# Winter must be over!



## bioteach (Feb 29, 2020)

Sunshine emerged from her burrow! Her front claws are worn down from digging herself out; and she is very slow right now. The night temps are only in the high 40's; although it has been in the 70's during the day. She has plenty of food and water, but for now she just prefers to bask for the most part. We are always excited to see her after a long and damp winter. Welcome back Sunshine!


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## Maro2Bear (Feb 29, 2020)

bioteach said:


> Sunshine emerged from her burrow! Her front claws are worn down from digging herself out; and she is very slow right now. The night temps are only in the high 40's; although it has been in the 70's during the day. She has plenty of food and water, but for now she just prefers to bask for the most part. We are always excited to see her after a long and damp winter. Welcome back Sunshine!



Where might you be? And what type of tortoise has dug out! Spring & Summer are around the corner!


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## bioteach (Feb 29, 2020)

Hi,
We live in the Phoenix area and have an adopted Desert Tortoise. She has her enclosure outside (filled with delicious native plants) that is protected by a Dogaloo. She has dug herself a sizeable burrow underneath and went down under late fall when the nights began to get chilly. The Globe Mallow plants (a tortoise delicacy) are getting ready to bloom and that's usually when she makes an appearance.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 29, 2020)

Our weather temperatures are very similar to yours right now. I guess I'd better un-block my hibernaculuum doors.


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## bouaboua (Feb 29, 2020)

Our hibernating troops are on the move also.


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## willee638 (Feb 29, 2020)

bioteach said:


> Sunshine emerged from her burrow! Her front claws are worn down from digging herself out; and she is very slow right now. The night temps are only in the high 40's; although it has been in the 70's during the day. She has plenty of food and water, but for now she just prefers to bask for the most part. We are always excited to see her after a long and damp winter. Welcome back Sunshine!


Can tortoise really tell the season has changed? I have an indoor enclosure for my red foot & I purchased her in February, I understand red foots don't hibernate or bromate but she was inactive & ate very little that whole month despite having UVA+UVB full spectrum lights on 10 hours a day didn't seem to fool her with these artificial temperatures. But it's March now from where I live is gradually warming up considerably & she is out of her lethargy...if yours had to dig herself out must have been kept in an outdoors enclosure & in cold weathers.


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## Randy Micheals (Feb 29, 2020)

Wb Sunshine


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## bioteach (Feb 29, 2020)

Yvonne G said:


> Our weather temperatures are very similar to yours right now. I guess I'd better un-block my hibernaculuum doors.


It's hard to know exactly when a tortoise eventually emerges. It's been so damp here that our little girl may have just wanted to bask in the warmth. She is still rather slow; but she is moving lot more today than she did yesterday. She nibbled on some Hibiscus too.


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## willee638 (Feb 29, 2020)

bioteach said:


> It's hard to know exactly when a tortoise eventually emerges. It's been so damp here that our little girl may have just wanted to bask in the warmth. She is still rather slow; but she is moving lot more today than she did yesterday. She nibbled on some Hibiscus too.


I was fortunate to supply my red foot with fresh Hibiscus leaves daily & with it's flowers every 3 days too, daily greens & fruits seems to be a must for her & she now poops regularly is a good sign a tortoise is digesting their foods & absorbing nutrients. Tortoises seems only very active when put in an open field or wide spaces & mine would race to shades & hide, in an enclosure she's always very slow & look for places to hide from the lights.


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## willee638 (Mar 1, 2020)

bioteach said:


> Sunshine emerged from her burrow! Her front claws are worn down from digging herself out; and she is very slow right now. The night temps are only in the high 40's; although it has been in the 70's during the day. She has plenty of food and water, but for now she just prefers to bask for the most part. We are always excited to see her after a long and damp winter. Welcome back Sunshine!


The weather sucked today it was cloudy, dark & windy & my tortoise didn't move, she appears to have sensed outside isn't pleasant & again wasn't interested in feeding even though a UVA+UVB & a incandescent light was shinning down on her but clearly the temperature isn't as high as it's balmy outside....can't fool her.


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## Tom (Mar 1, 2020)

willee638 said:


> Can tortoise really tell the season has changed? I have an indoor enclosure for my red foot & I purchased her in February, I understand red foots don't hibernate or bromate but she was inactive & ate very little that whole month despite having UVA+UVB full spectrum lights on 10 hours a day didn't seem to fool her with these artificial temperatures. But it's March now from where I live is gradually warming up considerably & she is out of her lethargy...if yours had to dig herself out must have been kept in an outdoors enclosure & in cold weathers.


Yes. They can tell. You should be keeping the lights on for at least 12-13 hours a day. Sometimes increasing the heat a few degrees and add a little more light will turn them around when they get this way.


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## nandusnandus (Mar 3, 2020)

Also in Phoenix, our little shelled troops have begun to mobilize as well. Some of the Russians are up and have begun their breeding attempts. A few specimens from each of several species of box turtle have begun to bask and feed as well. Like yours, our desert tortoise has also been more active. This is always a fun time of year for us.


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