AZWahoo
New Member
I have an ~ 18 year old Sonoran desert tortoise - I adopted him about 3 years ago. I built a burrow for him in the yard as recommended/specified on the ASDM webpage
(https://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap_burrow_t1.php[1] ).
His previous human kept him in a hutch-like contrivance outdoors, and he would hibernate there. He has been domesticated his whole life, as far as I know.
I have tried to adapt this tortoise to a more natural lifestyle - feeding him natural grasses and plants instead of grocery-store greens. Giving him free reign to wander and dig in the backyard. The first year with me he hibernated in the artificial burrow without a problem.
The past two winters, instead of hibernating in his specially-built burrow, he's dug a shallow hole under an agave - his hind legs and tail are quite exposed. I've been covering the agave with a blanket when we get a freeze warning - leaving space for air exchange.
Should I pull him out of his current spot and move him to the artificial burrow? Should I leave him be and cover him when it gets down to freezing?
Thanks, Chris
(https://www.desertmuseum.org/programs/tap_burrow_t1.php[1] ).
His previous human kept him in a hutch-like contrivance outdoors, and he would hibernate there. He has been domesticated his whole life, as far as I know.
I have tried to adapt this tortoise to a more natural lifestyle - feeding him natural grasses and plants instead of grocery-store greens. Giving him free reign to wander and dig in the backyard. The first year with me he hibernated in the artificial burrow without a problem.
The past two winters, instead of hibernating in his specially-built burrow, he's dug a shallow hole under an agave - his hind legs and tail are quite exposed. I've been covering the agave with a blanket when we get a freeze warning - leaving space for air exchange.
Should I pull him out of his current spot and move him to the artificial burrow? Should I leave him be and cover him when it gets down to freezing?
Thanks, Chris