Potty Training

RainsOn

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Jun 29, 2014
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273
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I bring my Russian, "Digger" inside in the winter and try to enjoy his company around the house every couple days to help keep him active and mentally stimulated. This little imp will do his "duty" every time and walk through it and move to another area and do it again. He will do this several times. I no sooner get one mess cleaned up (and Digger) than I have to do it again.

I found a trick: When you want to let them free in the house without leaving their little "deposits" everywhere, just soak him good. We now do a soak prior to releasing him in the house. This way he is cleaned out and will not make any messes until he is filled up again. Easy - peasy! ;) :D :p
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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A better policy would to not let a tortoise free roam in the house. This is a very dangerous practice that often leads to death, injury, or foreign body ingestion. After one of these three things happen, every single one of these people professes how careful and watchful they were.

Tortoises belong in tortoise enclosures.
 
M

Maggie Cummings

Guest
Tom is so right. Tortoises are not cats or dogs, they need heat, UVB, substrate, a hide and a safe place to live.
One new member allowed his small Sulcata on the floor, then forgot him,, and without realizing where he was she closed to door and squished his head in the jamb. PLEASE do not allow your beloved tortoises to walk on your floor....
 

Ricardo Arispe

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Joined
Nov 2, 2015
Messages
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Mine is now a free-roaming tortoise and lives in my room. Of course, I take him outside and like RainsOn, I give him a good bath and he'll do his business in the water. Of course this will change a bit once winter sets in. I can say that mine is pretty well domesticated as he tolerates being handled, drinks out of my hand, and roams outside of my room with superivision. On good days, he is allowed to roam in the front yard and soak up some sun. All of this is done under my watchful eye. I've noticed that when he is well hydrated, he will have no problem eliminating liquid or solid waste. As a free-roaming tortoise/roomate, I keep my area free of foreign objects that me might injest and take care that he does not wander under my rolling office chair.
 

Jodie

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I keep my tortoises in their secure enclosures at all times. There are too many dangers, it's not worth the risk to me. One little mistake and perhaps my tortoise pays with his life. Tortoises will poo and pee when they are stressed, that is why he makes messes every time he is out.
 

Oxalis

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It is only every great once and a while that I let Steve out to take a walk on the floor. He is always fully supervised by me or my fiancé, and we make sure the floors are very clean (most because of my dust allergy). This tends to give him a chance to walk around more when he's a little bit more on the active side, and this is only really for a few minutes before he goes back in his enclosure. I have seen him sniff lots while walking around, but luckily he has never tried to bite or eat anything that he shouldn't be. Amazingly, he is the same way with picking out foods; he always seems to eat the best and healthiest options for him and not any plants that may not be good for him. If Mommy doesn't know what the plant is, he is usually not eating it. ;)
 

RainsOn

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Jun 29, 2014
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NE OK
Thanks for all the comments. I am still learning and this is the best place to learn.
 

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