# No signs of slowing down



## HBLocal (Sep 29, 2016)

We live in Southern California and temps are still in the 80s. Our desert tortoise has shown no signs of slowing down or getting ready to hibernate. Still eating up a storm and tromping around and digging. Should we be alarmed? Will he stop eating on his own? This is only our 2nd time heading into hibernation and last year he stopped eating mid September. He's 40 years old. Is it just the weather?


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## ascott (Sep 30, 2016)

HBLocal said:


> We live in Southern California and temps are still in the 80s. Our desert tortoise has shown no signs of slowing down or getting ready to hibernate. Still eating up a storm and tromping around and digging. Should we be alarmed? Will he stop eating on his own? This is only our 2nd time heading into hibernation and last year he stopped eating mid September. He's 40 years old. Is it just the weather?



Just keep a close eye on amounts consumed...I target Nov 1st as go in day..so aout end of Sept to start of Oct I will stop offering any supolemental food..this will allow 4ime for the gut to be cleared out...in theory anyway...


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## HBLocal (Sep 30, 2016)

Thanks. Yes tomorrow being October 1 we'll stop the supplemental feedings. He must have gotten used to us cuz last year he stopped eating on his own.


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## majxmom (Oct 1, 2016)

Ive had my Barstow over 50 years now in Northern California. Like yours, so far this year he isn't showing many signs of getting ready to hibernate. He always regulates himself. It's possible he is cutting back a little on his consumption. So far, it's not very dramatic. It's been in the 90s here all September and suddenly dived down to the 70s yesterday. This morning I noticed him basking in a warm place before he started following me around for food. Now that the weather has turned, I expect him to start transitioning quickly. Last year, I think he went in his burrow about Oct 20.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 2, 2016)

Our weather patterns have been odd. I kinda think winter will be late in our area. We have had a lot of warm come up. Even El Nino was a bust in our area. Luckily, it hit mountains where we do need to store water for later use. Down by Halloween, or into November? Dunno. Just a guess. My big babies same as yours, active, hale and hearty. Strolling along, singing their nom, nom song. Not a care in the world.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 2, 2016)

Also, our night time temps have been in the low to mid 60s, or high 50s. Low 50s, if I recall, is when things get triggered. Experts, is this about right?


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## HBLocal (Oct 2, 2016)

Temps were in the mid 70, this weekend. Ate every low hanging hibiscus in sight and lots of clover.


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## JohnnyB65 (Oct 3, 2016)

Mine has been actively trying to make his great escape out of his enclosure like he does every year at this time, but he is not eating. Today was a little cold here in the High Desert and I did not see him come out at all.

I think I’ll be glad for him to go into hibernation because it drives me crazy when he doesn’t eat and so determined to get out. I had to put plywood up around the gate because he causes such a commotion trying to get out and gets the dogs all excited.

One dog is pretty heavy and jumps around a lot which I’m worried that she might hurt the tortoise if she jumps on its head through the gate. She has knocked me on my butt a few times when she gets excited.


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## HBLocal (Oct 10, 2016)

Another week of temps in the 70/80s and still getting up and eating and digging up a storm.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 11, 2016)

I see my desert tortoises all lined up against the fence in the sun every morning, but no one is out grazing throughout the day. Our days are still quite warm, but it's down in the 50'sF at night.

I pulled up the Russians last week and have them set up in an 8'x4' enclosure on my carport. Every morning I set out some food for them, and they are still eating. 

Seems I'm more anxious about hibernation than they are.


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## Lemonade (Oct 12, 2016)

I live in Riverside County, and mine are still pretty active too. Unfortunately, I work weekdays, but I drop some supplemental food for them in the mornings, and it's gone when I get home.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Oct 15, 2016)

La Nina this year, too. They say. 

Business as usual in Orange County, near Disneylandia. Mazuri, nom nom nom, and grazing active. Pumpkin last week, as a treat, went over well. Hibiscus, mulberry leaves still clean gone by day's end.

I kinda think it might be a late winter start date in my area. We are kinda a bowl and weather seems to happen around us. El Nino rained everywhere but here. We had days, but not the deluge everyone feared. It was a happy, pleasant Nino. Everything in the garden seems to be thinking summer still, not fall. Roses had another huge flush of flowers as of two weeks ago and dahlias still blooming like it's late summer. We are getting, have had, a lot of marine layer this year. Had hardly any last year. And remember our oceans had more warm water, more north, near us, than usual. Which is why so many not usual around here creatures kept showing up.

Fascinating how it all changes, day to day, year to year ... age by age.


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## Lemonade (Oct 16, 2016)

This weekend, I see the signs. The sprig of grape leaves I had dropped for them went undevoured.


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## HBLocal (Oct 16, 2016)

No signs yet in Huntington Beach, CA. I know it's still early, but starting to wonder if he's ever gonna slow down.


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## Lemonade (Nov 21, 2016)

Things sure changed quickly. Here today, gone tomorrow is how mine were. I think it's been since the 1st of November since I my last sighting.


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## Lauren Tilbury (Feb 14, 2017)

HB Local. I live in Huntington Beach!


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## Lemonade (Feb 14, 2017)

My desert tortoises woke last weekend and ate. I was surprised to see them so early, but one of my desert ornates woke also. GOOD MORNING!


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## Yvonne G (Feb 15, 2017)

Good morning!


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