Waking up

[65redroses]

Hi, my two California desert tortoises have been brumating since Dec. when do they usually start waking up? Or does one wake them up? They have been in a box filled with news paper placed in a cool dry place. Do I just wait till I hear stirring? Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

I used to put my tortoises in an old, unplugged chest-type freezer to brumate. I paid attention to the weather reports and once the night time temperatures were going to be 50F and above, I'd get them all out and put them into the house in their yard. Sometimes they'd continue to sleep, sometimes they'd all wake up and come out.

I did this because the freezer was in an old abandoned house on the back of my property and I hardly ever went in there. So I wasn't available to hear when they woke up.

(My tortoises are all awake now here in Central California)

 

[ascott]

You can look into the box and see signs of them trying to exit, especially if the box is cardboard....

The men folk here are out of their boxes...and in their yards...and wouldn't you know it...now we are going to have a second night here in high 30's to low 40's...and then it will progressively get warmer in the nights to the mid 40's...not what I would have liked, they are in their hides at night and walk back out to graze, sun and such...so they appear fine....

Have you peeked in on your torts to see what is going on?

 

[Laura]

mine is up.. he see's the sun, and wakes up this time of year on his own. Locked inside they cant sense what its like outside.. I would get them out.. nice warm soak, and call it good.. UNLESS you know the weather is going to turn bad again...