Tortoise is a Digger

[Sally Franklin Christie]

My Hermann's Dalmatian is a digger...

Does anyone have suggestions for finding her?

I also wish she'd eat more.

When she is out she is alert and active and explores the habitat, climbs, explores, climbs some more ---

Then digs in and at the moment I cannot find her...

Yes, I know she hasn't escaped, but is there an easier way to find her without poking at the substrate like I am looking for a buried body in the desert?

Yes, I write suspense fiction... can you tell?

Sally

 

[wellington]

LOL. Look under any favorite places you have seen her lay during the day. Look for any turned up dirt, soil. Look under anything that she could dig under. Then I would cut her curfew shorter LOL

 

[Sally Franklin Christie]

Okay, but the dirt up under my nails is getting a bit old.

We have only had her for a few days, so I only know of two places. She digs under then forward.

Cut her curfew? You mean limit her digging privileges? I'm trying to figure out how I would do that.

One more question, I know this might be silly -- but...

It is cool here, the daytime inside temp is around 65. Can I set her down on the hardwood floor and follow her around? You're right, if I can loose her in a chair I will certainly loose her on the wide open floor.... Let's say I turn off all the distractions and keep both eyes glued to her... can I let her onto the floor?

Silly Sally with a Digging Tort...

 

[wellington]

I was kidding about her curfew, bad joke The dirt under your nails LOL, make it into a new fashion craze and you won't have to worry As for the floor. Most frown on that. There are just too many things that they could try and eat and get in trouble with. However, I do it once in a while. I sit on the floor and that's all I'm doing is watching where he goes.

 

[Sally Franklin Christie]

How long can she stay on the down-low like this without being in trouble?

Sally

 

[Laurie]

Is it a baby? Babies will bury themselves, it's normal. They can stay like that for a while, no harm. I would probably dig up once a day for soaks if its a baby, I'd leave an older one for a couple of days.

 

[Tortoise Hub]

What are the temps like where you are? In the summertime here in AZ there are some months that get excruciatingly hot and I sometimes dont see a few of my hermanns and iberas (these are adults and I would not allow this for hatchlings) for sometimes a month at a time. They do usually come up after a week or two and are as active, hungry, and healthy as ever.

 

[Sally Franklin Christie]

Stephen E. said she is a yearling.

Since I've only had her since the 4th, I don't know her habits.

Winter hit with a bang. So, during the night the temp drops to 60-65.

She buries herself under the basking area.

My box turtle used to bury herself for long periods of time. We'd go dig her out if we didn't see her for a week or two. Then we'd feed her and give her a soak. During times where she was active on her own we'd keep a supply of crickets and worms.

No, don't get excited, the little tort is not having worms and crickets.

I have been digging her out after the morning temp warms up and then again in late afternoon and evening.

When I do this she becomes very active for an hour or so before digging back in.

Sally

 

[BodaTort1]

After I sweep the kitchen floor thoroughly I bring my Sulcata inside and let her hang out with me while I cook dinner every evening. Roo seems to enjoy this and the treats and greens I periodically "drop" on the floor. Everyone in the family knows she is "out and about" and are very careful coming into the kitchen. She also gets to hang out with my teens every evening for a hour or 2 before I give her her soak and put her to bed.

 

[cristal redfoot]

After I sweep the kitchen floor thoroughly I bring my Sulcata inside and let her hang out with me while I cook dinner every evening. Roo seems to enjoy this and the treats and greens I periodically "drop" on the floor. Everyone in the family knows she is "out and about" and are very careful coming into the kitchen. She also gets to hang out with my teens every evening for a hour or 2 before I give her her soak and put her to bed.

So cute!

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

I have a hatchling boxie that burrows. If I don't sit there and watch where she burrows, I go mental when I can't find her! There's no real trick to finding her, I just dig in I find the coco coir good for that, it looks like dirt, they like it and nothing gets really dirt-y, if you know what I mean.
As for the roaming, I let my red foot loose in the house for an hour or two a day. She walks around the house exploring and I know she's had enough when she goes to cuddle the power bar (I'm assuming its because its warm). I'm all for it, entertainment for us and exercise for her :-D

 

[Edna]

I have a couple of adult Hermanns that will dig when they're in a new enclosure. Once they have located the dark, private hide I have prepared for them, the digging becomes infrequent. That said, it took many experiences with the hide before one of them learned where it is and how nice it is.
When my first Hermanns was little, I had a piece of cottonwood bark in his enclosure. Once he found that, it was the only place he ever dug. It made it very easy to find him.