Burrowing questions

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chuckster548

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P6270042.JPG Group photo from a year ago
Hi y'all,
Been a while since I have been on but I still love this forum.
As you may remember, about 2 years ago, I adopted 5 Desert Tortoises, unfortunately I lost one but the other 4 have been wonderful. Growing by leaps and bounds and thus my question.
When they were younger, each one dug their own burrow and basically stayed or sometimes switched with each other but as they grew, they abandonded 2 of the burrows, 1 was taken over and then abandonded by the round tailed ground squirrels. So fast forward to this year, I have placed some additional sod in their enclosure and they promptly dug a new burrow on the edge of the sod.
So what I have is 4 torts and 2 burrows. It seems that lately, as the weather changes (I'm in Phoenix) I have 2 that are sharing a burrow, 1 that never seems to share and one that for the last week has not been underground. Sleeps near the fence of their enclosure and seems to not even make an attempt to secure a new location.
I did go out the other day and try and expand one of the older burrows, put her/him in the entry way, she entered but did not go all the way in and after I left, she went right back to her spot on the wall.
SORRY FOR THE DRAWN OUT STORY
My question would be should I be concerned and should I dig a totally new burrow for her, in the hopes that she will use it or really what should or could I do for her. I'll be checking back this afternoon to see what great answers I get from you awesome folks.
Oh
Have a great day,
Peace,
The Chuckster:tort:
 
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azkeyrealtor

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Did you talk to Dr. Driggers about this?? He's the expert the Phoenix Herpitological Society makes us use. He's really great and an expert in everything tortoise.

I'm not sure I can help you. My full grown desert tortoise is protected and I wasn't able to adopt him if I had other tortoises. I guess they are solitary creatures. Do you think that one torte wants/needs her own enclosure?? Or do they grow up to be solitary but need torte friends in the beginning years?
 

ascott

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If you live in a place (not based on the state, but actual place) that is beneficial to outdoor brumating then sounds as though at least two of the torts will likely be able to go underground comfortably---however, if the two that are sharing a burrow become finicky with one another then one will likely begin to hoard the entrance which will in turn dictate the activity of the other--so not a great situation.

The wall dweller is apparently feeling the pressure from the other torts...you will want to make provisions for this one to brumate in a controlled area that is free from water and freezing, as he should have already established a night bunk by now and if not, then this is a problem ....I have the four adult males, there use to be once upon a time I would let them do their own thing in their own individual yards...however, with the winter weather as unpredictable as has been in the past few years, I have taken them in by Nov 1 and brumated them in their own boxes and this has seemed to work out better...will do it again this year...

What happened with the other tort that passed? Sick? Unknown?
 
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