When to and not to unburrow your tortoise?

["W" Family]

Ok as I am packing to go out of town for Thanksgiving I am in a panic as my Russian Tortoise hatchling has not come out of his burrow at all today. Yesterday I had to half uncover him to wake him to show the person I have watching him while gone what to do. Today it is almost 3:00 in afternoon and he is still not up. I found where he burrowed took most of coco coir off and rubbed his back. I waited saw where is head would be and some movement but still not coming out. I want to soak him good before leaving and feed him. My question is when is not ok to completely take them out of burrow?

 

[wellington]

First what are your temps? Basking, all over, cool end and night time?
Are you wanting to brumate/hibernate him or keep him up all winter?
There is a process for hibernating and it is not done in a regular enclosure.

 

["W" Family]

First what are your temps? Basking, all over, cool end and night time?
Are you wanting to brumate/hibernate him or keep him up all winter?
There is a process for hibernating and it is not done in a regular enclosure.

The basking rock is 101 then, warm area 89 to 74 cool side. At night it has been cold but not letting it go below 67 in house so the basking side is in low 70s in the morning before heat lamp comes on at 6-6. I was going to keep him up all winter. I thought that was best. I have CHE light on order and coming next week so that will be hooked with a thermostat. I ended up getting him up out of burrow he walked outside in sunshine and then in for a long bath. While away I am for week he will not be getting his daily soaks but his enclosure will be sprayed to be very wet and his water dish and food will be changed daily.

 

[wellington]

Temps sound okay. I do use a che at night so mine doesn't get so low. My russian never stays borrowed in unless he gets under the floor plastic under the substrate, but I just pull him out and he eats, wonders around, bask etc. Maybe when you get the che he will not burrow as much. As long as you are keeping him up I would pull him out from burrowing when he is fed assuming you feed in the morning before noon.

 

["W" Family]

Great thank you so much for your help! Yes I hope the CHE does help. I will hook it up next week when I get back as it should come in the mail while I am gone. I was just unsure if pulling him out of the burrow was a bad thing but he seemed fine, walked around in sunshine and ate great. Then went right back in his same burrow. I know he got a long soak and some food so that is good. Again thank you for helping me in my question.

 

[Tom]

Ok as I am packing to go out of town for Thanksgiving I am in a panic as my Russian Tortoise hatchling has not come out of his burrow at all today. Yesterday I had to half uncover him to wake him to show the person I have watching him while gone what to do. Today it is almost 3:00 in afternoon and he is still not up. I found where he burrowed took most of coco coir off and rubbed his back. I waited saw where is head would be and some movement but still not coming out. I want to soak him good before leaving and feed him. My question is when is not ok to completely take them out of burrow?

That is not a burrow. That is just a Russian digging in to the dirt. If you don't want him to brumate, then dig him up, soak him regularly, and get him eating and active.

If you do want him to brumate, then there are some steps to follow.