Okay, so this is probably a stupid question. I'm planning on building my tortoise Bonnie a bigger enclosure for indoors until she gets big enough to live outside full time, but the only place it will fit is in the basement. Currently she lives in my bedroom with me and obviously she sees me all the time since I'm in my room most of the time. I will go in the basement to see her and care for her several times a day, but will she get lonely since she won't see me as much as she does now?
Will My Tortoise be Lonely?
- Thread starter SiaraEA
- Start date
No. Tortoises aren't 'herd' animals. They're solitary creatures, only looking for another tortoise when it's mating season. They have territories and a male will chase other males out of the territory. And if a female isn't receptive to his advances, he'll chase her away too. And the 'chasing' can get brutal. Likewise with human companionship. the only thing she looks to you for is the food you bring her.
I agree with Yvonne. As long as the tortoise has proper food, water, heat and shelter, it will be fine. Lonely is not in the range of tortoise emotion.
No disrespect and I don't mean to be a smart *** but how do you know they don't get lonely?
I am a student of behavior and training. Been doing it professionally since 1986. Doing it for pay right now as I type this. Been keeping and raising chelonians since 1979. Got a college degree in "Wildlife Education" and another in "Animal Behavior Management". I have a lifetime of study, schooling, and practical experience to base my assertions on. All the behavioral cues and evidence I see, based on a lifetime of studying animal behavior, tells me that tortoises don't get lonely.
Thank you, Tom. I am new at this and I am learning so much from the people on this forum. But sometimes I can't help but question things in a effort to understand. I very much value you and your input. Thanks again. 
Thank you, Tom. I am new at this and I am learning so much from the people on this forum. But sometimes I can't help but question things in a effort to understand. I very much value you and your input. Thanks again.
Question everything! You and others will learn more that way. The assertions we make here are based in fact and first hand experience. I expect no one to just believe things because I said so. I don't do that. Why should anyone else do that? We are here for tortoise conversation. Explaining why I think orchid bark is a better substrate than rabbit pellets, or why pairs are a bad idea, but singles or groups are better, or any number of other assertions, are all part of that conversation.
I hope you'll ask "why" for everything here that doesn't sound right or make sense to you. You can find 10 websites that say to raise sulcata babies bone dry because they will get shell rot and respiratory infections if you don't. Then someone comes here and we say just the opposite. When we get to explain why we say that, and more people read it, progress is made, and tortoises have better lives. THAT is what I'm after here.
I am so glad I found this forum because when I got my first sulcata I was told just to put him in warm water and scrub him with a toothbrush once a week. I went to a pet store looking for food for him and was told to feed him these fruity pebble things twice a week. And pine shavings as bedding. I was so lucky I stumbled in here the very next day. otherwise my babies wouldn't have made it to 2lbs (in 2 yrs). Thanks to all y'all.
