tortoise constantly digging

pepsiandjac

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Hiya,
This is not my tortoise its a friends ,Since Sunday she has constantly been digging nests,from 7 in the morning until 7 at night and she is absolutely exhausted,
She had xrays monday for an unrelated thing and theres no eggs and ovarys looked healthy According to the vet it's nothing to worry about and she's learning,but this little tortoise can't go on for much longer,This is the 3rd episode this year like this but they never lasted this long,Anyone know if theres anything that can be done,to stop this from hapening
She is a 10 year old western Hermann
 

wellington

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Does she have appropriate depth of ground to properly nest? She may not be happy with what she has to work with. Just a guess. When she is done digging, give her a nice warm soak to help rehydrate her.
 

SarahChelonoidis

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Is she digging with her back legs or front? I'm surprised she'd be nesting if there were no eggs on the X-ray.
 

SarahChelonoidis

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Is this an important distinction? Is it abnormal for torts to dig with only/mostly their front legs?

It is an important distinction. Digging with front legs is not digging a nest - it's digging a burrow or trying to get out (too hot, too cold, feeling unsafe). Digging with only the back legs is nesting.
 

RosemaryDW

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Hiya,
This is not my tortoise its a friends ,Since Sunday she has constantly been digging nests,from 7 in the morning until 7 at night and she is absolutely exhausted,

No ideas but hope you get some advice and relief for this little one soon.
 

pepsiandjac

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Does she have appropriate depth of ground to properly nest? She may not be happy with what she has to work with. Just a guess. When she is done digging, give her a nice warm soak to help rehydrate her.
yes,she digs until she can't go any deeper,fills it in and moves on to a different site
 

wellington

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Is she being bothered when doing this? Has she ever laid before?
Maybe @Yvonne G can help with why and if anything should be done
 

wellington

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What I would do if she were mine and I really thought she was exhausted and knowing there were no eggs, I would every other day put her in an area she can't dig. Giving her a break. I would be giving her warm soaks every day, specially the days she is doing this.
 

Yvonne G

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My sister used to have a big RES in a large tub with only a basking rock in the middle, no land area. The turtle used to tell Maggie when it needed to lay eggs. Don't laugh, if you're tuned into your animals, you know when they're trying to tell you something. So Maggie would take the turtle outside and put it into the box turtle enclosure where she would dig a hole and lay eggs. The turtle has never been with a male.

The reason I told you this story is because I feel the area you're providing for nesting isn't appropriate. If she reaches a "bottom" then it's not deep enough for her.
 

pepsiandjac

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My sister used to have a big RES in a large tub with only a basking rock in the middle, no land area. The turtle used to tell Maggie when it needed to lay eggs. Don't laugh, if you're tuned into your animals, you know when they're trying to tell you something. So Maggie would take the turtle outside and put it into the box turtle enclosure where she would dig a hole and lay eggs. The turtle has never been with a male.

The reason I told you this story is because I feel the area you're providing for nesting isn't appropriate. If she reaches a "bottom" then it's not deep enough for her.
She has plenty of space she lives on a farm lol,When i said she digs until she can't go any deeper I meant as deep as her legs can go lol,I'll try and get some more pics,
 
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