socialization

[Diana Stone]

I have acquired an adult male RT from a lady who's kids lost interest in due to the fact that he does not move around much. Come to find out, this is true. He does not move around much. He will when he is not in his enclosure, he walks fine, no issue there. He is very shy I noticed. I have had him about a week now and he barely eats anything. Half a leaf of Romaine for instance every other day. He seems to have aq healthy weight on him. I finally got him to poop for me so I can get a fecal done to see if he has bugs or something. Will be taking that in tomorrow.
Once in awhile in the off season I will put the torts in the hallway so they can have a change of scenery and get some more exercise. I did this with Frederick and the others to see what he would do. It took him a few minutes to notice the others walking around then he sniffed noses with Oliver, followed him for a bit then started trying to bite him. He did the same thing with Isabelle, sniff, chase then try to bite and on to the next. I can understand this behavior if it was his territory but everyone was on nuetral ground. Anyone got any thoughts on this biting behavior? I would really like him to be able to be with the others, expecially when the weather finally gets nice and they can go outside. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Yvonne G]

he sniffed noses with Oliver, followed him for a bit then started trying to bite him. He did the same thing with Isabelle, sniff, chase then try to bite and on to the next.

Your are describing typical male Russian behaviour. Since all these tortoises are new to him, he has to show them who is boss. Top Dog has not yet been established. Sometimes it can be quite bloody!!

Yvonne

 

[Diana Stone]

K, I don't think I like that. I don't want blood spilled. Guessing this is just the way he is and I would have to have them together only on a supervised basis?
The other problem I see is he does not eat very much. Almost nothing and all he wants to do is hide. Any thoughts or suggestions to the, won't eat and hide all the time problem?

 

[Jacqui]

What kind of an enclosure do you have him in? Heat & cool ends in the right range? enough light? You have only had him a week, from what I am reading, he may still be stressed a bit.

For the eating, do you know what they were feeding him? Maybe he is fixated on something your not feeding? If is weight is good, I wouldn't worry a bunch about him not eat...at least not yet

Can you get him out for some wonderfully invigorating sunshine/outside time?

 

[Diana Stone]

He is in a tort table, wood sides. Substrate is bed a beast and cypress mulch 3" deep. Has a hide, and a hill created with rocks,wood and the substrate to climb up and down. He seems to like that the few times I have seen him awake. Eating area is a couple of slabs of stone and he has a "pond" for drinking or dipping in. Temps are 70 to 95. Lighting is the basking bulb and 8.0 uvb strip light.
I was told she was feeding him salad in a bag. I offer him everything my other RT's get, romaine, green leaf, escarole, endive, weeds from the russian mix I have growing, carrots, butternut squash, pansy flowers etc.. I evan tried banana (the other's love to get that all over thier faces ). But nothing works. I actually have seen him eat only twice.
I am wondering if he was really stressed out by the kids. I don't mess with him, I talk to him when I am dishing out dinner (changing the old produce for fresh). I have on ocassion gently and breifly rubbed his shell at that time, hoping he will get to trust me.

We have not had any wonderful sun here in the NW since I have had him except for today briefly. I did take him out on the lawn and he headed for anything that looked like he could hide his head under. I posted a picture of him in the flower pot he found and dug into today. "Flowerpot Frederick"

 

[Crazy1]

Torts4me, I would have suggested you quarantine him for a least 3 months before placing him with your other torts but - well tooo late. It sounds like he is still stressed to me, give him time. It took me 5 months just talking to a little sully to get her to not hide when she saw me she was so traumatized and shy. Keep an eye on his weight. Let him hear your voice but handle him as little as possible for the time being. Just let him get use to his new environment.
He was probably wild caught. Placed in a large container with other torts and shipped in bad conditions to a pet store here in the states were he was put in a aquarium and fed pellets and some greens. I don’t know how long the other people had him but if you try and look at it from his point of view, he was being handled and poked etc by kids then he came to live with you a few days ago. (lucky little RT) He is placed in a new area – again, and then touched when he is given food. Then placed on a floor with other torts he will have to hold his own with. Then picked back up and placed back in his new enclosure. All this is very stressful and traumatizing. It will take him some time but he will warm up to your kind care.

 

[Diana Stone]

He is in quarantine. He was only down with the others for a few minutes. And I will quit rubbing his shell and just talk to him. I will be patient and let him do what ever he wants to do or not do. Thanks for the advise, appreciate it alot.

 

[Jacqui]

Could not have said it better then Robyn did!

 

[Diana Stone]

socialization - update

An update on Frederick. Picture attached. He has not been hiding as much in the past few days. He like's the "hill" and sits there most of the day. He has eaten two days in a row and did not hide his head when I gave him fresh leaf today. AND he pee'd! Its the little things ya know. It was all white but he did. So I have had him a week and a day and he pooped and pee'd once and ate maybe 4 times and is getting a bit more comfortable. We are making progress. Oh and the stool came back negative.

 

[Jacqui]

RE: socialization - update

An update on Frederick. Picture attached. He has not been hiding as much in the past few days. He like's the "hill" and sits there most of the day. He has eaten two days in a row and did not hide his head when I gave him fresh leaf today. AND he pee'd! Its the little things ya know. It was all white but he did. So I have had him a week and a day and he pooped and pee'd once and ate maybe 4 times and is getting a bit more comfortable. We are making progress. Oh and the stool came back negative.

Yes indeed it is all those little things. Glad things are settling down and he is becoming more what you expected.