Sleeping a lot

[carolvegan]

Hi there

I have just joined the site. I have a 2 year old Hermann tortoise called Gloria. Now that the weather has turned colder and there is not so much daylight Gloria just wants to stay in the hidey-hole in her vivarium and only comes out to eat. Before that she was out all the time climbing about and was very active. I somehow feel cruel in that she is trying to tell me she wants to hibernate now. Any comments please?

 

[Yvonne G]

My first thought was to wonder how warm Gloria's enclosure is. Can you tell us a little about how your have her set up?

Yvonne

 

[carolvegan]

She has a large vivarium kept at an average temperature (as we were advised) of 25 degrees - this has not changed at all throughout the summer and now into autumn - she has a UV light on 12 hours a day - she eats a lot!

My first thought was to wonder how warm Gloria's enclosure is. Can you tell us a little about how your have her set up?

Yvonne

 

[Isa]

Hello
I have an Hermann too and the vet told me the temp under the heat lamp should be 30C-32C. Do you have a basking light?
What are your temps on the cold side and the warm side?

 

[Yvonne G]

If I'm converting this properly, 25 is 77 farenheit. Your little tortoise should have a warm side and a cool side, and the warm side should be around 80 degrees which would be a little warmer than you have it. I'm guessing that she isn't eating because she isn't warm enough.

Yvonne

 

[Crazy1]

carolvegan, you say that Gloria is eating lots but stays hidden. and that her temps are a constant 25C or 77F throughout her enclosure. And that her UVB light is on 12 hours a day.

If the above is correct what type of lighting and heat do you use for her? Florecent, coil bulb MVB, ceramic heat emitter (CHE), regular bulb? If the light is on 12 hours a day and her heat is kept up she would not even know it is time to hibernate. Infact that is how you keep one from hibernating by keeping the temps set to summertime temps and the lights on for 10 to 12 hours a day. Usually when they begin to slow down so does there eating habits.

Sorry it sounds to me as if something else may be going on other than her wanting to hibernate.

When was the last time you changed her light and heat bulbs?

 

[carolvegan]

Thank you for all your comments - perhaps I need to up the temperature in her vivarium. The temperature sensor is near the basking light at the warmer end of her viv - but strangely the cool end is where she seems to go and hide (in a little hidey-hole)