Fezzik has begun to slow down as his enclosure temps are getting lower and he is now only getting lots of direct light in his enclosure starting around noon - some dappled light earlier, but not much. In the summer the sun hits his enclosure around 9am, but as the sun drops trees are in the way so direct sun doensn't hit until later and ends sooner. Right now we are having 80s/90s during the day (unusually hot) but the nights are still getting down into the 50s and I'm bringing him inside where he hangs under the heat in his box and its around 70sto low 80s (he could move away from the heat where it would be in the 60s/70s but he doesn't choose to).
This seems all par for the course, except he's eating a ton, much more than I would have expected as he slows down. I'll still fast him for a month before brumating him (targeting November for the fasting and cooldown, tho we'll see how outside temps are looking, I may push it back if it stays this hot).
But is it normal for them to eat so much? I understand it with mammals packing on the fat (looking at you Fat Bear Week!) but i wouldn't think that tortoises pack on the fat, am I misunderstanding how their biology works?
This seems all par for the course, except he's eating a ton, much more than I would have expected as he slows down. I'll still fast him for a month before brumating him (targeting November for the fasting and cooldown, tho we'll see how outside temps are looking, I may push it back if it stays this hot).
But is it normal for them to eat so much? I understand it with mammals packing on the fat (looking at you Fat Bear Week!) but i wouldn't think that tortoises pack on the fat, am I misunderstanding how their biology works?
