# Boxing Day



## thatrebecca (Nov 17, 2015)

It's official. Today I boxed Gomez and Morticia for the winter. Both stopped eating a couple weeks ago, and stopped coming out of their hides a few days ago. They each got a final 90-minute warm soak today, a chance to cool in their hides and then I boxed them as temps started to drop this afternoon. 

They're each in double boxes in a propped open, non-working chest freezer in our shed. It averages 45-50 degrees through the winter. I expect to take them out in late Feb/early March.

I hate to say goodbye for the winter but they were clearly ready. Have a good siesta, guys!


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## the_newzie (Nov 17, 2015)

Oh wow, I always knew I'll eventually have to let my little DT do his brumation thing one day (this should be his last winter indoors and awake), but honestly, I never really considered it'd mean not seeing him for months and months. Is it hard? I know it's the best for them, but I never really considered the time away and seeing your post, the whole thing really hit me. LOL. Well I wish your little torts sweet dreams!


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## thatrebecca (Nov 17, 2015)

the_newzie said:


> Oh wow, I always knew I'll eventually have to let my little DT do his brumation thing one day (this should be his last winter indoors and awake), but honestly, I never really considered it'd mean not seeing him for months and months. Is it hard? I know it's the best for them, but I never really considered the time away and seeing your post, the whole thing really hit me. LOL. Well I wish your little torts sweet dreams!


 

It IS hard! The first brumation was the toughest cause I worried about them a lot. Now I feel more comfortable with it after a couple successful winters, but I still miss seeing their little goofy selves roaming around.


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## dmmj (Nov 17, 2015)

I love those names


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## thatrebecca (Nov 21, 2015)

Tickled their toes this morning to make sure the torts were doing OK. All seems well. I put some cold water bottles in the freezer with them because we're having a heatwave. Temp in their (unplugged) chest freezer is 48; in the shed that houses the freezer it's 71 (hooray for the freezer!)


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## Tom (Nov 21, 2015)

Night night.

See you in spring.


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## thatrebecca (Dec 28, 2015)

Gomez and Morticia have been down for 6 weeks now. We had the rare sight of frost on the grass this morning here in LA. It got down to 43 degrees in their brumation spot. I tickled their toes and weighed them today and both are maintaining their weight and doing well. 

Hope everyone else's torts are having a good winter!


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## Yvonne G (Dec 28, 2015)

LOL! A different spin on the meaning of Boxing Day!

I don't bother my tortoises during their brumation. I leave them alone until I hear them scratching inside the boxes.


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## thatrebecca (Mar 4, 2016)

Look who's up and stomping through the tulips after a long soak!


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