will come to me when called and loves to be hand-fed!