Help! Tortoise

[Sweeden]

OK my girlfriend has had this tortoise for near on 10 years now. Its a Hermann tortoise about 10" long shell.

Recently it got moved around from hers to a friends and then back again, it didn't eat whilst at hers friends but has been eating fine since we got it back.

But recently, past few days its been scratching ALOT! likes she's trying to get out or something. she has never done anything like this.

She has tried to burrow when she was in the old table (a plain 4ft x 2ft box) when i did some research i made lyla a new box same dimensions but with a box at the end which is dark with deep sand to burrow.

Last week i turned the heat lamp of because she was scratching under the lamp, then she settled down. i turned it back on today and she's started again, so i turned it off and she hasn't stopped.

Does anyone have any ideas why she is so stressed (im guessing)?

if you want pictures i can get them

 

[phoenixgsd]

many torts dont like moving house and they often sulk, or misbehave, scratching and pacing is very common, but they do it for many other reasons, temps, or if in a glass viv for instance they will do this because they dont see the glass and try to walk through it , the burying is also a sign of fluctuating temps in your table and shes just trying to self regulate or if it too cool shes trying to hibernate torts in the wild walk miles a day searching for water to bath in or food, the table should have a warm and cool end, also sand isnt ideal because it has been known to scratch eyes, damp topsoil is more prefered by a tort as its more natural to them, where are you? my torts are in hibernation at the moment (in the fridge actually) there is also a fantastic tortoise forum called shelledwarriors who can help with any other ideas as to why your tort is acting this way

 

[Sweeden]

many torts dont like moving house and they often sulk, or misbehave, scratching and pacing is very common, but they do it for many other reasons, temps, or if in a glass viv for instance they will do this because they dont see the glass and try to walk through it , the burying is also a sign of fluctuating temps in your table and shes just trying to self regulate or if it too cool shes trying to hibernate torts in the wild walk miles a day searching for water to bath in or food, the table should have a warm and cool end, also sand isnt ideal because it has been known to scratch eyes, damp topsoil is more prefered by a tort as its more natural to them, where are you? my torts are in hibernation at the moment (in the fridge actually) there is also a fantastic tortoise forum called shelledwarriors who can help with any other ideas as to why your tort is acting this way

Cheers For the reply Phoenix, ive just signed up to shelled warriors and will go on and tell them my story later. What type of substrate do you suggest i use then? she's only ever had sand all her life, bless the little thing.

girlfriend got her off an old lady who kept her in her draw so basically my girlfriend just built a box with sand in that lasted 8 years

 

[phoenixgsd]

just plain old topsoil from a garden centre