Hi from Mesa: Dobby the desert tortoise

[AZGirl]

Oh sorry bad typing. He’s 40 ish years of age and 8 lbs.

He’s really a nice looking tort. Love the dog photo bomb! Is that a prickly pear fruit he’s eating? That’s my biggest problem, I seem to have a ‘picky eater’ tort. Worried about his nutrition. Good luck with Dobby! Dee

 

[waswondering]

Another fairly new AZ DT owner here. Could you elaborate on the ‘window of time to eat’ in AZ. Now I am at higher elevation than Sir Dobby here, 5300’ (hi fellow AZ DT owner), but I thought he’d eat at any time. What is the eating window about. bTW, love Dobby’s habitat enclosure and he’s a handsome fella. Also, after read8ng all the links you all passed, Imhave been worried about my Parker as I’ve seen him moving his head when breathing, just a little. I finally found a reptile vet in the area and we are going Monday. His mouth looks dark too and I’m afraid to let him hibernate unless I know he’s ok. You guys rock here on this forum, so glad to have found it. Thank you in advance.

In Arizona summer if you have tortoise outside they only eat from 5:30 Am to 9 Am then from 5:00 Pm to 6:30 Pm. The reason is because it's to hot for them to grase. They will come outside all day if there is rain or clouds because they aren't worried about coking in the sun. This isnt a problem in MOST places but in Arizona it mean that you should make food easier for them to get because they have such a small period time to eat. If they come out and eat it good. It's not a window that I made, cant change it. Hope that makes sense!

 

[AZGirl]

In Arizona summer if you have tortoise outside they only eat from 5:30 Am to 9 Am then from 5:00 Pm to 6:30 Pm. The reason is because it's to hot for them to grase. They will come outside all day if there is rain or clouds because they aren't worried about coking in the sun. This isnt a problem in MOST places but in Arizona it mean that you should make food easier for them to get because they have such a small period time to eat. If they come out and eat it good. It's not a window that I made, cant change it. Hope that makes sense!

Yes that helps. It’s cooler where I live, high desert 5300’. Our routine lately is, I get him outside about 9 when it’s abt 70, put him on a sunny stone, he seems to like to bask on. When he starts walking around some, I make his bath as @Tom suggested, let him soak and then put a handful of food out. Usually he eats most of it. I’m sneaking other foods in with romaine as he is a finicky Guy. So yesterday mixed in some grated squash, strawberry leaves cucumber grated and a few flower petals with some romaine. I think he did pretty good, oh also a little sliced aloe Vera.