Desert Tortise behavior.

biznacho

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
129
So we have male and female Sonoran Desert Tortises. They have full reign of our back yard and rear patio. The female usualy stays in the back of the yard and doesnt do much. The male is alot more active and has explored every square inch of our yard.

Today the female showed up on the back patio and started digging a hole in a planter for the next 3 hours. Is it normal for this species to up and decide they want a new hole in an area where they never go? We've had her for about 8 or 9 years and this is the first hole she has ever dug. The male dug his first hole a few months after we got him.

the original intention was to mate the two but we only saw the male make a few attempts before he apperently gave up. The last time i saw him try was a few years ago. Gestation time can't be that long, can it?

biznacho

p.s. i live in CA and i know you cant get these thing out of texas at all. the female showed up in our neighbors yard and the male was bought from Casa de Tortuga in Fountain Valley, sadly closed now.
 

TheWidowsPeak

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
64
I don't know much about turtles, but since their metabolism is so slow I would assume that they would have a long gestation period, also they could have mated when you didn't see them. i would watch for eggs and incubate them because I don't know if they would hatch with the different climate???
 

Ravnos

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2003
Messages
244
Desert tortoises don't reach sexual maturity until they are like 15 years old or so, sometimes even as old as 20. Gestation isn't that long - I don't know an exact number but it is definitely not years, its even possible for them to double clutch in a season.

The Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is a different species than the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) - which is protected.

Rav
 

Wade

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
2,929
It may be possible that the tortises have bred (unseen) and the female is preparing to lay eggs. She may or may not use the hole she dug, turtles may dig a few "practice" holes first before the main event.

Wade
 

MrT

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
2,171
How big are the Torts?
I've keeped them for years, and have had babys hatch.


Ernie
 

biznacho

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
129
the female is about 8 or 9 inches head to tail, i think. never measured, she is to shy.

the male is about a foot from head to tail, never measured 'cus im lazy.

biznacho
 

MrT

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
2,171
I bet she's going to do some egg laying, next spring.:D


Ernie
 
Top