# Question about desert tortoise returning to burrow now, in June.



## Razan (Jun 21, 2015)

Is the extreme heat causing "Roady" to return to his winter burrow or should this be a concern? He does not seem to come out. Another DT, my "Shellby" has a new hiding place I don't know where and HE is making fewer appearances also. Shellby is not being fed as often because he is hiding more. Food is left out for him and sometimes disappears, maybe from him, maybe from rabbits or other critters... Both tortoises are here in Riverside CA and getting less food than usual. Should this new behavior of making themselves scarce be a concern?


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## JoesMum (Jun 21, 2015)

I am not an expert of desert tortoises, however in extreme heat some tortoises will aestevate. Aestivation is sort of the summer equivalent of hibernation where the animal lowers its metabolic rate and goes into dormancy to escape heat rather than cold.

When temperatures get high here (nothing like yours), my tort will stop being active in the hottest part of the day and will be active and eating in the very early mornings and late evenings instead. I leave food out just before I turn in for the night when this hapoens so that he can tuck in before I am up.

I would advise weighing the torts to monitor weight changes (weekly is plenty and ideally at roughly the same time of day each time) and soaking your torts to maintain hydration... but species specific helpmwill no doubt be along soon.


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## ascott (Jun 21, 2015)

Razan said:


> Is the extreme heat causing "Roady" to return to his winter burrow or should this be a concern? He does not seem to come out. Another DT, my "Shellby" has a new hiding place I don't know where and HE is making fewer appearances also. Shellby is not being fed as often because he is hiding more. Food is left out for him and sometimes disappears, maybe from him, maybe from rabbits or other critters... Both tortoises are here in Riverside CA and getting less food than usual. Should this new behavior of making themselves scarce be a concern?



Completely normal..offer up a gentle sprinkler during the hottest time of day.it will offer up a cooling time.you may even find your tort out running through the sprinkler. ? Did I understand correctly...do you house two torts in the same enclosure?


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## Razan (Jun 22, 2015)

ascott said:


> Completely normal..offer up a gentle sprinkler during the hottest time of day.it will offer up a cooling time.you may even find your tort out running through the sprinkler. ? Did I understand correctly...do you house two torts in the same enclosure?



No they are not together. Roady is my friends tortoise. Thank you for comforting information that this is normal behavior. I'll be giving him a sprinkle too.


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## ellen (Jun 26, 2015)

JoesMum said:


> I am not an expert of desert tortoises, however in extreme heat some tortoises will aestevate. Aestivation is sort of the summer equivalent of hibernation where the animal lowers its metabolic rate and goes into dormancy to escape heat rather than cold.


For someone who's "not an expert on desert tortoises" you got it exactly right. Give yourself more credit!  I don't know how hot it's been in California but over here in Arizona we've been having a heat wave with temperatures soaring up to 110F!


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## kathyth (Jun 26, 2015)

In the deserts, these tortoises spend 90% of their time in burrows to the heat or cold.
The burrows provide a type of insulation for the tortoises.
All 3 of ours are spending a good part of the day in their burrows, as the temps are 94,


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## Tom (Jun 26, 2015)

I agree with kathyth. Right on.

Burrows are not just for winter. Burrows are for avoiding temperature extremes, both hot and cold. It also makes them feel safe and secure.

Angela is right about the sprinklers. Always a good idea on a 100 degree day.


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## Razan (Jun 26, 2015)

Tom said:


> I agree with kathyth. Right on.
> 
> Burrows are not just for winter. Burrows are for avoiding temperature extremes, both hot and cold. It also makes them feel safe and secure.
> 
> Angela is right about the sprinklers. Always a good idea on a 100 degree day.



Thank you for affirming good advise. Also thank you for your previous threads on night boxes. Our Sherman is loving the 4 x 4 night box you designed. Could not have done it without step by step photo guides. He marched right into the night box within 10 minutes and sleeps there EVERY night and afternoon. Everyone was teasing me saying he will never use it and all the work for building it was pointless because he can just dig a hole like he did at his old residence. Fortunately I followed instruction from the tortoise forum instead of caving in to negative persuasion to give up on it. So far he has not been digging although I expect he will eventually.

He does indeed love being sprinkled and hosed off on these hot days. He stomps back and forth for repeated sprinkling. We are enjoying it almost as much as he is.



Gotta post recent pic's of night box. This was from " the making of" said box. Some artwork is started here. Yes I'm decorating it and am still working on the exterior, even though Sherman is already using it. ALOT.


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jun 27, 2015)

Yeah, would like to see more recent pictures.
Looks good so far.


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## Razan (Jun 30, 2015)

Tidgy's Dad said:


> Yeah, would like to see more recent pictures.
> Looks good so far.



ok, more recent pictures. This is our adult sulcata's night box as seen and designed by Tom's threads.



Four by four turned into quite cozy REAL fast. It seemed so huge when building it and carrying it ! Now it seems miniaturized, and absolutely the perfect size for 1 tortoise.

With Sherman everything seems like it should be bigger to accommodate him better.

A pool seemed like a good idea. 



He was definitely interested in it right away.

He kind of needs a bigger size pool.



Sherman spends more time in his night box than in the pool.


The pool is fine...but the night box is home sweet home.


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## ascott (Jul 1, 2015)

Razan said:


> ok, more recent pictures. This is our adult sulcata's night box as seen and designed by Tom's threads.
> 
> View attachment 136858
> View attachment 136858
> ...



You can perhaps offer up a gradual slope mudhole..


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