Natural Burrow Brumation Turns Deadly (Almost)

[EppsDynasty]

Yesterday was CRAZY...My wife and I did our morning Tortoise routine and couldn't believe our eyes. Everyday we check the entrance of their burrows for debris, blockage by Gophers or collapse by looking in. As we came up to our Female DT pen my wife says "Look she pushed a bunch of dirt out." This immediately brought a wave of terror over me, we all here know Desert Tortoises don't bury themselves. I knew it was a Gopher. When we decided that we would let the DT's do a natural thing I "Mapped" their burrows. Meaning I stuck broom handles, shovel handles or sticks down the burrows to see what direction they go. This was a Life Saver for our female. "No, it's a gopher" i said as she frantically started digging by hand. I ran to get shovels and then started digging. Her burrow was only 24 inches deep but at least 6 feet long and it curved. If I had not "Mapped" the burrow there would have been no way to know where she was. Without our knowing the gopher had filled the burrow with it's trash (dirt). We don't know how long the back half of the burrow was filled. But do know the front half happened in the past 24 hours. It took about 10 minutes for me to find her, the entire burrow was packed tight with dirt. She was unable to move, legs tucked in and completely packed in. She had dirt "in" her eyes and mucus with clear bubbles coming out her nares. We immediately took her inside to clear away the dirt from her eyes.
Well looks like we will be keeping our 2 DT's warm all winter. I am afraid of something happening, since both still have mucus.

 

[Tom]

Yesterday was CRAZY...My wife and I did our morning Tortoise routine and couldn't believe our eyes. Everyday we check the entrance of their burrows for debris, blockage by Gophers or collapse by looking in. As we came up to our Female DT pen my wife says "Look she pushed a bunch of dirt out." This immediately brought a wave of terror over me, we all here know Desert Tortoises don't bury themselves. I knew it was a Gopher. When we decided that we would let the DT's do a natural thing I "Mapped" their burrows. Meaning I stuck broom handles, shovel handles or sticks down the burrows to see what direction they go. This was a Life Saver for our female. "No, it's a gopher" i said as she frantically started digging by hand. I ran to get shovels and then started digging. Her burrow was only 24 inches deep but at least 6 feet long and it curved. If I had not "Mapped" the burrow there would have been no way to know where she was. Without our knowing the gopher had filled the burrow with it's trash (dirt). We don't know how long the back half of the burrow was filled. But do know the front half happened in the past 24 hours. It took about 10 minutes for me to find her, the entire burrow was packed tight with dirt. She was unable to move, legs tucked in and completely packed in. She had dirt "in" her eyes and mucus with clear bubbles coming out her nares. We immediately took her inside to clear away the dirt from her eyes.
Well looks like we will be keeping our 2 DT's warm all winter. I am afraid of something happening, since both still have mucus.

Thanks for sharing this. You are NOT an idiot, but... this is just one of the many reasons I keep telling people that it is not safe to brumate them outside. One of the founding members of this forum has become a good friend of mine over the years, and he lost his first beloved childhood pet DT because he thought it would be okay over winter outside, as it had been for years. The burrow flooded and collapsed in a heavy rain. He's never forgiven himself.

I've brumated them with fridges for years, and over the last few years I tried brumating a little male Chersina in an outdoor box. It worked, but it took some vigilance and effort to keep him cool enough during our winter warm spells. I had to prop the top open a little at night to let cold (35-45F) air in, and then run ice bottles in there during the warm days when the highs reached in to the high 70s or low 80s here. The insulated box kept the temperature very steady, but it gradually got warmer during our common winer warm spells. It never got too cold during the winter cold spells though. Nights in the high 20s and days in the mid 50s, kept it nice and cool in there during cold spells, but never too cold. I let my thermometer guide me, and I made it work for several years without a fridge. I brumate DTs and Chersina at the same temps, around 45-50F. Russians need it colder, and this wouldn't work where I am with them.

 

[EppsDynasty]

I will NEVER brumate naturally in a burrow. It's @Tom fridge brumation for now on. Regret sucks so I like to try and not have to deal with it by doing it right, whatever it is.