How your tortoise behaves can be an indicator of how the tortoise feels and the health of the animal, if you notice the animal doing something that you don’t understand, if the tortoise hides in corners, then you’d understandably be confused
This article is a look into why tortoises like corners.
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Why do tortoises like corners?
Tortposes don’t prefer corners for the sake of it, there is a reason why these animals do this.
Here is why your tortoise may seem to like corners so much:
Fear:
Your tortoise preferring corners may mean that the animal does not feel safe and secure in your home and goes into corners to feel secure and safe.
The corners in your house are likely the only place that they feel that they can hide.
In the wild, these animals are prey to a variety of predators so naturally tortoises will be fearful and untrusting of any environment they are new to, like your home.
This habit of hiding in corners is no different than the animal’s habit of hiding in caves, holes, and other types of openings in the wild.
The animal doing this does not necessarily mean that you are doing something wrong, only that it feels unsafe, this is instinctual behavior
What to do:
This is normal tortoise behavior, these little animals are known to take a while to adjust to you and adjust to new environments.
This hiding in the corner may keep happening for a while, the animal will “come out of its shell” so to speak, once it feels comfortable enough to move around and claim its territory.
It’ll feel this way once it feels that nothing will harm it in this new environment.
Help the animal understand that there are no predators or competing turtles in the area by not interacting with it and making sure that the animal has all the food, water, and shelter that it needs.
You can also help your pet feel secure by leaving lots of plants in the enclosure, or around your home if your pet free roams, this will help the animal feel secure.
Have patience during this time, don’t try to force your pet to get out of the corner, allow the animal to come out of the corner when it is ready
Relaxing:
If your tortoise is not new to your home, if it has gotten used to you, but you find that it gravitates towards corners from time to time, then the animal may choose to rest and relax in its favorite spot, that corner
Your pet will leave the corner when it feels it has rested enough
What to do:
This is perfectly normal behavior and isn’t something that you need to worry about, this is just your pet’s way of relaxing
Escape:
Another of the reasons why your tortoise may be fond of corners may be that the animal is trying to escape from your care.
These animals may want to escape if they don’t feel safe, if they are overstimulated, or if they are stressed.
What to do:
If your pet is trying to escape you may need to make their enclosure feel more homely, reduce any noise and movement around the animal, and calm the animal down.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Tortoise’s Mouth Black?, Why Is My Tortoise Frothing At The Mouth?, Why Is My Turtle’s Mouth Green?, Why Is My Tortoise’s Mouth Green?, Why Do Tortoises Like Shoes?, Why Do Tortoises Like Feet?, Why Are My Turtle’s Feet White?, Why Is My Turtle’s Mouth Foaming?, Why Are My Turtle’s Eyes Red?