Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My tiger sally goes into the substrate for a couple days, comes out, eats a couple crickets that I give him, takes a swim in the water dish, poops in there (and sheds his skin, usually), and then goes into the substrate again, totally disappearing....what do they do when they are in the dirt, do they just lie there and relax? Is he getting ready to hibernate and do this for good all winter? I wish I could spy on him, but I guess he values his privacy! Actually, I think it's a she----she has a small ciaca. How long do your tiger sallies sit underground before they surface? Do they like the humidity of the dirt? It is also strange that my tiger sally chooses to use his swimming pool for a toilet, hmmm!

Let's see...When they're in the substrate I believe that they're relaxing and also hiding; hiding is important to them. I've had Easterns which preferred to be hiding almost constantly. Then again my Barred and Blotched Tigers hardly hide. They might have their tails and part of their bodies burried, but they seem to keep their heads visible just so they don't miss out on something. And that something is most likely food! lol! Mine are all kept in the basement. As far as hibernating, I do notice these guys to slow down a little on their eating during the coldest winter months, but it's hardly noticable. Their substate hiding really doesn't change much during that time either. Some people don't offer their Tigers a water bowl, but instead choose to leave at least one end of the enclosure moist for them which serves almost the same purpose for their water needs. I myself just by personal choice use a water bowl which they also use as a toilet from time to time. Your tigers seem to be behaving perfectly normal to me though.

Thank you, turtasal! I am glad my tiger is normal, I have even found little holes everywhere in the substrate where he has burrowed and stuck his head out He is like yours where he often will be buried in his "dirt sleeping bag" with just his head sticking out, and I feed him a cricket that way. It's funny just seeing a head sticking out of the dirt!

I absolutely love that description! It's sooo fitting too! My one Barred Tiger will take a nightcrawler from my hand when I see his head sticking out of the dirt. He then shakes it like crazy, something of a tug-o-war thing until he gets it all down. Dirt then goes flying everywhere. I laugh every time!

Hee hee, they are little characters, aren't they! When mine does that tug-o-war he must be thinking what a superb hunter he is, and then has to demonstrate what a "tough guy" does to conquer his victim....