Help! Hyper tort

Watermelon · 27-09-2012, 10:15 PM

Okay Rosie will not go to sleep at night.... she is scratching away in her bedding box. Its more irritating than a bloody hamster in its wheel lol! My room is just a normal room temperature and her bedding box just had soil and some readigrass in it. Not sure why she is being like this.

This is the second time tonight I have had to take her out and let her wonder around my room (I know not ideal). As soon as she comes out... shes fine and is happy wondering about... eventually she settles down on my floor as its heated... think she likes it there... but dont really want her out and about on my bedroom floor... Anybody got any suggestions?

Ozric Jonathan · 27-09-2012, 11:13 PM

Hi Sophie. She might be stimulated into activity by the heat. I reckon that mine go to sleep when the heat and light are reduced. If the heat isn't reduced they are more likely to be active even when it's dark.

Sometimes I think it's not the absolute temperature that triggers these behaviours as much as a contrast between night and day. Of course you don't want it too cold at night either.

kkenny · 28-09-2012, 08:11 PM

does she sleep in the day much? just wondering if you got her out for a play in the day she might be more tired at night. Try swapping it around.
Just a thought

Watermelon · 28-09-2012, 08:42 PM

She is outside all day every day.... with an outdoor box for shelter.

I bring them in at night till I get the wiring finshed so I'm thinking its when they come in its a bit warmer in the house, well its room temperature anyway.

Last night I got her out for the second time and she walked over to a corner of my room and went straight to sleep.... so then I put her back in the bedding box and she stayed put fast asleep!

Shes quiet at the moment... just hope she stays that way.

kkenny · 29-09-2012, 08:06 AM

is the substrat deep enough? maybe she just want to dig down

WriterNick · 30-09-2012, 12:10 PM

It could maybe be that as it is cooler outside she is sleeping a lot during the day, and when she comes in to a warm environment, even though it is night, she becomes more active again.

Shelled Lady · 01-10-2012, 12:00 AM

It's perfectly natural. Your tortoise is just doing the instinctive digging and obviously cannot dig further because of the box. It's the Autumn remember! Time for digging in for hibernation. If you want peace, then turn out her lights earlier, or move her to another room.

shellonia · 01-10-2012, 03:34 PM

Yes they can drive you senseless with all thge scrabbling sometimes but it's just what tortoises do! they do need to clearly distinguish between day and night and as others have said that's not so easy in the Autumn

27-09-2012, 10:15 PM	#1
Watermelon Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,085	Help! Hyper tort Okay Rosie will not go to sleep at night.... she is scratching away in her bedding box. Its more irritating than a bloody hamster in its wheel lol! My room is just a normal room temperature and her bedding box just had soil and some readigrass in it. Not sure why she is being like this. This is the second time tonight I have had to take her out and let her wonder around my room (I know not ideal). As soon as she comes out... shes fine and is happy wondering about... eventually she settles down on my floor as its heated... think she likes it there... but dont really want her out and about on my bedroom floor... Anybody got any suggestions?

27-09-2012, 11:13 PM	#2
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	Hi Sophie. She might be stimulated into activity by the heat. I reckon that mine go to sleep when the heat and light are reduced. If the heat isn't reduced they are more likely to be active even when it's dark. Sometimes I think it's not the absolute temperature that triggers these behaviours as much as a contrast between night and day. Of course you don't want it too cold at night either. __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

28-09-2012, 08:11 PM	#3
kkenny Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Warwick Posts: 1,303	does she sleep in the day much? just wondering if you got her out for a play in the day she might be more tired at night. Try swapping it around. Just a thought __________________ Karin Spartacus, THB, March 2013 Henry, THB, July 2008

29-09-2012, 08:06 AM	#5
kkenny Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Warwick Posts: 1,303	is the substrat deep enough? maybe she just want to dig down __________________ Karin Spartacus, THB, March 2013 Henry, THB, July 2008

28-09-2012, 08:42 PM	#4
Watermelon Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,085	She is outside all day every day.... with an outdoor box for shelter. I bring them in at night till I get the wiring finshed so I'm thinking its when they come in its a bit warmer in the house, well its room temperature anyway. Last night I got her out for the second time and she walked over to a corner of my room and went straight to sleep.... so then I put her back in the bedding box and she stayed put fast asleep! Shes quiet at the moment... just hope she stays that way.

30-09-2012, 12:10 PM	#6
WriterNick Member Juvenile Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Yorkshire Posts: 956	It could maybe be that as it is cooler outside she is sleeping a lot during the day, and when she comes in to a warm environment, even though it is night, she becomes more active again.

01-10-2012, 12:00 AM	#7
Shelled Lady Member Juvenile Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South East Posts: 845	It's perfectly natural. Your tortoise is just doing the instinctive digging and obviously cannot dig further because of the box. It's the Autumn remember! Time for digging in for hibernation. If you want peace, then turn out her lights earlier, or move her to another room.

01-10-2012, 03:34 PM	#8
shellonia Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central s england Posts: 1,534	Yes they can drive you senseless with all thge scrabbling sometimes but it's just what tortoises do! they do need to clearly distinguish between day and night and as others have said that's not so easy in the Autumn

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