Hi there!

Recently got a two year old Herman's tortoise, I got him three days ago. Yesterday he slept all day, which I expected as he was in a new environment, but today he keeps trying to escape out the sides? I took him outside when the sun was out for maybe a half hour, but had to take him back in when it started pouring rain (I live in Scotland, summer weather doesn't really exist here). I'm yet to get him an outdoor pen, I just let him have a wee romp around (supervised of course) with a couple of empty plant pots here in there in case he felt threatened. He's about two inches long, his pen is about 4ftx2ft roughly. I've tried to give him lots of different areas to explore but he just keeps trying to escape! Any advice?

Thanks,
Jaia

Hello Jaia,
You could try putting obstacles here & there along the perimeter & changing the positions of them daily.
It's a mistake to let torts. wander outside. They become frustrated when put back in a pen.
Its easy to make an outdoor pen, make it the same size as the indoor one. Get 12ft of 6x1in (approx) timber. Cut (or have cut) into 2x2' & 2x4' & nail or screw together. Your pen (6in high) needs netting on top. Torts don't need full sun in order to be outside.
You need to make the most of decent weather, before winter, since with UV light there is no substitute for the sun.
Regards
Tom

Hi! we have a Herman tortoise and she seem intent to get out dispite giving her more and more room. She now have the whole garden and yet she still finds the corners and tries to climb. I think it is within their nature to want to explore :) Have you given as much space as possible?