George is caked in dirt after hiding from extreme heat for months in his burrow. I wanted to wash his coyote wound off with water. To see how it’s doing. He loved it. He let me pour water on him and rub his eyes off with my finger - his head and all four limbs. His wound is still messy.

My Tortoise was stressed by the giant Haboob and rain coming in AZ, recently. He climbed in the house. He paces in the back yard looking for higher ground many hours before it rains. He senses the pressure change. They can hold their breath but don’t want to.

When it’s hot out here in the Sonoran Desert the Tortoise extends his limbs hiding half-in his deep burrow. Face in the cool burrow.

Georgie was attacked my a young coyote last night. I rescued him flipped and and so cold this am. After sunning and eating a few bites he walked over to show me his injury.

George broke his brumation. He’s 37. He’s a rescue from AZ Game and Fish. I have a license to keep him. He’s been sleeping for months in his burrow without food or water. They call it brumation because he will br

He broke his rumination to warm up and eat. It’s only noon and his instinct tells him to go get cozy for the night. He’s back to his burrow.

I’m trying not to startle him with my shadow. My voice doesn’t scare him. He needs to hydrate.

George van Tort broke his brumination today after months of sleeping half frozen in his burrow. Low was 59 ish high now 76. He’s 37 years old. A legal Sonoran Desert Tortoise from Game and Fish rescue. He lives in my yard now.

The Gila Monster. They fight the mother Tortoise for her eggs! Did you know an adult Tortoise can tumble down a rocky cliff and survive? They are like tanks. The Indigenous named them “moving rocks” in their language.

Now that I’m retired I’m obsessed with writing a chapter book for 3rd/4th grades about our Sonoran Desert Tortoise. He’s not a Turtle!
The Tort will have adventures based on scientific facts with little known critters around the desert like our beautiful Gila Monster, etc. Meet George van Tort.