Hatchlings and brumation

[thatrebecca]

I recently learned that my two CDTs, who are now juveniles, hatched in late October. How does it work when torts hatch that close to brumation season? Do they go right into brumation with their egg sacs or what? I'm just curious here and trying to learn more about my torts' previous lives -- I don't have any eggs.

 

[Tom]

Wild tortoises don't have yolk sacs when they dig out of the nest. They hatch underground and stay down there for weeks or possibly months in some cases. I'm not sure anyone knows what they do in the wild. If anyone has actually studied this, I haven't seen it. I'd sure love to though.

If I recall correctly wild DTs emerge form their nest in the springtime. This would indicate that they hatch in late summer, but stay in their nests over winter. In our irrigated backyards, they frequently pop up in September.

I'd love to hear more from someone with more first hand knowledge.

 

[thatrebecca]

Interesting, thanks, Tom. These guys hatched in a back yard in the Lancaster/Palmdale area. Their parents have been living in captivity for a very long time -- I don't know how the owner originally procured the parents.

 

[ascott]

Water has something to do with them hatching...what I don't know, but they do seem to hatch out relatively close to the winter months....hmmm, ah what I would give for just a few minutes of true tortoise talk...lol