A little background: I got my two Russians (Boris and Natasha) a little over two weeks ago. Natasha is more active but Boris has become less shy. I have a 4ftx1.5ft terrarium with wood along the sides so they can't see out. I use coconut coir and sand substrate. They have a uvb and infrared heat lamp that I turn off at night. The temperature on the cool end is about 75-80 degrees during the day and about 70-75 at night. The warm end is around 85-90 and the basking area is about 93-95. I have been giving them spring mix, dandelion greens and RepCal pellets for food, but they don't eat much. I also soak them every morning for 15 minutes. I take them out of the tank whenever I'm home, so they get out about 4 or 5 days a week for several hours, but they still stay indoors where I can keep track of them.
Last week they seemed fine, like they were adjusting to their new home. I noticed Natasha eating and Boris would come out from under a brick hideout in the tank more and more. I kept them in their tank longer last week so they could feed more (they aren't really interested in food when they are out).
Normally Natasha would dig and scratch at the walls for a little bit trying to get out, but Boris would either sit in the hideout or in a corner under the heat lamp. Yesterday, both of them were pacing back and forth for hours, scratching in the corners, climbing over each other and filling their water bowl with substrate. When I let them out, they were fine. Today I noticed the same behavior this morning before I went to class. Usually they would calm down while I was away and go under the hideout or under the lamp, but when I came back two hours later, they were still pacing and trying to get out. I let them out again and they are completely calm.
I read that this behavior occurs in females when they are looking to lay eggs, but I've only had them for two weeks, so I don't know if this is what is happening or if it's something else.
Last week they seemed fine, like they were adjusting to their new home. I noticed Natasha eating and Boris would come out from under a brick hideout in the tank more and more. I kept them in their tank longer last week so they could feed more (they aren't really interested in food when they are out).
Normally Natasha would dig and scratch at the walls for a little bit trying to get out, but Boris would either sit in the hideout or in a corner under the heat lamp. Yesterday, both of them were pacing back and forth for hours, scratching in the corners, climbing over each other and filling their water bowl with substrate. When I let them out, they were fine. Today I noticed the same behavior this morning before I went to class. Usually they would calm down while I was away and go under the hideout or under the lamp, but when I came back two hours later, they were still pacing and trying to get out. I let them out again and they are completely calm.
I read that this behavior occurs in females when they are looking to lay eggs, but I've only had them for two weeks, so I don't know if this is what is happening or if it's something else.
