greek tortoise

Question
ive had my tortoise for a couple years.  lately he or she is walking the cage back and forth for hours, he is scratching on the front part of cage and climbing up on his log and falling on his back.  whats wrong?

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Females will become very restless before they're about to lay.  That's one possibility, because females can lay without being bred and can also retain sperm for a number of years.  Another possibility is that your tortoise simply needs more exercise or a bigger enclosure.  Tortoises will use plenty of room, so if your enclosure is small (less than about 3 x 4), the tortoise may just be doing what it can to relieve roaming instincts.  I would also check your temperatures to make sure it's not too hot, since that can cause a tortoise to seek a way to escape the heat if there's not sufficient burrowing area.  The basking area should not be more than 95 degrees at the substrate level, and there should be a cooler area between about 70-75 degrees so he can cool off if necessary.