Pre-Hurricane Behavior

[cdmay]

Hurricane Irma is bearing down on us in south Florida and everyone is in preparation mode.
Oddly, despite having 'perfect' weather for red-footed tortoises (= hot, wet with afternoon showers) NONE of my adult red-foots have budged from their hides since Wednesday afternoon. They've ignored food and instead have been packed together inside of wooden shelters. In one hide there are three, in another two, and in another two. There are several similar wooden shelters with nobody in them.
Last evening just before dark one of my males ventured out for a little while before returning to the shelter and tucking himself between two much larger females.

It almost seems as if they are aware of the impending storm and are simply staying put in the safest places they know of.
Of course, we will bring them all inside this evening---but they don't know that.

 

[Moozillion]

God bless you and keep you and your loved ones safe.

 

[MPRC]

Stay safe, what's the outlook for your area?

 

[Gillian M]

Stay safe, take care of yourselves and your torts/pets everyone.

Fingers crossed. Good luck.

 

[mark1]

good luck

 

[cdmay]

Stay safe, what's the outlook for your area?

The outlook for us is basically, "Hold onto your butts"
We are less than a half mile from the ocean in Palm Beach County.

 

[mike taylor]

You need to get off the coast . The water came in miles from the beach and took out houses 20 feet in the air in Galveston. Don't stay that close to the water .

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Best of luck to you.
I've encountered the same with my tortoises.
I attributed it to all of the sawing and nailing and activity.
You must be on to something.
11 miles inland here. Broward.

 

[mike taylor]

Have you guys seen the forecast? What time is it due to make land fall ? Last u seen was Saturday some time .

 

[wellington]

I sure hope you guys are not going to try and ride it out. I live where I don't ever worry about losing my home to something like this, so I have no idea or experience. I just know what I see on the news and so far it's looking worse then original prediction. Don't risk it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I believe that the vast majority of us are riding it out.
@CharlieM has evacuated.
Saturday night it will approach and it'll be an all day Sunday event.

 

[leigti]

Do you plan on bringing your tortoises inside? I have never ever dealt with weather like that but it seems like The enclosures could flood pretty easily. Do you have a worst-case scenario plan?

 

[Gillian M]

Do you plan on bringing your tortoises inside? I have never ever dealt with weather like that but it seems like The enclosures could flood pretty easily. Do you have a worst-case scenario plan?

I believe it would be much safer to move torts/pets inside. "Better be safe than sorry."

 

[Yvonne G]

It's probably the barometric pressure that tells the tortoises something is up. Good luck to all you Floridians. Scary times!

 

[cdmay]

Tortoises all inside now. Still oddly quiescent.

 

[Anyfoot]

Good look Carl and anyone else who will be effected. Been tracking Irma for days now. It's all that's on the news. Its now a category 3 but expected to gather speed again before land fall in Florida.
I'll never moan about our British weather again. We don't get extreme of anything. Just a sample of everything.

 

[Tom]

Hoping for the best for you Carl and ZERO, and for the rest of our South Eastern TFO family members too. I hope Irma is gentle and the damage is minimal. Good luck to you both!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My torts and all other animals are now inside. Except my Koi.