Lolasbuddy
New Member
Hello Everyone,
As you may know, Arizona is under extreme heat warnings (as usual) and temps are reaching 120 during the day. Please let me know if I am caring for my Desert Tortoise. Today my Lola got up and game out around 5:30 AM, as usual, but refused to eat and went back into her burrow. I've never seen her not eat. She always eats a lot in the am. We only have produce to feed her in the summer. I have planted succulents, tortoise grass and oat grass in her enclosure, but nothing grows here in the summer.
Is this normal behavior to suddenly stop eating? Is she estivating? but I just want to be sure I am doing the right things to keep my Desert Tort happy and healthy. We rescued her about 2 months ago, and are working hard to do the right things to help her stay healthy.
Back Story:
It took about one month to get her hydrated, she had sunken eyes, poop that looked like dry hay in a dry leathery covering. Recently, she had wet, formed brown poops and her eyes look normal. She was very hungry and ate dandelion greens, collards, spinach leaves (once), kale, a radish here and there and other greens. Lately I haven't seen any poop, I am assuming she is defecating in her burrow.
She has a burrow about 4ft long at a 45' angle with a large mound of dirt on top with a metal sheet about 2 ft over the burrow that shades the burrow and absorbs the heat .I spray her humid hide and dirt over burrow down with water (the surface) several times a day and I test temps several times a day with a digital and infrared thermos.
During the day: 80 to 86 F (118')
Early morning: 72 to 75F (88 to 92')
Evening and night: 75 to 88'F (90 to 95
I appreciate your expertise and willingness to help. How do I know if she is getting sick or acting normal?
Thanks
Deb
As you may know, Arizona is under extreme heat warnings (as usual) and temps are reaching 120 during the day. Please let me know if I am caring for my Desert Tortoise. Today my Lola got up and game out around 5:30 AM, as usual, but refused to eat and went back into her burrow. I've never seen her not eat. She always eats a lot in the am. We only have produce to feed her in the summer. I have planted succulents, tortoise grass and oat grass in her enclosure, but nothing grows here in the summer.
Is this normal behavior to suddenly stop eating? Is she estivating? but I just want to be sure I am doing the right things to keep my Desert Tort happy and healthy. We rescued her about 2 months ago, and are working hard to do the right things to help her stay healthy.
Back Story:
It took about one month to get her hydrated, she had sunken eyes, poop that looked like dry hay in a dry leathery covering. Recently, she had wet, formed brown poops and her eyes look normal. She was very hungry and ate dandelion greens, collards, spinach leaves (once), kale, a radish here and there and other greens. Lately I haven't seen any poop, I am assuming she is defecating in her burrow.
She has a burrow about 4ft long at a 45' angle with a large mound of dirt on top with a metal sheet about 2 ft over the burrow that shades the burrow and absorbs the heat .I spray her humid hide and dirt over burrow down with water (the surface) several times a day and I test temps several times a day with a digital and infrared thermos.
During the day: 80 to 86 F (118')
Early morning: 72 to 75F (88 to 92')
Evening and night: 75 to 88'F (90 to 95
I appreciate your expertise and willingness to help. How do I know if she is getting sick or acting normal?
Thanks
Deb