2 Year old Russian Hibernating? or Is the heating too cold/hot?

Is it hibernation or Heat?

  • Heat Cold

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Heat Hot

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1

LifewithFrank

New Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2020
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
California
Hey everyone,

I have a question my 2 year old Russian tortoise has started to slow down in pace as the winter rolls into California. He's an indoor tortoise and says inside, except for the occasional outings to his outdoor shelter once in a while when it's not too cold, and not raining. California winter temperatures are low 50's to high 60's degrees Fahrenheit during the day with evenings reading at low 40's to higher 50's degrees Fahrenheit. Our house is kept at 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. His enclosure has a lighting system of: Mercury Vapor bulb (100w), a UVB tube light, and a ceramic heater (when temp goes below 65 degrees F); Lights turn on around 7am and stay on until 9pm-10pm(winter) where daytime temp is measured with an electrical system that reads 87-100 degrees in the basking area, and about 75-80 degrees in the cooler areas.

My question is, is the temp too cold/hot? He stays in his log for majority of the day, appearing outside once to walk around, and bask under his lamps, but no eating and hasn't touched food in 3-4 days. We can only assume he's trying not to eat so he can hibernate, but are not sure if it's a temperature/heating issue. We try and take him out in the morning to wake him up, soak him for 20-30 minutes and return him hopefully warm enough to feel hungry or more willing to stay out. We are not planning on hibernating him, but for the past two years when winter rolls around we have gotten away with increasing his heat for an hour longer at night, and warm soakings where he would have eaten (not a ton, but still eating).

Please let me know what you guys think.
Thanks
Cassie and Franklin
 

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Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,908
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Hey everyone,

I have a question my 2 year old Russian tortoise has started to slow down in pace as the winter rolls into California. He's an indoor tortoise and says inside, except for the occasional outings to his outdoor shelter once in a while when it's not too cold, and not raining. California winter temperatures are low 50's to high 60's degrees Fahrenheit during the day with evenings reading at low 40's to higher 50's degrees Fahrenheit. Our house is kept at 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. His enclosure has a lighting system of: Mercury Vapor bulb (100w), a UVB tube light, and a ceramic heater (when temp goes below 65 degrees F); Lights turn on around 7am and stay on until 9pm-10pm(winter) where daytime temp is measured with an electrical system that reads 87-100 degrees in the basking area, and about 75-80 degrees in the cooler areas.

My question is, is the temp too cold/hot? He stays in his log for majority of the day, appearing outside once to walk around, and bask under his lamps, but no eating and hasn't touched food in 3-4 days. We can only assume he's trying not to eat so he can hibernate, but are not sure if it's a temperature/heating issue. We try and take him out in the morning to wake him up, soak him for 20-30 minutes and return him hopefully warm enough to feel hungry or more willing to stay out. We are not planning on hibernating him, but for the past two years when winter rolls around we have gotten away with increasing his heat for an hour longer at night, and warm soakings where he would have eaten (not a ton, but still eating).

Please let me know what you guys think.
Thanks
Cassie and Franklin
Hello. I have a little Russian too. Every year he tries to hibernate this time of year. I do and don't let him. I really don't fuss over him. I just do his regular care and temps whether he likes it or not. He kinda naps but starts getting more active again. Until I totally understand hibernation and exactly how to I won't. I don't know that a Russian actually needs to anyway. Welcome ?
 

FrankIinTheTortoise

Active Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2020
Messages
112
Location (City and/or State)
Earth
I agree with Cathie, my
Hey everyone,

I have a question my 2 year old Russian tortoise has started to slow down in pace as the winter rolls into California. He's an indoor tortoise and says inside, except for the occasional outings to his outdoor shelter once in a while when it's not too cold, and not raining. California winter temperatures are low 50's to high 60's degrees Fahrenheit during the day with evenings reading at low 40's to higher 50's degrees Fahrenheit. Our house is kept at 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. His enclosure has a lighting system of: Mercury Vapor bulb (100w), a UVB tube light, and a ceramic heater (when temp goes below 65 degrees F); Lights turn on around 7am and stay on until 9pm-10pm(winter) where daytime temp is measured with an electrical system that reads 87-100 degrees in the basking area, and about 75-80 degrees in the cooler areas.

My question is, is the temp too cold/hot? He stays in his log for majority of the day, appearing outside once to walk around, and bask under his lamps, but no eating and hasn't touched food in 3-4 days. We can only assume he's trying not to eat so he can hibernate, but are not sure if it's a temperature/heating issue. We try and take him out in the morning to wake him up, soak him for 20-30 minutes and return him hopefully warm enough to feel hungry or more willing to stay out. We are not planning on hibernating him, but for the past two years when winter rolls around we have gotten away with increasing his heat for an hour longer at night, and warm soakings where he would have eaten (not a ton, but still eating).

Please let me know what you guys think.
Thanks
Cassie and Franklin
I agree with Cathie, my Franklin has also been trying to hibernate and I'm not letting him. Wait until we're out of the cold time of year and he'll get active again. Like Cathie said, a Russian doesn't need to hibernate.
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,606
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
t. Our house is kept at 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. His enclosure has a lighting system of: Mercury Vapor bulb (100w), a UVB tube light, and a ceramic heater (when temp goes below 65 degrees F); Lights turn on around 7am and stay on until 9pm-10pm(winter) where daytime temp is measured with an electrical system that reads 87-100 degrees in the basking area, and about 75-80 degrees in the cooler areas.
It must be 95-100F directly under the basking lamp at tortoise level. Unless your tortoise can bask at this temperature it cannot raise its core temperature enough to be active, eat or digest food.

The lamp must hang vertically and not be at an angle. Adjust the temperature by raising or lowering the lamp.

Temperature is most accurately measured using an infrared temperature gun type thermometer rather than any other system.
 
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