Should I be concerned?

Tortoise_Nerd

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I have 2 russian tortoises that I have brought inside for the cold months. They both have their own hides and water dish. They are in a 40 gallon tank with soil and a zoo med uvb bulb. I feed them mazuri tortoise diet. I am concerned about them because they both have buried themselves inside of their hides. Does anyone know why? Thank you.

-Nathan
 

Tortoise_Nerd

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I have 2 russian tortoises that I have brought inside for the cold months. They both have their own hides and water dish. They are in a 40 gallon tank with soil and a zoo med uvb bulb. I feed them mazuri tortoise diet. I am concerned about them because they both have buried themselves inside of their hides. Does anyone know why? Thank you.

-Nathan

I have had these tortoises for a couple years and have never noticed this behavior.
 

KarenSoCal

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It could be that they are just acclimating to being inside...you know, tortoises don't like change.

But more likely is that they are uncomfortable being housed together in a smaller space. Any time 2 are together, one is bullied by the other. Behaviors that we think are cute are actually aggression, like following, sleeping together, eating together, head bobbing, etc. Eventually this leads to fighting, biting, and sometimes death.

Try giving each it's own enclosure.
 

JoesMum

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In the wild, Russians spend a huge proportion of their time underground... it is safer from predators and protects them from the weather.

Even kept indoors, Russians can detect the changes in light levels as winter approaches and they have a very strong urge to hibernate.

Your tort cannot hibernate when the temperature is above 10C. Failing to eat and drink above this temperature leads to weight loss, dehydration and sickness.

Also, your torts are in a “new” environment and some react worse than others to change. They possibly don’t realise it is safe yet.

What can you do to kid them it’s summer and help them feel safe?

1. Make sure the lights are on for a 14 hour day. Use a timer. Make sure they are bright enough. You may need additional lights to make it bright like summer (nothing fancy - LED or plain fluorescent that doesn’t emit heat)

2. Keep checking the temperatures in the enclosure. Your household heating and the weather will impact your settings and you will need to tweak things from time to time.

3. Avoid stressing them. Leave them in the enclosure. Don’t let them wander the floor of your home. Encourage others to be quieter in their presence. Torts feel safest with all 4 feet on the floor.

4. If they’re not eating, then they must be soaked for at least 20 minutes daily. Do it first thing in the morning, no choices - haul them out, then place them back in their enclosures with food.

5. Are they kept together? Russians are one of the scrappiest species and bullying is common. This can be triggered by a change such as a new enclosure as they try to establish a safe territory. Bullying can be mental or physical. Hiding away can be a reaction to this.

6. What type of UVB are you using? Compact CFL bulbs (they look like low energy screw thread or bayonet bulbs) can cause eye problems in torts and they hide away to protect their eyes. MVB and tube bulbs are fine
 
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Tom

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I have 2 russian tortoises that I have brought inside for the cold months. They both have their own hides and water dish. They are in a 40 gallon tank with soil and a zoo med uvb bulb. I feed them mazuri tortoise diet. I am concerned about them because they both have buried themselves inside of their hides. Does anyone know why? Thank you.

-Nathan
  • Do you mean they are each in their own 40 gallon tank? A 40 is WAAAAYYYYY too small for an adult Russian. They each need 4x8' each. Minimum. Larger would be better.
  • What type of ZooMed bulb?
  • What kind of soil? Soil is not generally recommended because sometimes is is made from toxic stuff. The makers don't intend for animals to be living on it in small enclosures indoors.
  • What are you four temperatures in these little enclosures? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?
 

Toddrickfl1

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40g tank is WAY too small for one Russian Tortoise let alone two.
 
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