???? (pacing and restless?)

[DixieParadise]

Ok, to get everyone up to speed... I got "Sissy" a very large and old YF tortoise last month. She had been living in a herd of RFs in a garage/shed type of enviroment.

I brought her home and placed her in a 4x8 enclosure in my garage for the winter. I took her to the vet she was swimming in parasites. Got that problem fixed.

Now, yesterday the weather was really great, so I decided to put her outside in the 10x16 enclosure. She paced along the walls, tried to climb up on a wall and flipped herself. I brought her back to the garage enclosure which has the same wall height and she went into her hide and stayed there until this morning. She is always outside her hide waiting for her food.

I thought ok, I have more time to spend with her outside. So, off to the backyard we went. She paced the walls again. Went in and out of her hide. Paced the walls again, and flipped herself. I took her out of the enclosure and just gave her free access to the backyard and she beelined it to the fence a good 10 yards from the enclosure and ate from the salvia bush. Moved her back to the yard and she beelined it the opposite fence. I placed her back into the enclosure. But I am very questionable if this is a good idea.

So, suggestions. Would making the walls taller, so she can't see outside the enclosure help? Getting other YFs to be with her, since she is used to that? or Just leave her inside the garage, which to me is stupid..because it is so nice outside.

Just scratching my head and want to know what the rest of you think. She is about 11 inches and 12 pounds.

 

[ascott]

RE: ????

If she lived in a garage type environment then perhaps she just does not get what it is to be outside? I would give her a routine of in at night maybe and out during the day and eventually she should get use to her routine? Maybe add an inward ledge to deter her thoughts of greener on the other side?

 

[DixieParadise]

RE: ????

Thanks, I will try this. Anyone else who wants to add to the thread, I am open to all assistance and advice.

 

[Neal]

RE: ????

Is she capable of flipping herself back over?

Sometimes tortoises will become a lot more adventurous when placed in a new enclosure and flipping over happens in a lot in those cases. If she can flip herself back over, I would just let her do her thing but monitor her of course. We've never seen a recurring flipping issue after it has happened a couple of times and after the tortoise has had time to settle into its new surroundings.

 

[dmmj]

RE: ????

Tortoises are easily stressed out even moving to a bigger enclosure might stress her out. For a tortoise change is not good, they usually don't like it. She could also be seeing over the top and wondering " maybe there are some tasty slugs or snails over there?" I would try and make the walls taller and see if that makes a difference.

 

[DixieParadise]

RE: ????

When she flipped herself yesterday, she could not get up. This morning she was kind of just half-flipped. It freaked me out more than her, so I righted her and took her out.

I agree, I am thinking because she can see out, she is wanting out. In the garage enclosure, she would be used to seeing four white walls, so that is not new to her. It is a shame, because the taller walls will not allow me to see her without going to the enclosure. She is pretty active right now and it is cool watching her set her boundaries. I just don't like the flipping part. I also noticed that she only climbs on the cinder blocks that I have not painted. So, tomorrow I will be off to Home Depot for more concrete stain and more blocks.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: ????

She's not used to the wide open spaces. Coming from living in a shed, then in your garage, to be put out in the open like that must have been pretty frightening. It will take time. Do you have lots of plantings in the outdoor pen? That might ease her mind a bit.

 

[DixieParadise]

RE: ????

Yes, there are plenty plants, grass and hides. She did calm down when I put an additional block on each of the corners. I think she was able to see out and that was confusing her. We are getting ready for a big thunderstorm and temperature drop, so I moved her back into the garage. Don't want to stress her anymore with all that other mess.

I will keep everyone posted on how things go. For now, I am going to keep her outside in the daytime and move her back inside at night.

 

[Jacqui]

RE: ????

I think blocking the visual ability to see out, painting the blocks all one color so they appear a solid wall and familiar to her, along with just the time being outside will help. Also next time she flips, leave her for awhile. See if she can right herself, plus let her learn the penalty she faces, when she does try climbing out. I am not saying leave her there for a long length of time, in full sun or anything else. Just give her a few minutes to solve her own problem.

 

[Madkins007]

Flipping: Because of the 'tucked in' loaf-like shape of the red- and yellow-footed tortoise's shells, they do seem to struggle more than some other species to right themselves. Give her a chance, but don't prolong the discomfort.

Pacing: This is often a response to a new habitat- they need to familiarize themselves with it, and it does cause stress at the same time. Pacing and walking the perimeter for a few days is pretty common.

Stress: There is stress involved in lots of the things we do, but switching her back and forth between habitats a lot involves some stress as well. Try to balance the need for sun and plants and such with the need for stability.

Walls: The walls should be high enough, with capped corners, that the tort does not think they can climb them. Most torts seem to believe in their heart of hearts that they are world-class mountaineers and will try to breach the wall anywhere they can.

 

[DixieParadise]

Thanks again, Mark. There is much logic in your thought. I will try to minimize her back and forth. We had very high winds and thunderstorms yesterday afternoon and well into the night. I will try to move her back outside when the weather temp boosts back up. She seems fine in her "garage apt" today. She was out walking around this morning as usual and napping this afternoon.

 

[dmmj]

Mark. There is much logic in your thought.

Mark? Logical? do those words even belong together?

 

[Madkins007]

Mark. There is much logic in your thought.

Mark? Logical? do those words even belong together?

I know, right? I think I've been insulted.