# I didn't wake the baby



## Madortoise (Mar 10, 2011)

She woke up on her own! Penelope is up!!! Yay!!!!! 
It was a warm bright day after the rain over the last weekend. I text'd my husband right away when I let her out. I'm sure he was jealous that I found her up first. (Last year it was him and I was so bummed.)
I gave her some running water and she walked around sniffing everything.  Clovers are completely in bloom and some mallows. I pulled out all the bad weeds a few days ago so she was safe to go back into the backyard. I had to go to work in the p.m. so I'm not sure if she got to eat anything. She usually nibbles and starts to eat more later when she's in full swing. Her eyes were not as sunk in as she was last Spring. When I came home she was already hiding in a planter pot. She's back in her secured dogloo for now and I'll let her out before or after my morning meeting depends on whether she's up...mommy cannot sleep in anymore 
Who else is up?


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## Laura (Mar 11, 2011)

my russian woke up the other day.. I wonder if they sense the longer daylight.. it was warm that day,, but weve had other warm days...


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## Yvonne G (Mar 11, 2011)

The areas where I hibernate my Russians and desert tortoises are VERY cold, so I usually get them up before they wake up naturally. Our weather here in Central Calif has been in the 70's/40's and has been just wonderful!!! Everything is growing and blooming. So last week-end I put the Russians outside and into their dog house (that's stuffed with orchard grass hay) and I put the deserts outside and into their houses. The next day everyone was out and about. Sad to say that one of my female desert tortoises didn't make it through hibernation. I just hate it when that happens. You feel so helpless.


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## Shelly (Mar 11, 2011)

emysemys said:


> Sad to say that one of my female desert tortoises didn't make it through hibernation.



That's a bummer. Was she heathy in the fall? Any pre-existing issues with her?


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## Becki (Mar 11, 2011)

Sorry to hear that Yvonne!


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## Yvonne G (Mar 11, 2011)

Shelly said:


> That's a bummer. Was she heathy in the fall? Any pre-existing issues with her?



Yes/no. She was a rescue that I've had for three years. I had plans to adopt her out when she woke up this spring. Had the home all picked out and everything. She was just fine last autumn. Of course, its hard to tell, because it was very cold in her hibernatorium, but from the condition of her body, I would guess that she hadn't been dead for very long.


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## Torty Mom (Mar 11, 2011)

Lisa's CDT Elliott, woke up last Sunday. Lisa was so excited, my son and I ran over to see him. It was very cute. He isn't eating much and Lisa is soaking him everyday. As of yesterday he has not peed or took a drink of water yet. It was chilly today here, suppose to be super nice tomorrow! 

Yvonne, so sorry to hear about your tortie.


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## Shelly (Mar 11, 2011)

It seems to take at least a week to 10 days for them to really act like "themselves" after hibernation. Every year I think that they are sick, or something is wrong with them, then a few days later they charging all around, eating everything in sight, and fornicating to no end. I love spring.


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## Tom (Mar 11, 2011)

I wake mine up gradually. Usually takes them 2-3 weeks to get fully back up to speed. The weather sure has been nice though.

Sorry to all you frozen winter people. There is plenty of room here and lots of homes for sale. You are all welcome to join the party and bring your tortoises.


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## Madortoise (Mar 13, 2011)

Oh....I'm so sorry to hear about your girl, Yvonne. I sure hope that does not happen too often to many torts. 
Penelope seemed less active today keeping her eyes closed while warming up in the sun and wanting to go hide by 2 p.m. (well 3 p.m. b/c we had the time change) but it never fails w/dandelions. If offered she'll chomp down on them and w/some vetches, too, she got some good nutrition today. Looking for poops and can't seem to find them. I think I'll try to give her a bath tomorrow. She's definitely stronger this year coming out of it than last year, and did not seem to have lost weight as last year. I should have weighed her before she went down. Is that a common practice to monitor the weight?


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## Shelly (Mar 13, 2011)

Madortoise said:


> Is that a common practice to monitor the weight?



No.


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## Candy (Mar 13, 2011)

emysemys said:


> The areas where I hibernate my Russians and desert tortoises are VERY cold, so I usually get them up before they wake up naturally. Our weather here in Central Calif has been in the 70's/40's and has been just wonderful!!! Everything is growing and blooming. So last week-end I put the Russians outside and into their dog house (that's stuffed with orchard grass hay) and I put the deserts outside and into their houses. The next day everyone was out and about. Sad to say that one of my female desert tortoises didn't make it through hibernation. I just hate it when that happens. You feel so helpless.



Yvonne, how old was she?


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## terryo (Mar 13, 2011)

Very sad to hear that Yvonne. I can't wait til Spring. I'm so nervous about my boxies too.


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## Madortoise (Mar 26, 2011)

Ha!! It's been raining and cold again and she's back into hide.....this weather in LA is absolutely driving me (and tortoises) crazy!


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## Shelly (Mar 26, 2011)

Next week looks to be nice and sunny.


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## Yvonne G (Mar 26, 2011)

Candy said:


> Yvonne, how old was she?



She was a full grown adult desert tortoise.


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