Hibernation

[jasmin1]

Hi all.
Ok I'll be quick and as concise add I can.

New to brumation.
I understand it in theory and if my aged spur thighed lived inside I could follow the ideal method.
My problem is she lives outside. I am in SW France and the weather isn't playing fair this year.
The days are shortening but the weather is still about 18°- 20° in the day and about 8°- 12° at night.
She was used to living feral before we bought the land and house and discovered we also had an aged tortoise. No doubt hibernated lots on her own but probably only survived not thrived!.

Basically she is slowing down, not eating much and getting ready to sleep, but it's too warm!

I'm worried she will lose too much weight in this period, before the fasting period.

So.

Do I fast her anyway?
What if the temp. doesn't cool enough before its time for her box in the fridge? Will the temp change be too drastic, average of about daytime temp 16°/18° down to 6°? 24/7

Do I bring her in and not let her hibernate?, in which case she will fret and stress,as she hasn't ever been an indoor tortoise.

Some solid advice needed please. What would a more experienced owner do?

Many thanks

 

[Tom]

Hi all.
Ok I'll be quick and as concise add I can.

New to brumation.
I understand it in theory and if my aged spur thighed lived inside I could follow the ideal method.
My problem is she lives outside. I am in SW France and the weather isn't playing fair this year.
The days are shortening but the weather is still about 18°- 20° in the day and about 8°- 12° at night.
She was used to living feral before we bought the land and house and discovered we also had an aged tortoise. No doubt hibernated lots on her own but probably only survived not thrived!.

Basically she is slowing down, not eating much and getting ready to sleep, but it's too warm!

I'm worried she will lose too much weight in this period, before the fasting period.

So.

Do I fast her anyway?
What if the temp. doesn't cool enough before its time for her box in the fridge? Will the temp change be too drastic, average of about daytime temp 16°/18° down to 6°? 24/7

Do I bring her in and not let her hibernate?, in which case she will fret and stress,as she hasn't ever been an indoor tortoise.

Some solid advice needed please. What would a more experienced owner do?

Many thanks

Please read this:

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

In this thread I explain and show how to deal with the ever changing weather of a temperate climate:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Yvonne G]

Did I miss it? What species is this tortoise?

 

[jasmin1]

Did I miss it? What species is this tortoise?

Spur thighed tortoise

 

[jasmin1]

Please read this:

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

In this thread I explain and show how to deal with the ever changing weather of a temperate climate:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Thanks Tom.
Is the drop in temp after fasting from potentially 16/18° to fridge temp that I'm worried about. Would you recomend that this is ok and safe for her. Not shock her too much ?
Thanks for your input

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom.
Is the drop in temp after fasting from potentially 16/18° to fridge temp that I'm worried about. Would you recomend that this is ok and safe for her. Not shock her too much ?
Thanks for your input

I do it all gradually. If the weather cooperates, I can do some of it outside. If not, I drop the temp down gradually in the fridge. Also, rather than put them in the fridge in the afternoon or evening after the heat of a day, I put them in late at night when they are already cold and asleep, or early morning after they've been cold all night before the sun comes up.

 

[jasmin1]

Ah brilliant
Thanks
Forgot you can change temp in the fridge! Yes that will make it easier, gradually over a few days.
Merci beaucoup!

 

[TammyJ]

I wish you success with this! Please keep us posted.