So in the spring/summer my sulcatas (22 lb female and 18 lb male) live loose in my huge yard, trudging around and grazing like the little lawnmowers they are. In the evening they retreat to the 5' deep burrow the female dug into the side of the hill.
When winter rolls 'round I have to bring them in for a couple months (which they, of course, hate) until the cold and wet passes. Thanks to our crazy northern California weather there are often nice warm afternoons and I will bring them outside again to graze for a bit and then bring them in again before it starts to get dark.
Well the other day I had them out (it was the first warm sunny day after a few of hard rain) and they were basking and doing their usual. Unfortunately I kind of forgot they were out there until sunset, which is well after they return to their burrow when they live outside. "Crap!" I thought, "I'll never get them out now and they will have so spend a very cold night outside!"
I ran out with a flashlight in hopes of capture. Thankfully the male was still a few feet from the burrows entrance, heading in. I scooped him up and brought him back to his warm winter quarters. No such luck with the female! She had gone back into her summer abode, where I found her sitting neck-deep in freezing cold mud water. Apparently their burrow floods in the winter! I was naturally distressed to see her sitting in ice cold water 3 feet down the tunnel, but thankfully the water depth kept her from going all the way in. I was able to pull her out and got her cleaned up and back inside. Who new sulcatas were so aquatic!
I can definately say that I learned my lesson about leaving them outside unattended, and from now on when they are out in the winter I cover the entrance to their burrow so there are no more accidents
my sulcata story
Hybrid Mode
