Desert Tortoise worries!

[Stefano]

Greetings! Our newly adopted desert tortoise, 40+ yo female, has not been eating much, and we haven’t seen much of her outside of her self-dug burrow for about 3 days. It’s been hot of course here in Tucson, but I’m confident that her burrow is cool enough and she has water available. She was more active earlier in the summer. Is it normal for them to disappear for a few days in the summer?

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

 

[Tom]

Greetings! Our newly adopted desert tortoise, 40+ yo female, has not been eating much, and we haven’t seen much of her outside of her self-dug burrow for about 3 days. It’s been hot of course here in Tucson, but I’m confident that her burrow is cool enough and she has water available. She was more active earlier in the summer. Is it normal for them to disappear for a few days in the summer?

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

They do try to avoid excessive heat. What is the temperature in the burrow? Put a thermometer down there and check it if you don't know.

Start here and look for the temperate species care sheet at the bottom:

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[TammyJ]

Welcome to the forum. How about posting a few pictures of her?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, it is normal and natural for tortoises to estivate during real hot weather. I haven't seen my russians in a week.