It’s that time of year when my Desert Tortoise is on the move and I don't know why.

[JohnnyB65]

Every year at this time my Desert Tortoise is up early trying to get out of his enclosure. He is relentlessly climbing flower pots, walls and just about anything trying to get out. He is so persistent that I have a hard time of getting him to stop and eat and almost have to feed him by hand.

I used to think he was unhappy with his burrow because I’ve built him a new one almost every year up until 3 years ago, but now I think its maybe be more like instinctive although I’m not sure. I haven’t found anything on this behavior to suggest it, but does anybody know if Desert Tortoises migrate this time of year?

 

[MPRC]

Maybe he's looking for a lady tortoise?

 

[Yvonne G]

He realizes it's getting close to the time when he needs to find a safe place to hibernate. What is his shelter like?

 

[JohnnyB65]

Maybe he's looking for a lady tortoise?

Umm that’s an interesting thought.

He realizes it's getting close to the time when he needs to find a safe place to hibernate. What is his shelter like?

He has a large burrow 3 ft underground with a 6ft long access tunnel down to it. The entrance is shown in the photo above. He dosent seem to have any problem using it at night so I don't think that's it.

 

[dmmj]

days are getting shorter the temperature is getting cooler he's looking for a nice place to settle down for a long winter's nap with his kerchief and cap

 

[Lemonade]

I've noticed my 6-year-old doing the same thing. He/She has always been content with the burrow. I just figured he/she is restless for who-knows-why.

 

[JohnnyB65]

I've noticed my 6-year-old doing the same thing. He/She has always been content with the burrow. I just figured he/she is restless for who-knows-why.

Thanks, I believe mine may be going into hibernation now. I haven't seen him for about 4 or 5 days although I can't stay out there all the time. I left out a little food and water, but except for the water it hasn't been touched. Actually he stopped eating over a week ago and possibly 2 weeks because I don't remember for sure.

It always scares me when I haven't seen him for awhile and I usually start looking everywhere for him. He disappeared Last year about this time and I was going crazy thinking all sorts of thing that might have happened. We had a couple of hot days at the end of Oct and I worried that he may come out if he did in fact start his hibernation.

And then I got sick with with a bacterial infection sending me into a coma for 2 weeks and I didn't get out of the hospital until after Christmas. Everyone was focused on me almost dying and no one even thought of my tortoise. I was really happy to see him in April when he came out of his burrow and I was glad that I was sick while he was in hibernation because I don't think he would have been feed or even gotten water during that time.

 

[Kenno]

Johnny, one of my three desert torts went into hibernation on October 1st, about two weeks earlier than the last two years. Another has stopped eating and drinking, and drags himself about one foot out into sunshine for an hour or two. That third one doesn't really hibernate, so he's eating and drinking but moving much more slowly. They are all about two or three weeks ahead of their usual schedules.

 

[JohnnyB65]

I bought a small USB Camera with a long cord to plug into my Laptop last Fall so I could send it down into the burrow on a long stick. That was before I went into the hospital and now I don’t know where it is, but I intend on looking for it within the next week. I’m in the middle of remodeling my house right now and everything is moved around so that I don’t know where anything is. I’ll post it to YouTube when I get to it.

I posted a video in the summer of 2012 when I could not find him for a few days and was afraid that he may have been stolen. I had a small Camera/DVR connected to a stick because I did not own a laptop and could not bring my desktop outside.

 

[ascott]

I bought a small USB Camera with a long cord to plug into my Laptop last Fall so I could senin my speculation the end of sess it down into the burrow on a long stick. That was before I went into the hospital and now I don’t know where it is, but I intend on looking for it within the next week. I’m in the middle of remodeling my house right now and everything is moved around so that I don’t know where anything is. I’ll post it to YouTube when I get to it.

I posted a video in the summer of 2012 when I could not find him for a few days and was afraid that he may have been stolen. I had a small Camera/DVR connected to a stick because I did not own a laptop and could not bring my desktop outside.

LMAOff...I would love o know what he was thinking when this epic was being filmed...awesome!.. not that I know why they do what they do..but in my speculation, they have been essentially hunkered in for the hot hot summer and now the temps drop enough for them to he able to be out and about for longer periods of time..somewhat like pent up energy they are spending before the weather turns less than fun again...this time generally to cold for fun..again, I of course do not KNOW for sure but it is normal behavior here as well..not like panic but burning energy..?

 

[JohnnyB65]

LMAOff...I would love o know what he was thinking when this epic was being filmed...awesome!.. not that I know why they do what they do..but in my speculation, they have been essentially hunkered in for the hot hot summer and now the temps drop enough for them to he able to be out and about for longer periods of time..somewhat like pent up energy they are spending before the weather turns less than fun again...this time generally to cold for fun..again, I of course do not KNOW for sure but it is normal behavior here as well..not like panic but burning energy..?

Yea, that was a real fiasco. LOL

I was trying to keep the camera at the top so I wouldn’t hit him in the head if he was in there, but I couldn’t keep from banging against the top and sides. I kind of assumed he was keeping cool, but I had the neighbors from hell living next to me at the time and worried that they may have taken him.

I don’t know what the deal was next door, but there were a lot of preteens living there at the time and they were always jumping over the wall. I guess the only thing the tortoise had going for him was the protection of the burrow and that the kids were afraid of him.

The next time will be a little smoother because I’ll have a laptop to view my position as I go down into the burrow. He has a new burrow now that has a longer tunnel that enters a 55gal plastic drum as the actual burrow. It will be interesting to see what he has done with the place.

 

[JohnnyB65]

Well today was a little warm and my tortoise came out for some sun, but didn't eat anything. It looked like he drank some water because it was full yesterday although the birds also drink out of it.

 

[JohnnyB65]

Surprise, surprise my tortoise came out today on Oct 24 after a small drizzle of rain during the night. I really thought he was done for the year and already in hibernation. But since he came all the way out to my Garden cart where I prepare his food, I decided to give him 2 pellets of Grasslands Tortoise food mainly because he hasn’t eaten anything in probably 2 to 3 weeks. It is 70°F outside and he only ate one pellet before going back in. I’m guessing he was only out for about an hour and a half since I didn’t actually see him come out.

He has some mud on his back so I guess hes still working on his burrow.