# Anyone's desert torts wake up yet?



## Leddagger16 (Feb 9, 2017)

It was a rather warm 82 degree day in phoenix today and I fully expected to see my torts, but they are still in their den. Unfortunately it's that time of year where the days are warmer but the nights are still chilly. I was wondering if anyone's torts have woken up yet?


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Feb 9, 2017)

2of my 5 have woke up about 5 days ago !


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## Leddagger16 (Feb 9, 2017)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> 2of my 5 have woke up about 5 days ago !


What do you do with yours if they wake up this early? Do you keep them awake or let them do their own thing?


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Feb 9, 2017)

Leddagger16 said:


> What do you do with yours if they wake up this early? Do you keep them awake or let them do their own thing?


Mine are outside doing their thing . I put food out for them that they don't seem to be eating but there is sml amount for them if they want it !


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## majxmom (Feb 9, 2017)

Barstow woke up Feb 4 this year, which is his latest date in the last five years.


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## Kenno (Feb 10, 2017)

All three of mine came out between rainstorms for a drink. Today they're all down again. They usually do this once or twice in the winter.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 10, 2017)

Mine are all still locked up in their shelter. After it stops raining I'll open their door and see if anyone is ready to come out.

Actually, I don't unblock their door until our night time temperatures are consistently above 50F. The 7 day forecast looks like this: 35, 38, 41, 42, 46, 42, 43 - so it looks like they won't be allowed out this week.


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## Gabriel Luna (Feb 10, 2017)

Both mine are still sleeping. Yesterday I check the little one, and he looks fine, just too sleepy. I guess is not wake up time for them yet.


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## Samson (Feb 10, 2017)

Samson has been going in and out of his house the past 2 days, he loves the rain!!! 
It was great to see him again after 4 months!!! He looks very sleepy though...


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## Kenno (Feb 13, 2017)

Alex and Hercules came to the door and got a little sun today. They only got this far and then slept there all day.


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## Carol S (Feb 13, 2017)

One of my Desert Tortoises woke up today. He/she came out and laid in the sun and even nibbled on a dandelion.


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## Markw84 (Feb 13, 2017)

It is amazing how suddenly things seem to change a they start waking and becoming more active. Over the years I have noticed that once the sun reaches about 37 degrees altitude, my turtles start basking in numbers, the fish start swimming the entire pond and the tortoises want to sun longer periods. Where I live now that happens about Feb 10. 

In the fall the sun drops below 37 degrees on Oct 30 and that's when things pretty much stop for the winter. 

Been pretty consistent with only a slight shift if the weather is abnormal one way or the other


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## majxmom (Feb 13, 2017)

Barstow came out Feb 4 this year, a whole month later than last year. This year hasn't been that cold but so rainy! After he came out, there was some more rain and for the first time, I did not feel comfortable leaving him in his burrow. The water table has risen to ground level and although he has a high spot inside his burrow, I was worried if there was another massive storm, he might just get caught underwater. So for the first time in the 53 years we've had him, I decided to bring him inside until the rain slacks off. For a week he has been in a carrier, pretty much just sleeping. He has been avoiding light. Three days ago, he seemed to wake up significantly, so I let him out. He's eating and drinking and moving around the whole house. I worried that he might be very disoriented in the house, but it's just normal. Every breakfast, he comes in the kitchen while we eat and sits near us. Then he toddles off into the south bedroom where he sits in the sunshine coming through the window and looks at that strange tortoise in the mirrored closet doors. He is so cute!


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## Kenno (Feb 14, 2017)

majxmom said:


> Barstow came out Feb 4 this year, a whole month later than last year. This year hasn't been that cold but so rainy! After he came out, there was some more rain and for the first time, I did not feel comfortable leaving him in his burrow. The water table has risen to ground level and although he has a high spot inside his burrow, I was worried if there was another massive storm, he might just get caught underwater. So for the first time in the 53 years we've had him, I decided to bring him inside until the rain slacks off. For a week he has been in a carrier, pretty much just sleeping. He has been avoiding light. Three days ago, he seemed to wake up significantly, so I let him out. He's eating and drinking and moving around the whole house. I worried that he might be very disoriented in the house, but it's just normal. Every breakfast, he comes in the kitchen while we eat and sits near us. Then he toddles off into the south bedroom where he sits in the sunshine coming through the window and looks at that strange tortoise in the mirrored closet doors. He is so cute!


Could you post a picture of Barstow? The old ones have do much character!


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## Yvonne G (Feb 14, 2017)

I just took possession of four 7 and 9 year old desert tortoises. The owner said they are hibernating. But when I set them down in their new, temporary enclosure, they're wide awake, and not at all groggy as if they had been hibernating. She said they were outside in a covered shelter. This is Central California, where the weather has been pretty warm for the past couple weeks, and nights not dipping down lower than 50F.


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## Lauren Tilbury (Feb 14, 2017)

Well, I am so new to this. I got my tortoise, inherited, in January. She has not slept more than 24 hours. She came from New York and I live in Southern California. I am wondering if next season she will hibernate. She is a gopher tortoise.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 14, 2017)

Lauren Tilbury said:


> Well, I am so new to this. I got my tortoise, inherited, in January. She has not slept more than 24 hours. She came from New York and I live in Southern California. I am wondering if next season she will hibernate. She is a gopher tortoise.



I have never had a gopher tortoise, but my guess is that they don't hibernate. I think they would just stay in their burrow until it warms up enough to come back out. Let's ask @tortadise


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## tortadise (Feb 14, 2017)

Gophers are tricky like the Texas tortoises. They can hibernate for a day or a week. They bahve in ceremony to the weather. Winters in northern Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, eastern Louisiana and even Georgia can be more of a hibernating season for them for a few months, but southern Florida csn be just a few days or weeks. Those species are best kept awake in captivity. Our Texas tortoises have hibernated for literally only a couple weeks total this entire winter. A nice burrow insulated with hay or pest soil is a great way to utilize to let them hibernate as they please when a cold snap is incoming.


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## Carol S (Feb 14, 2017)

Another one of my Desert Tortoises woke up today. So a total of two are awake and the third one is still sleeping, but I expect to see it any day now.


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## bouaboua (Feb 14, 2017)

Both of my are still "sleeping". We still have low 50's to mid 60's weather. When we getting a week or more in high 60's, I probably will see them out.


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## Gabriel Luna (Feb 15, 2017)

Today here in North Mexico near to Texas is like 15 Celsius, so I guess my torts won't awake today or tomorrow. But next week we are going to have low 30 celsius weather, so I believe they would awake, but we never know.


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## JohnnyB65 (Feb 18, 2017)

Mine has not, but I’m concerned because there are so many wild desert tortoises showing up on Facebook here in the High Desert in Southern CA. 
I can’t get to my Tortoise because his burrow is so deep with a long tunnel. I may have to send down a camera to check on him especially after the heavy rains and flooding we just had.


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## Razan (Feb 18, 2017)

Ah yesssss. Another tortoise is up. Thanks to this series of posts I began digging my CA desert tortoise out from being buried by gophers. After 3 days/tries at digging him out the tunnel disappeared at a dead end. The now big pit with no sign of a tortoise was covered up with tarp. The next day he dug his way into the pit and came out. Hurray !



Slightly filthy. Try not to judge me...





Coconut the lab looks on. No, she is not left alone with the tortoises. She prefers to be in the house anyway. That dog house top in the background is put over the entrance of the tortoise burrow to keep it dry and shady there.


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## Kenno (Feb 19, 2017)

Razan said:


> Ah yesssss. Another tortoise is up. Thanks to this series of posts I began digging my CA desert tortoise out from being buried by gophers. After 3 days/tries at digging him out the tunnel disappeared at a dead end. The now big pit with no sign of a tortoise was covered up with tarp. The next day he dug his way into the pit and came out. Hurray !
> 
> View attachment 200187
> 
> ...


A filthy tort is a happy tort!


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## rick parks (Feb 20, 2017)

Kenno said:


> View attachment 199741
> 
> View attachment 199742
> 
> Alex and Hercules came to the door and got a little sun today. They only got this far and then slept there all day.


Hi,
Mine is about the size /age of yours and her burrow flooded for the first time. I saw her out under the grasses there and brought her muddiness in and had my son carefully wash her off (cool water!) But I'm concerned, this is the first time we've ever had enough rain to drive her out. Have you had this problem? We've put her in a cool box in a spare (darkened) room as it seems she's not finished hibernating (she usually comes out on March 17th. Seriously. like clockwork)


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## Razan (Feb 20, 2017)

rick parks said:


> Hi,
> Mine is about the size /age of yours and her burrow flooded for the first time. I saw her out under the grasses there and brought her muddiness in and had my son carefully wash her off (cool water!) But I'm concerned, this is the first time we've ever had enough rain to drive her out. Have you had this problem? We've put her in a cool box in a spare (darkened) room as it seems she's not finished hibernating (she usually comes out on March 17th. Seriously. like clockwork)



Our CA DT was out early this year too. His burrow flooded after he emerged for the 1st time. He came out one year on the 5th of March. This year it was about Valentines day. Maybe it is the rain situation driving them out sooner. They probably know more about the weather that we do, even with our Doppler 7 thousand HD.

Our guy looks like he would rather be hibernating still. He hasn't eaten that we have seen, and he doesn't go far at all. You did good tucking him away for a little longer it seems.


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## Kenno (Feb 21, 2017)

rick parks said:


> Hi,
> (she usually comes out on March 17th. Seriously. like clockwork)



Do you have a tortoise there or a leprechaun?


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## Kenno (Feb 21, 2017)

All my DTs are stirring. One is eating grass and the other two are coming out to sleep in the sun. 
Their burrow is elevated and covered. If they are out at night when rain is coming, I put them back in the burrow. 
As a general rule, I avoid picking them up. My oldest guy really hates to lose contact with the ground!


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## Gabriel Luna (Feb 21, 2017)

Kenno said:


> All my DTs are stirring. One is eating grass and the other two are coming out to sleep in the sun.
> Their burrow is elevated and covered. If they are out at night when rain is coming, I put them back in the burrow.
> As a general rule, I avoid picking them up. My oldest guy really hates to lose contact with the ground!



He doesn't like flying! LOL


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## JohnnyB65 (Feb 21, 2017)

Gabriel Luna said:


> He doesn't like flying! LOL


I guess hes not familiar with Superman.


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## Kenno (Feb 21, 2017)

Gabriel Luna said:


> He doesn't like flying! LOL


That's exactly what I say! He really hates it. I put him on a board and pick that up, if it's necessary.
The other two seem ok with "flying."


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## Gabriel Luna (Feb 22, 2017)

When I was little, we had a Texas tortoise, and me as a child not knowing a lot of tortoises, I pick him up and "flying" him. So much fun for me, but I believe not for our tortoise.


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## JohnnyB65 (Feb 22, 2017)

Well I guess it was a good thing that mine didn’t come out yet because it was below freezing this morning and supposed to continue through the week.

The problem with my tort is that he doesn’t always go back in immediately when it starts cooling off and then gets stuck out in the cold unless I find him and put him in the entrance of his burrow.


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## Rebs (Feb 27, 2017)

One of my two woke up today! I just started a separate thread but wanted to mention here too, for those of you whose tortoises have woken up, I'm taking a Geographic Information Systems class and for my assignment I want to make a map of what date everyone's tortoises woke up to see if there's any pattern based on location and weather. Please check it out?
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5LDHCTJ


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## Kenno (Feb 28, 2017)

My three desert torts are in and out of hibernation at this point. They all moved together to a new location during the last rain, but they haven't moved in several days. One even ate some grass when he was up. It might be hard to choose a date. Generally they hibernate until mid March or early April. I'm in Long Beach, California.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 28, 2017)

rick parks said:


> Hi,
> Mine is about the size /age of yours and her burrow flooded for the first time. I saw her out under the grasses there and brought her muddiness in and had my son carefully wash her off (cool water!) But I'm concerned, this is the first time we've ever had enough rain to drive her out. Have you had this problem? We've put her in a cool box in a spare (darkened) room as it seems she's not finished hibernating (she usually comes out on March 17th. Seriously. like clockwork)



Hi Rick, and welcome to the forum!

You were smart to not set her up under lights and heat. Just let her wake up in a cool part of the house naturally. If there's a spot outside safe from rain, you can put her out in her box tucked away safely so the weather tells her when to start waking up.


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## Kenno (Mar 1, 2017)

Duncan and Hercules are up now. They ate grass and drank water.
Alex is still hibernating.


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## KateZ (Mar 3, 2017)

Hey friends. Looking for advise. My Sonoran is still hibernating. I live in Scottsdale AZ. Temps over the next two weeks are forecasted between to be warm. Low of 58 with high in the mid 80s. I've had Donatello not quite a year so this was my first experience with hibernation. He is eight years old adopted from TAP.

Question. I am leaving on an extended trip on Sunday. My daughter plans to come by and feed Donatello and check his water should he wake. Is there any harm in me waking him tomorrow to ensure he soaks well, gets warmed up and has a health check? I am concerned with him waking when no one is here to give him a nice warm soak. 

Worried about leaving him with someone else. It's quite warm here. 

Thanks for the continued support


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## KateZ (Mar 3, 2017)

Nature is funny. I went outdoors to consider waking my Sonoran tortoise from his long hibernation. When I peaked inside his shelter he was wide awake. Moving slowly but awake. He enjoyed a warm soak and is already up and moving around. It's warm out today about 80 degrees here in Scottsdale. I have to say how good it is to see the little guy after a long four month hibernation. 

Any advise?


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## Razan (Mar 4, 2017)

KateZ said:


> Nature is funny. I went outdoors to consider waking my Sonoran tortoise from his long hibernation. When I peaked inside his shelter he was wide awake. Moving slowly but awake. He enjoyed a warm soak and is already up and moving around. It's warm out today about 80 degrees here in Scottsdale. I have to say how good it is to see the little guy after a long four month hibernation.
> 
> Any advise?


Just my opinion that your tortoise should be fine as long as he is big enough to be outside, protected from dogs and has shelter, food and water available.

I'm so happy he was awake when you checked in on him. It is such fun to see them for the first time each spring !


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## JohnnyB65 (Mar 12, 2017)

Yay!

I’m excited my Desert Tortoise is finally out of Hibernation today. I’ve been really worried because we’ve had all this warm weather and there have been sightings of wild ones out for weeks now.

I built my tortoises burrow down 3ft below the ground and I was getting worried that I was going to have to dig him out and find him dead.


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## Kenno (Mar 14, 2017)

They found the only mud in the yard!


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