Shy Pancake

[Alexandrix]

Hi my new pancake tortoise is really shy and doesnt come out of their little hidey hole. What should I do???? Help

 

[ColinF87]

How long have you had it? Torts are like people - they need time to adjust to new surroundings and some take longer than others. He might just be getting used to his new home.

Also, what are the temperatures like in the enclosure? If it's too warm your tort will stay in the shade to keep cool, and if it's too cold it won't be able to warm up enough to start wandering around lots.

 

[GBtortoises]

First that is very typical of newly acquired tortoises of any species when placed in a new, unfamiliar surroundings. Pancake tortoises even moreso. Generally speaking, Pancake tortoises as a whole are a species that spends the majority of their time in hiding. This is a very instinctual action that helps them to survive predator attacks in the wild. An instinctual action that few of them lose in captivity. There are always exceptions, but for the most part, keeping Pancake tortoises in captivity is often like keeping a lighted, heated, box of dirt and rocks! In other words, you may rarely ever see your Pancake tortoise out wandering around when it sees or senses other movement around it.

 

[african cake queen]

hi, i can only tell you what i did. my pair were scared, when i got them, they were also sick.after the vet fixed them. i put them in the living room where people go buy. it took a week or two but now they come running when i put music on. i also didnt handle them for awhile. just let them do their thing. good luck.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

A shy-pancake tortoise is like saying bright-sun. It's normal and appropriate for pancakes to not reveal themselves all the time. They are cryptic dwellers of hidden places in the wild, running at the slightest change in shadow, changes in reflectance off nearby surfaces, as well as direct line of sight things mving around.

I have raised several without much shelter at all, and they just sorta 'hang-out' like say a redfoot might. But that's not natural for them.

Will

 

[Chef]

I just got my pancake tortoise and I'm experiencing the same thing. He chomped down some food and I haven't seen him since. I'm somewhat concerned that he isn't eating or getting any UVB. How long should it take for him to get hungry enough to come out?

 

[Tom]

I just got my pancake tortoise and I'm experiencing the same thing. He chomped down some food and I haven't seen him since. I'm somewhat concerned that he isn't eating or getting any UVB. How long should it take for him to get hungry enough to come out?

As was noted above, the first thing to do is check your temps. Can you tell us your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night?

Also tell us about the enclosure. Size, substrate, decorations, etc. A pic would help too.

Lastly, as Will elaborated, they tend to be a species that hide a lot, even though there are some exceptions.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

All, I'm not sure if this poster is here any longer. This is a 3 month old post and the poster has only posted once before.

 

[Chef]

As was noted above, the first thing to do is check your temps. Can you tell us your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking spot and night?

Also tell us about the enclosure. Size, substrate, decorations, etc. A pic would help too.

Lastly, as Will elaborated, they tend to be a species that hide a lot, even though there are some exceptions.

I keep a ceramic heater on a temperature controller at 78 degrees aiming down on the bricks he hides under. Directly under the basking light is about 94 degrees. It is a 50w Exo Terra metal halide SunRay. I keep my apartment quite warm so the cooler side is between 73 and 75 degrees. At night I turn the ceramic lamp and the basking bulb off and temperatures can drop to about 70 F.

There are two hiding places and he's been in one since I got him a few days ago. I noticed that while I was gone yesterday he did come out and eat some kale. When I first got him he ate a good amount of romaine leaf and I haven't seen him eat otherwise.

I am using sphagnum peat moss (60%) with sand (20%) and coco coir (20%). There are some nice flat rocks all around the vivarium. It is a 18x18x18 Exo Terra vivarium cube. I know this isn't enough space but it's what I'm using for now to transition him to my apartment. I line the 3 glass walls with a fish tank "rocky" decal to give him a secure looking environment. Here's a picture

I spray the tank once a day just to give it some humidity.

All, I'm not sure if this poster is here any longer. This is a 3 month old post and the poster has only posted once before.

I know but I also have a shy pancake and instead of starting a new thread I thought I would continue discussion on this one for myself and others that are wondering. Besides, there's almost no discussion going about these amazing tortoises anyways!