Shy Tortoise

[AudgePaudge]

Hey everyone!! I recently had a baby tort die. It turns out that he was sick when I got him!! Anyway, yesterday, I got a "trade-in" tortoise. That means someone traded it in to get a different pet. Ever science I got him, he's been a little shy. Every time I approach him, he goes into his shell. Also, he is constantly in his log. One more thing- can anyone tell how old he is?

 

[wellington]

That's what they will do when they don't feel safe that your not going to eat him. Get him set up in his own enclosure properly with humidity, he already has quite a bit of pyramiding and then give him time to get used to his new home

 

[AudgePaudge]

 

[Big Charlie]

The substrate looks too dry. That water dish looks too steep. Can he reach the food inside that food dish? Your enclosure looks boring and small, without any good places to hide.

 

[JoesMum]

Those reptile bowls aren't suitable for torts. They're a tipping hazard and hard for them to use.

A terracotta plant saucer makes a great water dish and a piece of flat rock or slate (or even the wrong side of a bathroom tile) makes a food plate that also wears the beak and helps to keep it in good shape.

A more earthy substrate, coco coir or fine grade orchid bark for example, can be mixed with water to make it evenly damp (not wet). This raises humidity in the enclosure.

Is there a solid lid to the viv to hd the humidity and heat in?

 

[AudgePaudge]

There is no top but the substrate hold moisture pretty well

 

[JoesMum]

Your tortoise is starting to pyramid. This is caused by being raised too dry.

You need to pay really close attention to the humidity and create a closed chamber as shown in the care guide.

The existing pyramidding will not be reversed, but as your tortoise grows it will become less obvious if you get the setup correct now.

You should read and take note of these

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

How to raise a healthy Sulcata
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Bee62]

The enclosure of your tortoise is much to small an very boring.
Sulcata tortoises like it to wander around and search for food. They are very interested in their surroundings. In your enclosure there is no interesting thing for a tortoise.
You can plant plants, build a little hill with a grassbuckle from the garden and place some flat stones in the soil.
Make the environment of your tortoise interesting and varied for her. In an interesting environment your tortoise will behave much more less shy.
Don`t think that yout tortoise is happy if you let her free roam in your room. That would frighten and stress her.
Build up an own interesting enclosure for your tort. Like that:


Your water bowl is like a trap for your tortoise. It is much to difficult to get in and out. Please change it to a terracotta plant saucer as @JoesMum said.

 

[Mortis_thetortoise]

The enclosure of your tortoise is much to small an very boring.
Sulcata tortoises like it to wander around and search for food. They are very interested in their surroundings. In your enclosure there is no interesting thing for a tortoise.
You can plant plants, build a little hill with a grassbuckle from the garden and place some flat stones in the soil.
Make the environment of your tortoise interesting and varied for her. In an interesting environment your tortoise will behave much more less shy.
Don`t think that yout tortoise is happy if you let her free roam in your room. That would frighten and stress her.
Build up an own interesting enclosure for your tort. Like that:
View attachment 196312 View attachment 196312 View attachment 196315

Your water bowl is like a trap for your tortoise. It is much to difficult to get in and out. Please change it to a terracotta plant saucer as @JoesMum said.

your coil bulb light isnt recommended as im sure you're aware. awesome looking enclosure though, id explore it.