Hibernating my 2 year old Russian Horsfield

[Adamjsp]

Hi,

So I have Bert and he's just over 2 years old. I've had him from the get go and as far as I'm aware he's very healthy.

He had started to slow down his eating and as it has started to get colder here in the UK. I'm tempted to try and hibernate him this year. As I understand it, at his age he only needs about 4-6 weeks.

If anyone could post some good advice on how to make sure he had a safe hibernation and to ensure he is ready for it also. I know I'm going to be asked about his weight and dimensions which I will post when I get him but I'm at work and this was on my mind so decided to post first.

Any advice, tips, websites etc will get great. Oh and I would be planning on using the fridge method.

 

[wellington]

@Tom

 

[Tom]

Hi,

So I have Bert and he's just over 2 years old. I've had him from the get go and as far as I'm aware he's very healthy.

He had started to slow down his eating and as it has started to get colder here in the UK. I'm tempted to try and hibernate him this year. As I understand it, at his age he only needs about 4-6 weeks.

If anyone could post some good advice on how to make sure he had a safe hibernation and to ensure he is ready for it also. I know I'm going to be asked about his weight and dimensions which I will post when I get him but I'm at work and this was on my mind so decided to post first.

Any advice, tips, websites etc will get great. Oh and I would be planning on using the fridge method.

Here you go:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Its too early to start in my opinion. If you allow the wind down to start now, you will need to be waking him mid winter. Take the steps mentioned in the thread to keep him up and eating through October if you can. Start the wind down in November, and begin brumation in December. Then the tortoise can brumate through December and January, and you can begin the waking process in February. Its still cold in February, but at least the days are getting longer by that point. With proper heating and lighting, you can make it all work.