Tortoise trying to escape no matter how big the enclosure is...

PumpkinPie · 26-12-2011, 12:33 PM

I had my Horsfield in a 4 foot Tortoise box, temperatures were good and it had plenty of stuff in there for him to investigate but he was not happy, he spent 16+ hours a day climbing against the side of the box (he can't see over the top). I put him outside in the summer in a massive enclosure with loads of nice weeds, he just spent hour upon hour climbing against the side of the pen, he didn't care about the weeds.

I don't know what to do, I'm beside myself. I've owned him for over a year now and it feels like I'm not able to look after him and also feel like he has never been happy, this behaviour has been continuous for the whole time I've owned him. I let him roam free around the whole house and he just does the same, he's always trying to get somewhere... I don't know where

**egyptiandan64** · 26-12-2011, 01:51 PM

It sounds like you have whats called a transient male. Not sure anyone has studied it in Horsfields, but they have in 3 toed box turtles. There are resident males and transient males in a population. Resident males stick around a definate territory. Transient males just walk for their whole lives. They spread the genes from population to population.
I don't think there is much you can do if you have a transient male as he will be programed to just go. The only thing that might help is to have an enclosure that is circular, so he has no corners to climb into. It's nothing you have done, it's just the way he is.

Danny

judith ann · 26-12-2011, 02:05 PM

Do they ever stop ???? My daughter has a male Horsfield that acts the same !!!! He will go to sleep at night if you put him in his hide and turn lights of quick before he turns round .Is there not any thing that can be done Dan to make life a little easier for them

Judyxx

Paula-pops · 26-12-2011, 04:25 PM

I just got my first tortoise and he's the same. He walks all the time and when put back in his enclosure just tries to get out. Actually breaks my heart.

PumpkinPie · 26-12-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judith ann

Do they ever stop ???? My daughter has a male Horsfield that acts the same !!!! He will go to sleep at night if you put him in his hide and turn lights of quick before he turns round .Is there not any thing that can be done Dan to make life a little easier for them

Judyxx

Mine does it all the time, even in the dead of night when there is no light on and it's quite cold... he's just a walking machine. I can't help thinking that it's a sad life trying to get somewhere but never really moving from your box.

P.S. Thank you, Dan.

**egyptiandan64** · 26-12-2011, 05:56 PM

The only thing I can think of is to change the enclosure once a week. This might make him think he's walked somewhere else. Or maybe get him a girlfriend or 2.

Danny

Watermelon · 26-12-2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

It sounds like you have whats called a transient male. Not sure anyone has studied it in Horsfields, but they have in 3 toed box turtles. There are resident males and transient males in a population. Resident males stick around a definate territory. Transient males just walk for their whole lives. They spread the genes from population to population.
I don't think there is much you can do if you have a transient male as he will be programed to just go. The only thing that might help is to have an enclosure that is circular, so he has no corners to climb into. It's nothing you have done, it's just the way he is.

Danny

Very interesting danny!

Hope you had good xmas.

Shelled Lady · 26-12-2011, 10:37 PM

Yes, it is very sad and is why I hate to see tortoises confined especially males in a tortoise table/viv. This is another reason why it is best to hibernate your tortoise, so it does not have to be confined to a small indoor enclosure. If your tortoise is now sexually aware, they do become very rampent and you will find even more so as it gets older, especially in the spring. Older males will never stop tramping around in the early months of the year, looking for females. Given the chance of freedom, they will go and keep heading towards the sun! The type of behaviour you describe of climbing the walls, does not happen if your tortoise lives out most of the time and just brought in for short times in the Autumn till hibernation. You also need to think about your outdoor enclosure long term for a male. My large male Spur Thigh has a very large uncovered area, part of a tortoise garden, so he is quite comfortable. Given the chance though he would be away and that is the case with all males. It is a natural roaming gene.

Paula-pops · 27-12-2011, 04:54 PM

My little guy is only 6 months. He's starting to settle now - I think maybe he was getting used to his new arrangements. He's still a little marcher (I'm thinking he's a he!) and does like to go for the odd escape but all in all I'm hoping he'll settle. I think in the summer I'll ensure he gets out as often as possible.

tuftybunny · 30-12-2011, 08:53 AM

Both of my hermanns did this. Seventy 2 was always wandering around the sides of the enclosure. Carrot still does although when he had the run of the garden he did travel across the garden occasionally rather than round the fence. Kiwi seems more direct and doesn't pace around the perimeter like the boys do I'm thinking she could be a girl.

26-12-2011, 12:33 PM	#1
PumpkinPie Member Incubating Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Tyne and Wear, UK Posts: 209	Tortoise trying to escape no matter how big the enclosure is... I had my Horsfield in a 4 foot Tortoise box, temperatures were good and it had plenty of stuff in there for him to investigate but he was not happy, he spent 16+ hours a day climbing against the side of the box (he can't see over the top). I put him outside in the summer in a massive enclosure with loads of nice weeds, he just spent hour upon hour climbing against the side of the pen, he didn't care about the weeds. I don't know what to do, I'm beside myself. I've owned him for over a year now and it feels like I'm not able to look after him and also feel like he has never been happy, this behaviour has been continuous for the whole time I've owned him. I let him roam free around the whole house and he just does the same, he's always trying to get somewhere... I don't know where

26-12-2011, 01:51 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	It sounds like you have whats called a transient male. Not sure anyone has studied it in Horsfields, but they have in 3 toed box turtles. There are resident males and transient males in a population. Resident males stick around a definate territory. Transient males just walk for their whole lives. They spread the genes from population to population. I don't think there is much you can do if you have a transient male as he will be programed to just go. The only thing that might help is to have an enclosure that is circular, so he has no corners to climb into. It's nothing you have done, it's just the way he is. Danny __________________

26-12-2011, 02:05 PM	#3
judith ann Member Hatched Join Date: May 2011 Location: Salisbury ,Wiltshire Posts: 302	Do they ever stop ???? My daughter has a male Horsfield that acts the same !!!! He will go to sleep at night if you put him in his hide and turn lights of quick before he turns round .Is there not any thing that can be done Dan to make life a little easier for them Judyxx __________________ 0.0.2.THB.Squirt and Tilip 1.2.0.Dogs .Ziggy,Fen andPurdie 0.2.0.Cats.Phoebie and Matilda 0.1.0.Freisian Mare.Trijntsje 2.0.0.Budgies.Oliver and Magic 2.0.0.Russian Dwarf Hamsters.Morgan and Toby. 0.1.0.Teenage Ggrandaughter. 1.0.0.Long Suffering Husband. 0.1.0.Sulcata Fluffy 1.4.0.Children 2.6.0.Grandchildren

26-12-2011, 05:56 PM	#6
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	The only thing I can think of is to change the enclosure once a week. This might make him think he's walked somewhere else. Or maybe get him a girlfriend or 2. Danny __________________

30-12-2011, 08:53 AM	#10
tuftybunny Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hampshire UK Posts: 75	Both of my hermanns did this. Seventy 2 was always wandering around the sides of the enclosure. Carrot still does although when he had the run of the garden he did travel across the garden occasionally rather than round the fence. Kiwi seems more direct and doesn't pace around the perimeter like the boys do I'm thinking she could be a girl. __________________ Tuftybunny 1.0.1 Hermanns - Carrot and Kiwi 1.0.0 Morrocan spur thigh - Rommel 1.0.0 Chinchilla - O.D 0.1.0 Jack Russel - Poppy 1.0.0 Stupid Cat - Boris 3.0.0 Kids - Hubby Marty, Tom, Will

26-12-2011, 04:25 PM	#4
Paula-pops Junior Member Egg Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 6	I just got my first tortoise and he's the same. He walks all the time and when put back in his enclosure just tries to get out. Actually breaks my heart.

26-12-2011, 10:37 PM	#8
Shelled Lady Member Juvenile Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South East Posts: 845	Yes, it is very sad and is why I hate to see tortoises confined especially males in a tortoise table/viv. This is another reason why it is best to hibernate your tortoise, so it does not have to be confined to a small indoor enclosure. If your tortoise is now sexually aware, they do become very rampent and you will find even more so as it gets older, especially in the spring. Older males will never stop tramping around in the early months of the year, looking for females. Given the chance of freedom, they will go and keep heading towards the sun! The type of behaviour you describe of climbing the walls, does not happen if your tortoise lives out most of the time and just brought in for short times in the Autumn till hibernation. You also need to think about your outdoor enclosure long term for a male. My large male Spur Thigh has a very large uncovered area, part of a tortoise garden, so he is quite comfortable. Given the chance though he would be away and that is the case with all males. It is a natural roaming gene.

27-12-2011, 04:54 PM	#9
Paula-pops Junior Member Egg Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 6	My little guy is only 6 months. He's starting to settle now - I think maybe he was getting used to his new arrangements. He's still a little marcher (I'm thinking he's a he!) and does like to go for the odd escape but all in all I'm hoping he'll settle. I think in the summer I'll ensure he gets out as often as possible.

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