Tortoise not coming into sunshine.

[cpl1307]

I've had my young horse field outside in his enclosure for about a week now. He's only just over a year old, but will not come out into the sunshine at all. Will he get his UV levels I've spoken to Tom about this but unfortunately had posted twice by accident and the original reply was deleted. I only put him in for an hour and he goes straight into the section that closed off from the sun. Pretty much like a rabbit hutch compartment. I could remove the section he hides in and just make a shaded area. Is that cruel though. Io really don't know what to do. Can anybody give me some advice. This is the hardest thing I've had to deal with. I'm putting his uv bulb back on when I'm return him indoors because I'm scared he's not getting his UV fix! 😔

 

[SinLA]

Life moves slowly for tortoise. He’s probably terrified of all these changes. It took about four months before my Horsfield to settle in and start acting remotely normally. Every time you make a change, every time you move him, every time you tweak something about his enclosure, he is going to take a very long time to just adjust to it.

let him have his space to adjust and feel safe.

Can you post photos of his outdoor enclosure? Maybe there’s something we can suggest about it

 

[cpl1307]

Life moves slowly for tortoise. He’s probably terrified of all these changes. It took about four months before my Horsfield to settle in and start acting remotely normally. Every time you make a change, every time you move him, every time you tweak something about his enclosure, he is going to take a very long time to just adjust to it.

let him have his space to adjust and feel safe.

Can you post photos of his outdoor enclosure? Maybe there’s something we can suggest about it

I know it's not great, but it's the best I could afford

 

[SinLA]

Is that what you are just using for it to be outside, or is that also it’s indoor enclosure that you are moving outside?

 

[cpl1307]

Is that what you are just using for it to be outside, or is that also it’s indoor enclosure that you are moving outside?

Oh god know. I've got a 4ft Vivarium indoors. That's just for outdoors. I only got it a few weeks ago

 

[SinLA]

Ok - definitely do not remove the shaded area. Let him be where he feels safe.

Some more questions: do you keep this box outside and put him in it, or do you move him and the box outside together?

I definitely get what you are trying to do to get him sunshine, but its a very smalls pace.

your vivarium - its 4' by what? because they really do need a lot of space to be healthy, like 4' x 8'.

is your vivarium enclosed and are you monitoring humidity? He's got pyramiding which is kind of unusual for Russians, they are pretty hardy...

 

[cpl1307]

Ok - definitely do not remove the shaded area. Let him be where he feels safe.

Some more questions: do you keep this box outside and put him in it, or do you move him and the box outside together?

I definitely get what you are trying to do to get him sunshine, but its a very smalls pace.

your vivarium - its 4' by what? because they really do need a lot of space to be healthy, like 4' x 8'.

is your vivarium enclosed and are you monitoring humidity? He's got pyramiding which is kind of unusual for Russians, they are pretty hardy...

That's due to listening to the store I got him from telling me his humidity should never be above 50, then I joined the forum and Tom taught me all about humidity and how it would be I'm the wild. Since then I've changed everything. His substrate, water dish, humidity, I had to start from scratch. He looks tiny in his vivarium compared to his size and I will get him a much larger one as he grows. He was born in March last year. I carry him out to his outdoor enclosure. I've dug a hole and filled it in loosely so he can dig and he did have a bit of a go. He eats outside, but then just hides.

 

[cpl1307]

That's due to listening to the store I got him from telling me his humidity should never be above 50, then I joined the forum and Tom taught me all about humidity and how it would be I'm the wild. Since then I've changed everything. His substrate, water dish, humidity, I had to start from scratch. He looks tiny in his vivarium compared to his size and I will get him a much larger one as he grows. He was born in March last year. I carry him out to his outdoor enclosure. I've dug a hole and filled it in loosely so he can dig and he did have a bit of a go. He eats outside, but then just hides.

And yes enclosed sorry

 

[SinLA]

Ok, so if this outdoor enclosure is the best you can do for sunshine, I would just let him be and let him go into the light when he's ready. again it can take months, but he's young so hopefully just a few weeks.

Add some plants like spider plants (even fake ones) into the enclosure, he might come out more if he has something he can hide in. I notice my guy will hide in the grass, but also allowing him to get sunlight filtering through, see photo...

 

[cpl1307]

Ok, so if this outdoor enclosure is the best you can do for sunshine, I would just let him be and let him go into the light when he's ready. again it can take months, but he's young so hopefully just a few weeks.

Add some plants like spider plants (even fake ones) into the enclosure, he might come out more if he has something he can hide in. I notice my guy will hide in the grass, but also allowing him to get sunlight filtering through, see photo...

Thank you for taking time out to help me. I've got 3 spider plants that I could put in with him. I grow all my own pansies, violas ect, but I think if I put them in he would eat them all. I might have a go at making my own bigger enclosure. I've got plenty of wood and to be honest I wish I had done that to start with. It probably would of even been cheaper. When he's outside I try to stay away because if he hears my voice I can hear him scratching trying to get to my hands. I can put him anywhere and if he spots me he will come over to get on my hands. He will walk round me to find them. It's a shame I can get in there with him and he could just sunbathe on them!! 😉

 

[SinLA]

I would certainly suggest a bigger enclosure if you can. Here is mine, just FYI...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What type of UVB light is it?
I'm just guessing here with so little to go on. And if @Tom suggested the light. I'm sure it's the correct type.
However there are two types of UV lights that can cause discomfort in tortoises: Spiral or coiled UVB bulbs cand project UV in a small pinpoint beam. And MVB bulbs can be too bright and get uncomfortably hot.
The basic rule (mine?) Is that if the UVB has a "screw in base" such as a standard light bulb, it is NOT a correct type for your tortoise.
You need a T5 HO linear strip florescent uvb. Or even a newer LED strip UVB. But to be honest, I know just about nothing about their performance at this time.

 

[cpl1307]

I would certainly suggest a bigger enclosure if you can. Here is mine, just FYI...

Absolutely fantastic! Are you in the uk?

 

[cpl1307]

What type of UVB light is it?
I'm just guessing here with so little to go on. And if @Tom suggested the light. I'm sure it's the correct type.
However there are two types of UV lights that can cause discomfort in tortoises: Spiral or coiled UVB bulbs cand project UV in a small pinpoint beam. And MVB bulbs can be too bright and get uncomfortably hot.
The basic rule (mine?) Is that if the UVB has a "screw in base" such as a standard light bulb, it is NOT a correct type for your tortoise.
You need a T5 HO linear strip florescent uvb. Or even a newer LED strip UVB. But to be honest, I know just about nothing about their performance at this time.

I'm not sure if this question is for me? I have the T5 HO Linear

 

[SinLA]

I'm not sure if this question is for me? I have the T5 HO Linear

yes he was commenting on your viv setup...

 

[cpl1307]

yes he was commenting on your viv setup...

Thank you. I wasn't sure. Definitely would not use a screw in haha

 

[Maggie3fan]

I would certainly suggest a bigger enclosure if you can. Here is mine, just FYI...

Wow, that's nice!!!

 

[SinLA]

Wow, that's nice!!!

Thanks! A lot of it is luck, with how wet the year has been. I don't know how much of that will still be there by August ...

 

[Tom]

I've had my young horse field outside in his enclosure for about a week now. He's only just over a year old, but will not come out into the sunshine at all. Will he get his UV levels I've spoken to Tom about this but unfortunately had posted twice by accident and the original reply was deleted. I only put him in for an hour and he goes straight into the section that closed off from the sun. Pretty much like a rabbit hutch compartment. I could remove the section he hides in and just make a shaded area. Is that cruel though. Io really don't know what to do. Can anybody give me some advice. This is the hardest thing I've had to deal with. I'm putting his uv bulb back on when I'm return him indoors because I'm scared he's not getting his UV fix! 😔

Tortoises are a prey species. Babies of all species are going to tend to hide a lot, especially when housed alone. This is normal and it helps them survive in the wild.

You really don't have to worry about this. They don't need tons of UVB all day every day. The tortoise is more concerned with its safety than with being exposed. With your indoor UV, some occasional Mazuri or other prepared food, and a calcium supplement with D3 added, you really don't need to worry about it at all. Your tortoise will not get MBD. In time, the tortoise will get more used to being outside and it will get more bold and adventurous.

That enclosure is really too small, and the sides too high relative to the floor space. You need something with lower walls, or a larger foot print. The tortoise can only get sun mid day in that, and mid day is when they want to avoid the sun the most.

 

[cpl1307]

Tortoises are a prey species. Babies of all species are going to tend to hide a lot, especially when housed alone. This is normal and it helps them survive in the wild.

You really don't have to worry about this. They don't need tons of UVB all day every day. The tortoise is more concerned with its safety than with being exposed. With your indoor UV, some occasional Mazuri or other prepared food, and a calcium supplement with D3 added, you really don't need to worry about it at all. Your tortoise will not get MBD. In time, the tortoise will get more used to being outside and it will get more bold and adventurous.

That enclosure is really too small, and the sides too high relative to the floor space. You need something with lower walls, or a larger foot print. The tortoise can only get sun mid day in that, and mid day is when they want to avoid the sun the most.

I totally agree and I promise I will stop worrying now. I'm going to build my own larger size and I will send you a picture to see what you think. I'm gonna make one like yours, So I hope you don't mind me steeling your idea! 😉