Two questions about my tortoise.

[LemonShell]

1. Why does my tortoise keep trying to escape?!
She lives in a 4 by 5 by 1 non-clear enclosure. She is a little russian, (when I put her in my palm only her little legs are off my hand.) And if she is not trying her hardest to climb up the walls...she's trying to dig her way out. I have had her for almost two months...that is how she spends her day.

2. Why doesn't she eat much or at all anymore?
I figured it is because it is getting colder out...I feed her what she sould be eating, variety and all. She just stopped (nibbles a little sometimes) and is less interested in her food. She will plow through it to dig in the corner.

 

[Tom]

1. This is totally normal for Russians. They like to wander and need a lot of space. A large outdoor pen, usually helps with this. The more interesting it is with nooks, crannies, plants, caves, rocks and logs, the less likely they are to exhibit this behavior, but sometimes they do it anyway. It is not because you are a bad person.

2. Because its fall. Shorter days and cooler temps tell her body its time to go to sleep for the coming winter. Creating warmer temps and lots of bright warm light for 13-14 hours a day will sometimes snap them out of this. Other times they do it anyway. If yours is a wild caught one, there is no telling how long it has been living with an annual hibernation routine. It can be difficult to overcome instinct and long established seasonal cycles.