Desert Tortoise still hibernating.

[desertG]

Romeo (15) is STILL hibernating. I can see his foot..... This is the coolest May in 40 years, but I'm concerned. He did come to the threshold a month or so ago, and went back in.... his opening faces North, but STILL? It's been in the 90's the past several days, nights around 60..... suggestions?

 

[wellington]

I dont know much about hibernating or the desert torts but if he were mine I would get him out and give a nice warm soak and keep him up.

 

[Yelloweyed]

Give his foot a poke and see if it retracts... hopefully the cooler weather is just making him lazy.

 

[Tom]

I don't know what to do about it, but this is why I never hibernate anything outdoors. You can't control the weather.

 

[Thurn1]

Romeo (15) is STILL hibernating. I can see his foot..... This is the coolest May in 40 years, but I'm concerned. He did come to the threshold a month or so ago, and went back in.... his opening faces North, but STILL? It's been in the 90's the past several days, nights around 60..... suggestions?

I live in Phoenix AZ and my 15 year old desert tortoise Payton is still kind of hibernating also and I’m worried about him. We had a very cool May and June also and since April (when he usually comes out of hibernation from his hibernation dog house ) he’s been out once on his own. After I took him out the first time I put him in his water dish but he didn’t drink much, ate grass, hibiscus and kale, and then dug himself a well under a box of kindling wood. After about a week I took him out again - same routine. Waited another 10 days or so, took him out and again the same routine. Now it has been another week or so and he’s still not coming out of his new den.

Payton has been with me since he was born and except for the first 2 years of his life when I didn’t hibernate him, he’s always followed the same normal routine after hibernation - come out of the den, take a long soak, drink a lot of water, eat and then he grazes and drinks normally until October hibernation time. Every year for the last 13 years. He doesn’t look sick or anything - no wheezing, runny nose or eyes. As far as I know he hasn’t pooped or peed yet

So... Has anyone ever experienced this behavior in a Sonoran desert tortoise before? Should i be concerned and take him to the vet or is this t be expected because of the recent cooler months? It’s been in the triple digits for a couple of weeks now...

 

[dmmj]

With the triple digit weather they should be coming out on their own. Get em out everuday soak and then let them do their own thing. Block their burrows.

 

[Yelloweyed]

Have you checked early mornings or late evenings for your torts? With the heat in SoCal in the 90s, my tiers are out at 7-8 am but gone again by 9.