Some of your turtle’s behavior may seem a bit quirky and odd, and you’d understandably wonder where these behaviors come from and why your turtle does them.
This article is a look into why your turtle likes to scratch its tank.
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Why does my turtle scratch the tank?
Understanding why your pet does certain behaviors will be the key to understanding your pet overall, and if your turtle seems to be scratching its tank then this article will be of help to you
Here is why your turtle is scratching its tank:
Female wants to lay:
If your pet turtle is a female, and it is scratching the floor of the tank, then this means that the animal is trying to lay eggs.
These animals layer eggs regularly, they will even lay eggs that are infertile, and they will scratch all over the tank looking for a place to dig and hole and lay their eggs, this may be what you’re seeing
What to do:
Your female turtle wanting to lay eggs is perfectly normal and natural, once she is done laying the eggs she will never come back for them.
The eggs, if fertile, will hatch hatchlings and start their life without their mother.
If the female is having trouble finding a place to lay her eggs then you can create a nesting box where she can lay her eggs in peace
The female will go back to acting randomly, and will stop scratching around in the enclosure, once the eggs have been laid.
Restlessness
If your pet turtle is not a female, if it is a male, and it is scratching the tank, then the male may be feeling restless in the tank
This may be happening because the animal is tired of being in the same environment and wants to get out.
These animals aren’t designed to live in small tanks, they need mental stimulation and exercise just as any other animal, if they don’t get this stimulation they won’t do well.
A male turtle that does this is simply curious, restless, and wants to get out and explore
What to do:
You either want to change the environment in the tank, get the turtle out of the tank, and get it walking around your home, or, you could do both of these.
If you choose to change your pet’s environment don’t change it too much, too much of a change in environment may frighten the turtle.
When changing the environment: use real or fake plants in the enclosure, have lots of hiding places, and consider putting guppies in the tank because turtles like to chase after these fish.
If you choose to allow your pet to walk around your home make sure that you keep an eye on the animal as it walks around and make sure that you turtle-proof your home, you can allow your turtle to walk around your home once in a while.
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 Turtle Tank Water Brown?, Why Is My Turtle Tank Water Yellow?, Why Does My Turtle Tank Have Bubbles?, Why Is My Turtle On Top Of My Other Turtle?