It is an important step for a tortoise every year and it is important to replicate their natural behaviour to keep them healthy. The main thing to check is whether the species of tortoise you have naturally hibernates. If you try to hibernate a species of tortoise that is not meant to hibernate then this will not end well for your tortoise and it will most likely die. It is important that you find this out for the specific species and subspecies of tortoise you have as they may need different things.
If you are unsure, please contact a vet. Usually, you do not hibernate your tortoise until they are 2 or 3 years old, or at least hibernate them for a shorter amount of time. If they are showing any sign of illness or injury they must not hibernate. Again, it is best to consult a vet if you are unsure. Before your tortoise hibernates, you will have to reduce the amount of food it eats. For a few weeks, reduce the amount of food you give your tortoise by feeding it smaller portions slightly more often.
Then four weeks before, stop the feeding altogether and gradually reduce the amount of light and heat. Continue to provide the tortoise with water and give them regular baths to keep them hydrated. After this, they will be ready to hibernate. This is obviously the most natural method of hibernation for your tortoise, but is not recommended in the UK due to changes in weather and difficulty in monitoring your tortoise. The method requires your tortoise to bury themselves in some kind of soil that can protect them from weather and maintain a good climate.
This also serves the secondary purpose of helping to clear out the gut of any remaining solids. The Jackson Ratio requires the length of the shell from end to end known as the straight carapace length. The easiest way to measure this is the place the tortoise on a piece of paper with the back of the shell and one edge of the paper hard up against a wall. The difficulty when selecting a location for your tortoise to hibernate is finding a spot where you can ensure the temperature will stay consistently within the degree bracket.
Lower than zero and the tortoise could freeze, more than 10 and they could wake up prematurely. The key is placing whatever container you plan to house the tortoise in, in a relatively stable environment such as a garage or shed. This provides shelter from adverse weather and predators, whilst certainly not getting too warm. As for the container you plan to place the tortoise in, let me first say that you should avoid insulating this with shredded paper, straw, or anything else that could get wrapped around the tortoises neck.
The lid will need to have several air holes in it. The outer box can simply be a cardboard box, or if you prefer a larger plastic container.
The smaller box with the tortoise in should be placed in this larger box and insulating material placed between them. Once again this larger box should have air holes in it, and there should be a clear path for the flow of air into the smaller inner box.
Hi, my 25year old horse field has been slowing down since august and digging himself down unto the soil. We have been in mid France for 2 years now and he has an outdoor run during the summer. Last year I had to wake him late Dec as he was losing weight. Any idea why he hibernates so early? There are no tortoise vets anywhere near where I live. My tortoise is 19 years old. Stops eating usually in September. He hibernates from November until April when I have to really encourage him to wake.
Reading your information should I wake him much earlier and keep him indoors? Always concerned about hibernation. The advice from the reptile experts is that a 3 month hibernation is optimum — any longer can cause health problems in the long term.
The weather is a HUGE indicator when you hibernate, or wake up. Your location matters greatly. In my proven experience, 12 week max advise information is not correct for ca desert tort. You are not specific about types, weather, location but yet still continue to give information that is not entirely accurate.
Hi, I have a 9 year old tortoises called Herbie. I stopped feeding him a week and a half ago and I have put a hibernation box with newspaper shreds in it, inside his tank where he lives. I have also not turned his heat lamp on for about a week now with the hope he will make his way in to the hibernation box when he is ready. This year is a bit different as I have a very noisey 2 year old who loves Herbie. Should I put him in his box and move him to a quieter place so he can settle or just wait for him to go in to the box?
Any advice?? Hi can I just ask. It might be he was disturbed by something before he started hibernating properly. After a couple of weeks of reduced activity and eating, withdraw food. Then, after 2 weeks, hibernate. I thought my tort was trying to hibernate as he seemed to have lost his appetite and sleeping a lot. He is 5 years old. Please advise, Thank you …. Username or Email Address. Remember Me. Thank you for your help.
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