Sleeping tortoise

squirt93 · 13-07-2007, 12:30 PM

Can someone tell me how long tortoises normally sleep for? Squirt buried underneath his bedding so that I couldn't see him at six last night and was still there at 11 this morning. I took him out to bath him but am not sure if that was the right thing to do. Should I have just left him

**Eire_Ade** · 13-07-2007, 12:55 PM

Some tortoises take a little while to get used to their new home, sleeping is perfectly natural, I believe you did the right thing getting Squirt up and bathing him, you had a job to do with him and have handled him so he will get used to you and your routine.

Did you pop him under the lamp when you had finished bathing him? Thats what I do just to warm them up again then they are off again looking for food or going for a nap, depends what they want to do.

Try not to over handle at first as they can get a little stressed out, I would certainly be sat there watching his every move for the first few days as so many of us did with our first tortoises and still do when the chance arises.

Ade

squirt93 · 13-07-2007, 01:04 PM

Yes I put him under the lamp and then took him outside and watched whist he wandered around the garden (haven't got his outside enclosure ready yet) It was just that I didn't know whether to leave him until he woke up naturally or not as he had been under there for 17 hours!

autumnique · 13-07-2007, 01:09 PM

Hi Squirt

my Squirtle sleeps for hours sometimes,i sometimes pick her up to bath her or put her under the lamp as sometimes she would just sleep and sleep

**Eire_Ade** · 13-07-2007, 01:09 PM

The wether here has turned bad again today and my Dug has stayed in her pot house, not venturing out, so sometimes they will stay in bed so to speak but you did right with him being new getting him up.

I bet he is loving the bit of sun (if you are lucky enough to have it).

Ade

squirt93 · 13-07-2007, 01:24 PM

Thanks Autumnique and Ade. It has reassured me. We have had quite a bit of sun so I just read a book outside whilst Squirt wandered around and he certainly seemed to enjoy it. I had to keep an eye out for the Pigeons and Magpies though as I think they were eying him up for lunch!

Dazza · 13-07-2007, 07:40 PM

I got some ibera babies last year from an excellent breeder, one of them went to bed for 2 weeks, only getting up if i dug him up fed and bath him, apart from that i left it - he soon came round and now is "normal" what ever that is !!

Dazza

squirt93 · 13-07-2007, 07:58 PM

Thanks Dazza that has made me feel better!

autumnique · 14-07-2007, 12:12 AM

Thanks for sharing that Dazza made me feel better too-ive had Squirtle for 11 days now and some days she just sleeps, has a bath, eats then sleeps some more lol

13-07-2007, 12:30 PM	#1
squirt93 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norfolk Posts: 36	Sleeping tortoise Can someone tell me how long tortoises normally sleep for? Squirt buried underneath his bedding so that I couldn't see him at six last night and was still there at 11 this morning. I took him out to bath him but am not sure if that was the right thing to do. Should I have just left him __________________ Crush: You so totally rock, Squirt! So gimme some fin. Crush: Noggin'. Crush, Squirt: Dude! owner of a 1 year russian and one jealous norfolk terrier

13-07-2007, 12:55 PM	#2
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	Some tortoises take a little while to get used to their new home, sleeping is perfectly natural, I believe you did the right thing getting Squirt up and bathing him, you had a job to do with him and have handled him so he will get used to you and your routine. Did you pop him under the lamp when you had finished bathing him? Thats what I do just to warm them up again then they are off again looking for food or going for a nap, depends what they want to do. Try not to over handle at first as they can get a little stressed out, I would certainly be sat there watching his every move for the first few days as so many of us did with our first tortoises and still do when the chance arises. Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

13-07-2007, 01:04 PM	#3
squirt93 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norfolk Posts: 36	Yes I put him under the lamp and then took him outside and watched whist he wandered around the garden (haven't got his outside enclosure ready yet) It was just that I didn't know whether to leave him until he woke up naturally or not as he had been under there for 17 hours! __________________ Crush: You so totally rock, Squirt! So gimme some fin. Crush: Noggin'. Crush, Squirt: Dude! owner of a 1 year russian and one jealous norfolk terrier

13-07-2007, 01:09 PM	#5
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	The wether here has turned bad again today and my Dug has stayed in her pot house, not venturing out, so sometimes they will stay in bed so to speak but you did right with him being new getting him up. I bet he is loving the bit of sun (if you are lucky enough to have it). Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

13-07-2007, 01:24 PM	#6
squirt93 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norfolk Posts: 36	Thanks Autumnique and Ade. It has reassured me. We have had quite a bit of sun so I just read a book outside whilst Squirt wandered around and he certainly seemed to enjoy it. I had to keep an eye out for the Pigeons and Magpies though as I think they were eying him up for lunch! __________________ Crush: You so totally rock, Squirt! So gimme some fin. Crush: Noggin'. Crush, Squirt: Dude! owner of a 1 year russian and one jealous norfolk terrier

13-07-2007, 01:09 PM	#4
autumnique Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Telford Shropshire Posts: 475	Hi Squirt my Squirtle sleeps for hours sometimes,i sometimes pick her up to bath her or put her under the lamp as sometimes she would just sleep and sleep

13-07-2007, 07:40 PM	#7
Dazza Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,486	I got some ibera babies last year from an excellent breeder, one of them went to bed for 2 weeks, only getting up if i dug him up fed and bath him, apart from that i left it - he soon came round and now is "normal" what ever that is !! Dazza __________________ www.inkaproducts.co.uk www.megaray.co.uk

13-07-2007, 07:58 PM	#8
squirt93 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norfolk Posts: 36	Thanks Dazza that has made me feel better! __________________ Crush: You so totally rock, Squirt! So gimme some fin. Crush: Noggin'. Crush, Squirt: Dude! owner of a 1 year russian and one jealous norfolk terrier

14-07-2007, 12:12 AM	#9
autumnique Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Telford Shropshire Posts: 475	Thanks for sharing that Dazza made me feel better too-ive had Squirtle for 11 days now and some days she just sleeps, has a bath, eats then sleeps some more lol

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