my russian tortoise

[H2Andy]

Awe let him stay "up" just a little longer I mean it is 80 out :w-t-f:

hey, which brings up a question...

did the tortoise just "decide" it was going to hybernate?

or was it like, you could see it slowing down over a few weeks, getting sluggish and stuff?

why have you never posted a picture?

I want to see it.

right on!

(great minds and all that .... )

 

[Kevrumbo]

I'll post a picture soon !

Late Fall, you know when it's time for hibernation when he starts doing several "test digs" around in the backyard. I usually let him dig his own burrow, but when it starts getting typically wet and rainy here in SoCal, I'll dig him up (he hates that!) & put him in a big covered ventilated plastic box full of dry dirt, and then place him back in a sheltered corner of the backyard. . .

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

Kev, i thought i might be hearing something about Gorby pretty soon. hope he's doing well and humping as many rocks as he can.

Andy, to answer your question, this type of tortoise begin to eat considerably less once mid-fall (mid october-november) hits. This is where he would naturally dig himself a hole and snooze due to the shortened photoperiods of the day and drop in temp. of course, temperature supercedes anything else so an owner can "decide" when they want their tortoise to hibernate, if at all.

As for my tortoise, aka Donatello...we had an unfortunate accident. he was with me at my parents' house in early june. the yard is surrounded by a huge hay field; and bordering the field a forest. just getting some daily exercise running around. sunbathing and chowing on broccoli. I always keep a close eye on him but in this instance my mother asked me to do something for her. I thought i heard her say she was watching the tortoise...it really is amazing how fast they can walk and how good their camouflage really is. all he had was five minutes alone and he'll be living the rest of his days free. 5 people searched for 4 hours to no avail. the two foot tall hay and divoted field was the perfect place for him to hide or meander away. very very sad for me to lose my buddy. he was my sidekick and one hell of a conversation piece.

here he is that handsome devil.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Oh gosh! I hope you find Donatello. . .
Here a little consolation (and some big hope):

I lost my first Russian/Afghan tortoise "Billy" when I was in 2nd Grade, when I failed to keep an eye on him (my Older Brother would cruelly never ever let me forget it, that and along with also defacing his Sandy Koufax Rookie Card --but I digress ) . . .Long story short, 26 years later, I'm talking to my Mom on the phone, congratulating her on retirement --and she starts yelling & screaming that Billy had just walked out onto the Patio in the Backyard!!!:11: Amazingly, sight unseen for 26 years, he was surviving in my Parents' Backyard, probably subsisting on their annual spring vegetable garden the whole time!

(Sadly, Billy my childhood pet --who was probably around 45 years old and still very active-- was set upon & killed last year by what we think was a stray cat)

 

[H2Andy]

thanks for the info, guys

harry, thanks for the pics... sorry about Donatello... great name, btw

but you know, you never know how things will turn out