Tortoise climbing enclosure!

[dashthetortoise]

Hi my 4 year old Russian Tortoise has had a new enclosure (3 by 2 feet, he is 10 inches long) for about 4 months now.. He is a bit pampered and we let him roam in our balcony and home most of the times, so when he is in the enclosure he always wants to come out..

I noticed a few bugs (springtails and spider beetles) recently so I thought that would disturb him so took him out. He has been roaming a lot in all our rooms and sleeping pretty late too. I deep cleaned his enclosure today and changed his substrate (I'm positive that isn't a problem).
He just doesn't sit in his cage peacefully, he scratches till we take him out. Do I need to be a strict mom and just let him be till he stops?
Am I going wrong somewhere??

Image- left section is the hide (cover on top, for image its open)
both heat and light/uvb lamp next to each other.
Thank you!

 

[wellington]

The cage is to small. He needs a minimum of a 4x8. The roaming the house is dangerous and should be stopped before he gets sick or dies. All kinds of dangers roaming floors of the house besides the temps aren't correct and he can't just go bask under the heat light when he wants or needs to. He also is not getting the uvb needed when he is not where is lights are.
Build a new proper sized enclosure or add into the one he has.
Get enclosure size, lights, heat and humidity right and he will be much happier.

 

[wellington]

Thread 'The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

 

[wellington]

Thread 'Russian Tortoise Care Sheet' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Maggie3fan]

I am so guilty of that!!! Only mine was a 100 pound Sulcata. After I took him to see Santa and let him walk around Petco, and other public places...for years, he was very popular in town... I used to whine at my most experienced sister "I give him the best home top of the line care and great menu, why does he keep escaping???" She said..."because he has seen what's out there...and wants to go out".
So I tell you what works...it's sorta like tough love...let him scratch and pester but down't give in...don't let him out anymore, he is not a dog or cat..floors are comparatively cold for a temperate tortoise. What kind of light bulb are you using? It doesn't seem like enuf room to me...I have 3 Russians here, wild caught I'm sure, full grown, but the biggest is 7 scl and a little over a pound...I am not an expert...just my opinion

 

[dashthetortoise]

Your suggestions are deeply appreciated! I'm going to make it bigger for him.. I have the "Zoo med PowerSun Vapor UVB Reptile lamp" - https://www.google.com/search?q=zoo...9i60l2j69i61.248j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Also, could you help me identify is my tortoise is a he or she? here are the images.

Thank you!