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Old 09-10-2011, 03:16 PM   #1
LincsBren
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Default What time do your tortoises get up?

My babies arrived just over a week ago. The breeder advised 'getting them up' the first few days, until they really knew where the basking spot was. Therefore, on Saturday and Sunday last weekend I did this at about 7.30am (having switched the lamp on about 7am).

Then Monday to Friday I was worried about just turning the lamp on and leaving them to it as we went to work, so I turned the light on at 6.15am and then got them up and fed them at 7am.

This weekend I thought I'd see if they DO get themselves up (!) so on Saturday switched the light on at 8am.... 9.30am still both tucked in bed, so I got them up and fed them. Today, I switched the light on a 8am and again, nobody got up! At 10am Luna was awake, had un-burried herself a little but was still in the hide. I fed them but neither of them had actually progressed to the basking / feeding spot by 10.30 so I got them out of bed and they immediately tucked into breakfast.

I want to keep things as natural as possible for them so would prefer to have the light on a timer to come on at 6am and off at 9pm and just pop food in at 7am, but am worried that they just won't make it to the basking spot!
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Old 09-10-2011, 03:45 PM   #2
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My lights are on a timer so set to come on at 6am. Depends on them, sometimes only one gets up after a few hours of the lights being on sometimes it takes a bit longer. I never fed them before 10 am, so both are normally up and awake by then.
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Old 09-10-2011, 05:59 PM   #3
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My light comes on at 7am and usually the tortoises are up by 8am. But recently they have not been getting up till about 10am. Sometimes one of them won't get up so I wake her otherwise the other one eats all the food, lol


Reggie, could be Regina is soooo greedy.
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Old 09-10-2011, 07:18 PM   #4
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My lights are on at 6am, depending on where they have settled they are up between 7 and 8 am, I wait till they are both bathed and warmed up before I feed them.
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Old 09-10-2011, 07:23 PM   #5
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I find that smaller torts tend to go to bed earlier, and get up later. My bigger torts are usually waiting under the lamp or up straight after it goes on
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Old 09-10-2011, 09:03 PM   #6
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My problem is I have to leave for work before 7.30am so if I don't put food out then, they won't get fed! Maybe I should just leave them to it, lights on at 6, feed in before I go to work, and I'll know if the feed has gone?? That said, I'm having an operation this Wednesday and will be off work for over 2 months so maybe I'll keep oiking them out of bed until then, and then I can leave them to it but be around to monitor them.
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Old 09-10-2011, 09:29 PM   #7
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I turn my lights on at around 7.30 most days.. sometimes abit later on a weekend and get my tort up for a bath.. but today i slept in, came down and it was like 11.30am and peaches was sat waiting just outside of his hide for me to bath him.. believe it or not.. he doesnt come fully..out his hide untill i pick him out to bath him..
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Old 09-10-2011, 10:26 PM   #8
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.......... 6.14 am
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Old 09-10-2011, 10:43 PM   #9
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I think the night temps play a big part, I have a heat mat under my torts sleeping area's (if its a cold night) and on the nights the heat is on the torts are awake and come out almost as soon as the lights are on, they are usually waiting for me.
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Old 09-10-2011, 10:54 PM   #10
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Mine get up at 6-30am, they have a paper round

Seriously mine are up pretty early in the morning at the moment, still very lively, but i have had times when ive had to drag them out of bed!
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