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Hatchlings
Desert tortoises can live up to 80 years or longer, and grow much faster in captivity than they do in the wild. Desert tortoises hatch from an egg by breaking out of the egg using the caruncle, or egg tooth, that is located on the tip of their mouth. Their shells are flexible and soft and folded over while inside the egg. The shells and don't start hardening until a few weeks after they hatch. Put hatchling desert tortoises in outdoor pens that provide protection from predators. The tortoise needs a lot of shade and a bit of sun. He will hibernate, or brumate, just as the adults do.
Hibernate
The reason feeding is stopped about 10 days before a hatchling goes into hibernation is because the digestive tract needs time to empty. When in captivity, hibernating hatchlings should be put in a shallow dish full of water that is a half inch deep to soak for half an hour every two to three weeks.
When you remove the hatchlings from hibernation in the spring, place them in their regular enclosure or habitat, and resume regular feeding. In nature or captivity, the hatchling enclosure has to provide both shade and sun throughout the day. In captivity, the enclosure needs to be covered with a material that lets light get in, but protects the young tortoise from birds, dogs and cats. You can use poultry netting or wire fencing if the openings are small enough that the tortoise can't get its legs or head stuck in it.
Burrows
In nature, tortoises live in well-insulated burrows that protect them from heat and give them a place to hibernate in the winter. You can create burrows if you are raising tortoises. The burrow should have at least 8 inches of top soil on the top and a soil bottom. The soil provides insulation from the heat and cold. Don't make the burrow too big because tortoises like to snuggle up to one another, and do not use gravel or rocks.
Considerations and Construction
When creating a burrow for a tortoise, think about the orientation. If you put the entrance to the northeast or north, this will keep the burrow cooler in the summer. The temperature should be less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the burrow; if a tortoise gets too hot he can suffer from brain damage. South facing burrows are going to heat up faster than north facing ones. This is good for winter hibernation. When the weather is mild, tortoises will dig a shallow pallet or depression in the ground under vegetation, which protects them from the sun.
A burrow must be dry, high and built on a mound of flattened dirt. If the burrow is damp, the tortoise can suffer from respiratory infections. However, in areas where there is extreme temperatures, such as in the desert, a burrow should be dug below ground because this offers the best protection from the heat. Desert tortoises will die if they are exposed to the severe winters in the north
Illegal
If you raise a desert tortoise, it is illegal to release it into the wild. Your tortoise can spread disease to the wild tortoises and can also alter the adapted genetics of wild tortoises.