Why does my tortoise sleep so weird?

[Bogie=babyDINO]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and have learned so much being on here! A little quick question on my little Sulcata tortoise......why does he sleep like he is dead? I have his enclosure set up with 4 temps; warm side 90s, basking spot 100, cool side 80's and night high 70's with a heat pad. I make sure he has it nice and humid 90% He is doing really well. I soak him everyday and he gets plenty of exercise. He is a very active little dude but when he sleeps he looks dead. Has anyone else seen this before? do tortoises normally sleep in weird positions like this? Also does his shell look like it started pyramiding? He is 2 months old and I have no clue what conditions he was in prior to me getting him. There are little groves between the scutes....is that normal for a 2 month old or is that pyramiding?

 

[Yvonne G]

Oh man...asleep in his water. That's pretty darned cute. He must feel pretty safe in there to be so relaxed.

 

[Nathan.]

When there all stretched out like that it just means they're relaxed. Even full grown sulcata sleep like that. It freaks my wife out too.

 

[Lexiii]

He cracks me up! So adorable.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

When there all stretched out like that it just means they're relaxed. Even full grown sulcata sleep like that. It freaks my wife out too.

Oh Okay Thank you. I wanted to think that because he is seems really healthy and active but I wasn't sure. It just looks so weird when I check on him and he looks like that haha.

 

[DawnH]

Yes! That is called the "chillin' large" pose. Very normal for a relaxed Sulcata...lol

What a precious baby!!

 

[Tom]

It means that he is comfortable and unafraid in your care.

Yes, he was starting to pyramid, but it looks like you have figured out what to do now.

Those water bowls are dangerous. They can flip and drown in them. I would remove it right away. Replace it with a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate. Better to have no water bowl for a few days than to leave that one in there. Daily soaks will insure good hydration and also help reduce the effects of his drier early care.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

It means that he is comfortable and unafraid in your care.

Yes, he was starting to pyramid, but it looks like you have figured out what to do now.

Those water bowls are dangerous. They can flip and drown in them. I would remove it right away. Replace it with a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate. Better to have no water bowl for a few days than to leave that one in there. Daily soaks will insure good hydration and also help reduce the effects of his drier early care.

Oh wow I didn't know that! Thank you Tom! I'll take it out right away and pick up a plant saucer. That would be horrible to find my little guy drown! You should add that to your New Sulcata Owner mistakes thread.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

It means that he is comfortable and unafraid in your care.

Yes, he was starting to pyramid, but it looks like you have figured out what to do now.

Those water bowls are dangerous. They can flip and drown in them. I would remove it right away. Replace it with a terra cotta plant saucer sunk into the substrate. Better to have no water bowl for a few days than to leave that one in there. Daily soaks will insure good hydration and also help reduce the effects of his drier early care.

Oh it is already in the mistakes care sheet sorry about that

 

[Tom]

Oh wow I didn't know that! Thank you Tom! I'll take it out right away and pick up a plant saucer. That would be horrible to find my little guy drown! You should add that to your New Sulcata Owner mistakes thread.

A few months ago a member came home to find her tortoise drowned in one of those bowls. So sad. About a month ago another member found her tortoise upside down in that type of bowl, but luckily still alive.

Disaster averted!

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

A few months ago a member came home to find her tortoise drowned in one of those bowls. So sad. About a month ago another member found her tortoise upside down in that type of bowl, but luckily still alive.

Disaster averted!

Yes thank you!
Also quick question; for at night I have a ceramic heat lamb temp around 88 and a heat pad under his hide hut but the opposite side of his tank stays around 77. He stays where the heat is at night so is it necessity to get another heat lamp for the opposite side of his tank?

 

[Blakem]

Is your tank closed or open? You can retain heat by keeping it closed. I think 70's is too low. I'd say mid 80's and not any lower. When they get older they can retain internal heat much better. But, since you have a baby, and they're cold blooded, it's can't.

 

[Blakem]

You're doing a great job by the way!

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

Is your tank closed or open? You can retain heat by keeping it closed. I think 70's is too low. I'd say mid 80's and not any lower. When they get older they can retain internal heat much better. But, since you have a baby, and they're cold blooded, it's can't.

Its closed. It's been cold here in southern cali the last few days and we don't heat the house so thats the only reason why I've been having trouble keeping the whole tank in the 80's.

 

[Bogie=babyDINO]

You're doing a great job by the way!

Thank you very much! I'm new to this whole thing so I'm trying to learn as much as I can.

 

[Tom]

He stays where the heat is at night so is it necessity to get another heat lamp for the opposite side of his tank?

I don't like or trust heat pads. I would rather use two CHEs on a thermostat to maintain the correct temps.

This will be even easier and more efficient in a closed chamber.