cold temps

Status
Not open for further replies.

Niki

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
196
My 5 year old Russian lives in an outdoor enclosure with a burrow. I live in Scottsdale, AZ and last night our temps fell to the low 40's. Looks like tonight will be the same. I assumed Greta was deep in her burrow buried in the ground last night. (I haven't seen her for a couple days) Today, I stuck my hand in there and she was sitting in the burrow, completely above ground. I pulled her out into the sun and offered her her favorite dandelion leaves. She went back into burrow without eating. My question...Should I bring her inside my garage tonight if she isn't burrowed under ground? it will be 41 degrees tonight. Or should I just let her do her own thing outside? Thank you!
 

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
I stuck my hand in there and she was sitting in the burrow, completely above ground.

I am confused? (sometimes this happens...lol) is she IN a burrow or is she in an ABOVE ground hide?

If she is in a place that is dry and she is able to get her entire self under the earth (no less than a foot --but deeper is always better) then she should be fine if she has lived outdoors always...however, if you are wanting to bring her in to brumate and you have the correct /appropriate set up then bring her on in....

Wait round for the others opinions, the more the merrier--right :D
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
If you get very much rain during your winters, then I recommend boxing up the tortoise and keeping it either in a back bedroom closet or in the garage. Steppe tortoises that are allowed to get wet during hibernation could very well die.
 

Niki

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
196
ascott said:
I stuck my hand in there and she was sitting in the burrow, completely above ground.

I am confused? (sometimes this happens...lol) is she IN a burrow or is she in an ABOVE ground hide?

If she is in a place that is dry and she is able to get her entire self under the earth (no less than a foot --but deeper is always better) then she should be fine if she has lived outdoors always...however, if you are wanting to bring her in to brumate and you have the correct /appropriate set up then bring her on in....

Wait round for the others opinions, the more the merrier--right :D

Sorry...She has a burrow I made for her that is made with bricks and plywood and dirt. She spends a lot of time in there. Sometimes she burrows in the ground so i can only feel her shell.(inside of her burrow) With the temps so low I thought for sure she would have dug herself in the ground...but she was just sitting there inside the burrow but above ground. I would prefer her to be outside if its safe. I have a 20 Gal tupperware bin filled with dirt that is in my garage I can put her in at night. But I would have to put her outside during the day. Don't have a setup to brumate or really not too sure how to do that.
 

CactusVinnie

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
300
Location (City and/or State)
Bucharest, Romania z6
Nicky, you can let him outdoors, your place is so warm that he may not even hibernate continuously.
About low temps overnight, do not worry. Mines spent quite cool nights with morning frosts, OUTSIDE their hide, just stuck at the base of a grass clump or digging a 1-3 cm excavation and just sitting there... that when very dry- I always rounded them up when moist, and put back in their hide overnight. So, no wonder that yours will not be eager to burrow if still above freezing.
If still a little light, I found sometimes in the morning that they got out again :), so I block the entrance until morning; it is better/easier than collecting all when already dark.
That treatment is offered only for Russians, Boettgeri and Ibera being much tougher to some moisture level.
So, if you just have a shelter for him, just let him doing his thing. Make sure he will always have drinking water and don't let his hide getting wet. If some weeds present, you can even let him eat, since no real winter at your place. If 100% outdoor, he will know what to do.
 

Niki

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
196
Thank you! I feel so much better. I went ahead and put her in the garage last night. But now that I know, I will put her back outside in the morning and leave her. I know she would much rather be in her burrow, than me moving her every night.
 

lynnedit

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
5,730
Location (City and/or State)
Southwest Washington
That's right. RT's have amazing cold tolerance if they can stay dry. With temps consistently below freezing, they would need to burrow down below frost level (and still stay dry).
 

Niki

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
196
Well... Yesterday I let her have free reign of the backyard. ( so she could have more sun) of course she took off and I couldn't find her. She has done this before.. So I know she is safe. The temp was 46 last night. I went ahead and shut off the sprinklers and drip system in the backyard, so she won't get wet. I am hoping she shows up today to warm herself! I am wondering why she isn't eating? Is it because its cooling down?
 

jhigh81

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
35
Hi! I also live in AZ, down in Queen Creek. My Russian buried himself saturday night, and I haven't seen him since. He did this about the same time last year, and didn't get up again until about February. Just being a normal tortoise!
 

Niki

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
196
I gave mine a soak on Wednesday, she went into her burrow and has dug down... I can put my hand into burrow and I can feel her shell dug down a couple inches. I am assuming she will be there for a little while. Seems to be fine! I am sure that's where she wants to be! Not in the garage.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top