Please help w/desert tortoise hibernation question

[Sstallings]

Our tortoise Bob has been with us for over 30 years in So. California. He's healthy and is eating and drinking fine. His house is a nice covered house in the shade on the patio. This spring for the first time he has dug a very deep tunnel in the flower bed and has ignored his house all summer. Question: Next month he'll go into hibernation. Should we allow him to hibernate in the tunnel or should we cover it and reintroduce him to his house? Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a fine-looking animal!!

Block off the entrance to the burrow. Put a bunch of dry dead leaves in the house, then shove him in there under the leaves. Continue to do this every evening. It's not good for them to hibernate in burrows because cold and wet is a death sentence for them.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello
And welcome to the TFO it's great to have a new member that knows 1955 isn't a tire size !

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Welcome! Bob is awesome! And yes, his house is safer.

 

[dmmj]

I do not like to let any of my animals hibernate in the ground. Personally I would dig him up.

 

[Tom]

If what you are doing has worked for 30 years, I wouldn't change anything.

If this were a new tortoise and your first year with it, I'd point out all sorts of things that I would do differently.

 

[Sstallings]

Our tortoise Bob has been with us for over 30 years in So. California. He's healthy and is eating and drinking fine. His house is a nice covered house in the shade on the patio. This spring for the first time he has dug a very deep tunnel in the flower bed and has ignored his house all summer. Question: Next month he'll go into hibernation. Should we allow him to hibernate in the tunnel or should we cover it and reintroduce him to his house? Thank you!

That's a fine-looking animal!!

Block off the entrance to the burrow. Put a bunch of dry dead leaves in the house, then shove him in there under the leaves. Continue to do this every evening. It's not good for them to hibernate in burrows because cold and wet is a death sentence for them.

Awesome! Thank you! Do you suggest I start now or wait until next month closer to hibernation?

 

[Gillian M]

A good looking tort. GOD bless.

And a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you.

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, and the threads on hibernation. Do not hesitate to ask ANY question whenever in need of help. And please keep us updated.

 

[Sstallings]

A good looking tort. GOD bless.

And a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you.

Please read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, and the threads on hibernation. Do not hesitate to ask ANY question whenever in need of help. And please keep us updated.

Will do.

 

[ascott]

Our tortoise Bob has been with us for over 30 years in So. California. He's healthy and is eating and drinking fine. His house is a nice covered house in the shade on the patio. This spring for the first time he has dug a very deep tunnel in the flower bed and has ignored his house all summer. Question: Next month he'll go into hibernation. Should we allow him to hibernate in the tunnel or should we cover it and reintroduce him to his house? Thank you!

View attachment 187596

How has the tortoise brumated for the last 30 years? It is normal for them to "suddenly" excavate a burrow..almost like they suddenly realize they are premium diggers..lol.

Where about in So Ca do you live..I live in the high desert so there would be very little chance that type of house set up would be safe here..we freeze some nights during the winter..

Beautiful tort..may we see a pic of the face and side profile ?

 

[Sstallings]

How has the tortoise brumated for the last 30 years? It is normal for them to "suddenly" excavate a burrow..almost like they suddenly realize they are premium diggers..lol.

Where about in So Ca do you live..I live in the high desert so there would be very little chance that type of house set up would be safe here..we freeze some nights during the winter..

Beautiful tort..may we see a pic of the face and side profile ?

Bob has been a wonderful pet. I swear he comes when I call him and he even has a wading pool! He's never dug a tunnel in all the years we've had him. in late October he just goes into his house and doesn't come out till spring. This year I had a real dry area in the flower bed and Mother Nature just told him to dig, I guess. My brother built Bob's house. It's up off the ground and he even made a cover for the opening. It's slotted rubber to let air in and Bob can come in and out of it. Very ingenious! And its got a ramp for it so Bobby Boy just crawls up into his house. Here's this mornings picture just before I covered up his tunnel. He knows something's up...

 

[Speedy-1]

Hi and welcome , I would also re introduce Bob to his house !

 

[mctlong]

Bob's a nice looking tort!

Welcome to the forum!

 

[ascott]

Bob has been a wonderful pet. I swear he comes when I call him and he even has a wading pool! He's never dug a tunnel in all the years we've had him. in late October he just goes into his house and doesn't come out till spring. This year I had a real dry area in the flower bed and Mother Nature just told him to dig, I guess. My brother built Bob's house. It's up off the ground and he even made a cover for the opening. It's slotted rubber to let air in and Bob can come in and out of it. Very ingenious! And its got a ramp for it so Bobby Boy just crawls up into his house. Here's this mornings picture just before I covered up his tunnel. He knows something's up...

View attachment 187643

Beautiful tort for sure...okay so if the house has worked for years then you must not live in a part of California that ever freezes..

So I am curious and I hope you will indulge me a little...perhaps my eyes are showing their age here but here goes...

Does Bob have a gular horn or was it damaged at some point..I just don't see one here.. is Bobs plastron significantly concave? Or slightly to flat.? Have you ever noticed fluid secreting from Bibs chin ever that you can recall? I mean, I see chin glands but they don't appear too prominant..and if you were to stand directly over Bob and look down over the shell..does the shape look pretty round or a little out of round..

 

[Sstallings]

Beautiful tort for sure...okay so if the house has worked for years then you must not live in a part of California that ever freezes..

So I am curious and I hope you will indulge me a little...perhaps my eyes are showing their age here but here goes...

Does Bob have a gular horn or was it damaged at some point..I just don't see one here.. is Bobs plastron significantly concave? Or slightly to flat.? Have you ever noticed fluid secreting from Bibs chin ever that you can recall? I mean, I see chin glands but they don't appear too prominant..and if you were to stand directly over Bob and look down over the shell..does the shape look pretty round or a little out of round..

 

[Sstallings]

No, we don't live where it freezes.
I had to look this one up! Yes, Bob has a gular horn. And this one too. Yes, his plastron is concave. No, we've never seen fluid from his chin. And his shell is pretty round.

 

[Millerlite]

No, we don't live where it freezes.
I had to look this one up! Yes, Bob has a gular horn. And this one too. Yes, his plastron is concave. No, we've never seen fluid from his chin. And his shell is pretty round.

Hello. Welcome. I'm also in so. Cali. And your tortoise would do fine in his burrow. Only thing is flooding if we do get rain it may flood. Your best bet might be to remove her and fill the den in let her use the house like she's use too.

Kyle

 

[ascott]

No, we don't live where it freezes.
I had to look this one up! Yes, Bob has a gular horn. And this one too. Yes, his plastron is concave. No, we've never seen fluid from his chin. And his shell is pretty round.

Is his gular horn slight or is it prominent and a bit menacing. May I see it? -

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum to you and the beautiful Bob.