Tortoise help.

[brittanyelaineee]

My 2-3 y/o Russian tort is constantly keeping me up at night. I let her out for hours during the day (inside of course) & once she is done having her fun she falls asleep so I put her back in her tank. She'll normally sleep for 5 hours at this point, but of course by the time I'm getting into bed to sleep she's so noisy! Trying to get out of her tank, clanging her shell against the glass, climbing on/off everything in there. This is getting ridiculous. Can someone please tell me if this is normal in torts? Please & thank you.

 

[laney]

Can she see out of the glass or do you have it covered at the bottom? If not already I would recommend using something like paper to tape round so she can't see out.
When it's nighttime are you using a light? And what are your temps?
I have one tort that didn't always want to go to bed during the summer, I remember having to put him in his bed and turn all the lights off while I sat in complete darkness after midnight stroking his shell till he fell asleep! It was exhausting lol

 

[Yvonne G]

More than likely it's because the tank is too small and there's a light on in the room at night.

 

[brittanyelaineee]

Yeah there's bark in the bottom so it's completely covered to where she can't see. I use a red night heat lamp, her temps have always been between 75-80. Her tank is not too small it's a 50 gallon. There's not any lights in at night except hers. But she'll do it even if there is or isn't a light. I put a towel up because she loses heat from the tank on that side because she's kitty corner below a window.

 

[Yvonne G]

That is a pretty small tank for a full grown Russian tortoise. Don't forget, when they tell you the gallons of an aquarium it includes the height of it. What you want is a big floor space, not tall sides. If you were to get a big aquarium with a big enough floor space for a full grown Russian tortoise it would be upwards of 100 gallons. That's why I always recommend a very large plastic tub - cheaper and easier to find a big one.

And when we talk about seeing out, we mean out the sides. If the tortoise can see out the side he sometimes will scrabble at the corners to get out. Covering the outside of the sides sometimes helps.

Try turning off the light at night and see if that makes a difference. A Russian tortoise can live in a lowered temperature at night. Room temp is fine.

(and have you ever seen the tortoise get inside that waterer? Those are really not good for tortoises. A plant saucer works better.)

 

[Laura]

that is a Russian trait...
but they usually calm at night...

 

[brittanyelaineee]

I do understand what your saying about the tank. Although she is not a full grown tort. For her it doesn't matter if the glass is covered, she still does the same thing. I have one side of it covered & she can't see out but still continues to try to get out. (Ugh)

From my knowledge the torts heat/night lamp has to be on 24/7

My tort actually seems to like the waterer I have currently better than a plant saucer, I've tried multiple different food bowls & water bowls before the one I have now.

 

[stinax182]

everyone here just wants to help you and your pet. some members advice is based on years of experience and the experiences of others. your situation has happened many times before and the things that are being pointed out are things that have solved the problem in the past.

while you were correct that certain species of tortoise need heat all the time, like a sulcata or leopard but your species of tortoise does not need added heat at night unless your house gets below 60°f. he will actually benefit from cooling down at night and that might be your problem. my Russian used to bury himself for literally days because i was keeping his enclosure too hot.

and while it's true that a tortoise will use any water dish it's given when it has to but there have been people on this forum that have had tortoises flip into those water dishes and drown ): that's why we always recommend the saucers...better safe than sorry.

i think the light is your problem. the added heat and the red color. i had the same problem and it took me awhile to figure it out. but when i did my tort stopped scratching and burying and started eating better and was more active.

 

[brittanyelaineee]

Okay thank you for all of your help/advice. I really appreciate it, especially coming from tortoise owners longer than a tortoise owner of

---

10 months. I change her lighting & water dish. I hope things do change in time. Again, thank you all.

 

[stinax182]

of course! we're here to help! it may take awhile for you to see change so just be patient! tortoises don't like change, good or bad, so give it a couple weeks. and feel free to post again if nothing has changed and we will do our best to help you again!