Desert Tortoise prefers to be under the patio

bkn70

New Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2019
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4
Location (City and/or State)
Tucson
We recently adopted a 20-year old desert tortoise, we were told he was rescued as a hatchling.

I dug him a deep burrow, reinforced roof with a metal trash barrel cut in half +20 inches of soil on top, north-northwest facing.

However he keeps coming under our patio and nestling at the back corner under the couch. It's concrete lined and fully shaded shaded, so I'm not exactly surprised. If I take him out and put him in the yard he will wander back to the patio; if I put him close to the burrow in the evening he will go in and spend the night there.

I don't really have a problem with him being under the patio, it just doesn't seem very natural. Should I continue to encourage him back to the burrow every evening, and how can I make it more appealing for him? He spends 95% of his time not moving, which I'm not too worried about as it's been 100+ since we adopted him.
 

dmmj

The member formerly known as captain awesome
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Aug 15, 2008
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When it is hot they seek out cool spots. A concrete patio sounds very cool (temp not attitude) indeed. Leave him be he knows what is best for him.
 

bkn70

New Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2019
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Tucson
Yes, it's definitely the coolest spot in the yard, no surprise he sought it out! Thanks for your insight.
 

Coco Channell

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Tortoise Club
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Jul 20, 2019
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Las vegas
How large is your twenty year old desert tortoise? Pixie is eleven years old and is two and half hands size She has been eating 2 to 3 times a day and is growi g fast I was wondering how large she may get
 
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