Pacing?

tortoisekev

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I’ve noticed that Kevin sometimes looks like he’s been pacing up and down the side of the table. I’ve not really seen him do it but saw the sort of deep trail he’d left.

He walks all over the place (his trails show that!) but I just don’t want him getting frustrated or bored and pacing.

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His table’s certainly large enough, and he sometimes goes outside if warm enough.
 

tortoisekev

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I’ve watched him doing this again.

I’m wondering if he’s caught sight of his reflection in the glass (which is supposed to be opaque so he doesn’t do this), and perhaps thinks it’s another tortoise so walks up and down and tries to see him off (he turns at the end using the glass wall to climb up and round).

I don’t want him stressing out.

Should I cover the glass with matte tape or a piece of wood or similar? (I tried planting watercress but that got both trampled over and dried up under the heat light!)
 

Koen

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instinctively hatchlings or juvenile torts in general don't feel comfortable in open spacious environments. Your table is a great start but he would feel much more comfortable when adding additional plants that he can use as shelter. It also increases the micro-climates in his enclosure were he will benefit from.
 

tortoisekev

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Thanks. I'll look into a few more small plants. Kept it fairly open at the moment so he has space to roam. (I've seen when I've put him 'free' in the garden he'll walk loads for a little guy!) Might get a chinese elm bonsai tree to start.

Any other plant specific suggestions?

I've also put some boards in front of the glass now so he can't see a reflection in case that was a problem - I'll continue to see his behavior.
 

jsheffield

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My Darwin spends most of his time in one of the hides in his enclosure ... I sometimes see him exploring or snacking, but mainly he's under cover.

Jamie
 

tortoisekev

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Kevin’s gone a bit mental theist 2 days. He’s been climbing up the sides quite a bit, he’s made a right mess of the previously clean water (no idea what he did to make it SUCH a mess). He’s been incredibly active this eve around the whole enclosure spending most of his time walking down the edge, climbing up the side to turn around and walking back!

Other than the slightly annoying scratching sound, I wondered if this is fine and normal or if he’s distressed or anything?

Maybe he’s just more at home now that he’s been here a month. I really don’t know.

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drew54

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Kevin’s gone a bit mental theist 2 days. He’s been climbing up the sides quite a bit, he’s made a right mess of the previously clean water (no idea what he did to make it SUCH a mess). He’s been incredibly active this eve around the whole enclosure spending most of his time walking down the edge, climbing up the side to turn around and walking back!

Other than the slightly annoying scratching sound, I wondered if this is fine and normal or if he’s distressed or anything?

Maybe he’s just more at home now that he’s been here a month. I really don’t know.

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I do know torts like to pace their perimeters often. My hatchling would run laps around his water bowl, basking rock, and through his food dish. He wouldn't pace anywhere else. I think every tort in some sort of enclosure will try to climb it. I see your log hide. Be careful with things being high. He could flip himself waking over it or trying to climb off the front or back. He's a cutie though.
 

Meesh

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Kevin’s gone a bit mental theist 2 days. He’s been climbing up the sides quite a bit, he’s made a right mess of the previously clean water (no idea what he did to make it SUCH a mess). He’s been incredibly active this eve around the whole enclosure spending most of his time walking down the edge, climbing up the side to turn around and walking back!

Other than the slightly annoying scratching sound, I wondered if this is fine and normal or if he’s distressed or anything?

Maybe he’s just more at home now that he’s been here a month. I really don’t know.

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I just went through this same issue with my male hermanns tort (herman) it gets super frustrating when you know you've done everyth you can think of & there still seems to be a problem. After I moved him from one enclosure to another is when he did this. I thought it might be stress from the move bc "it's not his territory" yet. But I figured out he would climb and scratch the sides when he wasn't warm enough. I bought a metal lamp holder which allowed me to move the lights closer into his enclosure and he calmed right down and hasnt done it since. I hoped you figured this out bc I do know how frustrating it is when you've spent hundreds and still can't seem to make him/her happy & you dont want them to stress. It's usually always either heat, food variety, or a hormonal male.
 

Meesh

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Kevin’s gone a bit mental theist 2 days. He’s been climbing up the sides quite a bit, he’s made a right mess of the previously clean water (no idea what he did to make it SUCH a mess). He’s been incredibly active this eve around the whole enclosure spending most of his time walking down the edge, climbing up the side to turn around and walking back!

Other than the slightly annoying scratching sound, I wondered if this is fine and normal or if he’s distressed or anything?

Maybe he’s just more at home now that he’s been here a month. I really don’t know.

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&& Kevin is an awesome name for hermanns tort! Lol.. I have a female named shelly. A male named Sheldon. & Another male named Herman. All hermanns torts.
 

TaylorTortoise

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instinctively hatchlings or juvenile torts in general don't feel comfortable in open spacious environments. Your table is a great start but he would feel much more comfortable when adding additional plants that he can use as shelter. It also increases the micro-climates in his enclosure were he will benefit from.
Can fake plants work?
 

TaylorTortoise

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I just went through this same issue with my male hermanns tort (herman) it gets super frustrating when you know you've done everyth you can think of & there still seems to be a problem. After I moved him from one enclosure to another is when he did this. I thought it might be stress from the move bc "it's not his territory" yet. But I figured out he would climb and scratch the sides when he wasn't warm enough. I bought a metal lamp holder which allowed me to move the lights closer into his enclosure and he calmed right down and hasnt done it since. I hoped you figured this out bc I do know how frustrating it is when you've spent hundreds and still can't seem to make him/her happy & you dont want them to stress. It's usually always either heat, food variety, or a hormonal male.
Im waiting on my hermanns tortoise. where did you get yours? @Meesh
 

Yvonne G

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This thread is a couple years old. The posters on it may not be following it anymore.
 
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