question (tortoise stays in burrow)

[aroughton]

I live in Arizona and I have a 12 year old sulcata. I gave it's BIGGER sibling to a local nursery in town late last summer because of the constant attempts at mating and fighting. My Sulcata has always been healthy. The last 3 days it has not wanted to eat or come out of its burrow. We dug out some of the burrow to check on the tortoise and it appeared fine. No labored breathing or discharge from the eyes or nose. Should I be worried? It has been in the 90s and this is not normal for it to stay in when it's this hot. I attempted to get to the tortoise this am but it just moved back further. I would take to the vet but I can't get to it.

I feed it soaked timothy hay pellets and spinach.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: question

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Is the tortoise able to graze too? A steady diet of timothy hay pellets and spinach is not a very well-rounded diet.

Does the tortoise have access to water all the time?

Here's a link to a thread that tells you the different types of foods your sulcata should be eating:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-52677.html

One way to get a tortoise out of his burrow is to run the hose down the burrow. He will come up to breathe.

If your weather changed quickly from mild to hot, it might just be that he's staying down there to be cool.

 

[motero]

They have built in barometers they can sense a coming change in the weather. Like this weekend we hand a low pressure system move over the state it brought cooler temps with it. Even if there is no rain or real cold, they still know there is a change coming and hide out till it passes. I would not worry about an adult Sulcata hanging out under ground for a week if the conditions are right. Now that he is alone he is going to settle down and be a lot less active. No more competing for food or the best sleeping spot, he will seem down right lazy. You will have to get used to that. Don't stress him out in the burrow that is his best hiding place. If you drag him out he will remember and think of you as a threat for a long time. Just let him settle into a new routine. If you absolutely have to get him out you can run water down there. Just a trickle, you only want to get his feet wet, if you flood it and the burrow gets muddy he can get stuck in the mud, cavitation type stuck. Water in the burrow is only for emergencies. I doubt you need to see a vet.

 

[ascott]

I also would hold off on soaking the burrow because he will likely want to return to his safe burrow and it will be wet--and a wet burrow is not desirable.....

Have you tried to lure him out with a bit of patience and some yummy treat that he loves but does not get often??