Saying hello!

malovett

New Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Messages
13
Relatively new here, been reading posts for about a year as part of my research. I have been researching for about 2 years on & off to make sure this is a commitment I want to make. Last year I decided based on several sources of info and my own needs/wants/location that I would like an arid herbivore, CA Desert Tortoise being #1 but perhaps a Russian. If conditions were simply too perfect I may forgo the arid and do a Sulcata and build a heated box for winter. I have a large lot in town nearly .25 acres, plenty of grasses/weeds, use no pesticides. Located in the Central Valley of California. I am a firm believer in rescue/re-home for all species and volunteer with a parrot rescue.

A local rescue got a CDT in last fall but my outdoor enclosure wasn't quite ready. I am waiting for him to wake up, so hopefully will have a shelled family member soon. I tweaked my original enclosure idea to give him a bigger area plus have a portable enclosure (while supervised only) to give access to new grazing areas.

Glad to have a resource like this for information!
 

malovett

New Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Messages
13
I got an email this morning that said he was awake, to come pick him up. I did pick him up and the guy is only sort of awake. I picked him up in a Rubbermaid tub with some grass hay for bedding. He promptly moved himself under the hay. He is a CDT and our temps are still fairly low. Should I soak him and get him outside or leave him be in the tub until it warms up a bit more. Our daytimes are in the low 69s, nights below 40.
 

orv

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2014
Messages
383
Location (City and/or State)
Aguanga, CA
I got an email this morning that said he was awake, to come pick him up. I did pick him up and the guy is only sort of awake. I picked him up in a Rubbermaid tub with some grass hay for bedding. He promptly moved himself under the hay. He is a CDT and our temps are still fairly low. Should I soak him and get him outside or leave him be in the tub until it warms up a bit more. Our daytimes are in the low 69s, nights below 40.
It doesn't sound as if he's ready to come out of brumation just yet, judging by your local temperatures and his behavior. Our Fourm member, Yvonne, is from the Central Valley as well as you. I bet that she'll have the best advice, but it sounds as if a cool closet space in his Rubbermaid container with lots of hay, might be appropriate.
 

malovett

New Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Messages
13
That was my gut feeling but just going off research not experience. And that daytime temp should be low 60s. They said he moved so they brought him out. He hasn't moved from the corner of the box he put himself in around 12hours ago.
 

orv

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2014
Messages
383
Location (City and/or State)
Aguanga, CA
That was my gut feeling but just going off research not experience. And that daytime temp should be low 60s. They said he moved so they brought him out. He hasn't moved from the corner of the box he put himself in around 12hours ago.
Try leaving him in a cool, dark place where the temperatures hover around 50 degrees F, until you feel that the long-term ambient temps will remain around 80 degrees. About two weeks before it's time for his "awakening", slowly begin bringing him about by raising the daytime temperatures, and then introduce him to his new home. Daily warm water soaks will be appreciated at that time. During the heat of the summer, I run the sprinklers daily to keep our California DTs within the comfort zone. They seem do enjoy the soaking after a good meal and before an afternoon nap in the shade. Gosh, that sounds about like me too. Welcome to the forums!
 

malovett

New Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Messages
13
So yesterday when I got home from work he had clearly moved himself, we have had a run of pretty warm days. Tonight I brought him out and took him outside for a few minutes of daylight. He immediately started walking around but was more interested in being on my concrete than in the grass. We are supposed to cool down again next week but he is clearly awake.

Once it was getting dark I brought him in for a warm soak. He acted like it was a foreign concept and stood up on his front legs during most of it. He didn't drink that I could tell or urinate. I soaked him for about 25mins then brought him out to dry before putting him back into the tub for the night. He was crawling all over.

I do have dogs so did careful, very closely supervised, introductions he seemed completely unafraid, head out and just cruising around. If I rubbed his neck he would put his head out farther and turn to the side.

I have zero history on this guy. Is there any way to guesstimate age based on how unworn his shell is? Can we tell which species he is?IMG_20180308_185947080.jpgIMG_20180308_185939977.jpg
 
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