Hibernating tortoise in odd position?

[RosemaryDW]

Our tortoise went into hibernation just over a week ago. We very slowly and nervously took the temperature to forty degrees; she's been at that temp for three days.

We have been very studiously not fussing with her but when she had her first weigh in today, she looked like this:


I know they can be active but does this look right? Her weight is fine and she's looked "normally" buried until today, at least from the outside of the box! She was alert but slow when I took her out to weigh her.

ETA the substrate might look a bit damp in a few spots in the picture; it isn't.

 

[Yvonne G]

Tortoise winter sleep isn't a true hibernation, like with - bears for instance. They are just too cold to move. Sometimes awake and not really sleeping.

I don't bother my tortoises at all during brumation. I open the lid and look inside, but I don't pick them up and I don't weigh them.

I would cover that container with shredded newspaper and place it someplace quiet and dark, and just leave him alone. What does weighing him gain for you? I understand that if he seems to be losing a lot of weight you would wake him up, but tortoises can go for a very long time not eating, and he's not going to drastically lose weight over the winter. I would just leave him alone.

 

[JoesMum]

I weigh Joe about once a month. It's pretty much like handling a brick.

He definitely moves around the box though. I've never found him like the photo, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Thanks. It's good to hear the voices of experience.