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He dug himself that burrow next to the cactus which worried me because I kept seeing his little head poking out. But then 4 days ago I saw that he'd closed it up, he was fully underground & even though we've had a couple of afternoons in the 70s he still didn't come back out.

It's interesting to me because I wrote this stuff down last year, he went underground at the same time last year. Same week of the same month last year. Then the next week I took in Chip so I'm sure there are still some wild ones out there who are dawdling but I'd bet by Halloween 99% of them will be underground.
Last year Hobo emerged on St. Patrick's Day in March so I'm going to have to see if he shows up exactly on March 17th again or not.
I know he knows what he's doing & I shouldn't worry about him but I do. LOL
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PHRatz

Interesting he went under same time last year. I for some time now have been thinking that hibernation is more determined by the hours of daylight versus temp. Now I'm sure temp plays a huge part but sunlight plays a big one also. I have noticed that the frogs in my pond come out of hibernation always around spring equinox /- a week. I've noticed with wood turtles in the wild temperature doesn't always mean much. I have seen a few just as active when the temperature is in the low 40's, high 30's. However as soon as mid november hits they are gone, many times regardless of the temperature. I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but interesting nonetheless.

It is about day length more than temperature.

>>It is about day length more than temperature.

I think it must be about day light more than temp even though temp does play a role. Actually I found it pretty fascinating that Hobo went under in the very same week he did it last year. Today for example, it's near 80 degrees right now but he's not coming out again. I looked, nothing is disturbed in his spot.
In a few days according to the weather channel we're supposed to get a lot of rain & cooler temps as Hurricane Paul passes over us from the West coast, Houston will get more water than we will but we'll get those lower temps. I assume that he's not coming back until spring.
This morning in class one of my students asked me if the local snakes hibernate because she's been seeing a lot of them 2 were bullsnakes. I said it's not cold enough yet.. so maybe I wasn't completely correct.. maybe their light-time table differs from box turtles.
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PHRatz