Blog post about our fridge brumation/ hibernation

biochemnerd808

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Hi all, it's been a bit since I've been on... life has been busy!

I just finished a blog post about our refrigerator brumation/ hibernation preparations.
Here is the link: http://tortaddiction.blogspot.com/2013/11/prepping-russian-tortoises-for.html

Before folks get upset or worried, I point out multiple times in the post how important it is to do proper research beforehand, and to make sure the tort is healthy and at parasite free, and a few other important points to avoid damage to your tortoise.
Hibernation is not absolutely necessary for tortoises, so if you don't hibernate yours, that is fine. Since mine all pretty much shut down last winter, this winter I decided to brumate them this year.

I would love it if you folks could read the article and let me know what you think! I included some links to some really great other articles at the bottom of the blog post.
 

LisaTurtle

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I was waiting for you to post about this!! Nice blog post! I will probably hibernate Gary next year and I really like the fridge idea because the temp is reliable and adjustable. I'm really interested to hear how it goes.

By the way I absolutely LOVE your new cozy designs!!! Just saw them on your blog. The Santa hat is my favorite! I will be ordering one very soon for sure!! Maybe Seahawk colors :)
 

lkwagner

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Great article! And those are the best looking Russians I've ever seen!
 

thatrebecca

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GREAT blog post! Thanks for sharing. Your torts look really healthy, and the image of somebody opening the crisper looking for an apple and finding them totally cracked me up!

I'm using a different variant on the fridge method for my two desert torts -- a non- working chest freezer cracked open, which I keep cool with the help of a lot of water bottles.

My temps aren't as cool as yours -- they tend toward the high 40s, which I was under the impression is optimum for my DTs. It's my first brumation too. Nice to compare notes with other keepers on their methods.
 

biochemnerd808

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Thank you, Lisa! :) It was so nice meeting you and your daughter in person, by the way.

LisaTurtle said:
I was waiting for you to post about this!! Nice blog post! I will probably hibernate Gary next year and I really like the fridge idea because the temp is reliable and adjustable. I'm really interested to hear how it goes.

By the way I absolutely LOVE your new cozy designs!!! Just saw them on your blog. The Santa hat is my favorite! I will be ordering one very soon for sure!! Maybe Seahawk colors :)


Wow, what a wonderful compliment! :D Thank you, @lkwagner! I'm grinning from ear to ear over here.
All 5 of my RTs are 'second-hand' tortoises off of Craigslist... they probably all started out as wild-caught torts in a pet store at some point, and each of them has a weird/funny/sad story...
I do my best to provide them with everything they need - I am sure that even in 30 years I will find that I still have room to learn though!

lkwagner said:
Great article! And those are the best looking Russians I've ever seen!
 

Jacqui

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Nice article. When I was doing the frig hibernation, I chose to buy an older frig to use. I used small plastic boxes, because I had more then one species in there. I like the ease of checking up on them with this method and the temps staying pretty much the same all the time. I also have a mental thing about tortoises being in any area where food is, so mine are not even allowed in the kitchen. Their equipment is clean in the bathroom, not the kitchen either. Like I said personal thing.
 

biochemnerd808

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Thanks, Jacqui. Yes, having a separate fridge would definitely have its advantages. I feel OK about these guys being in the crisper drawer, since they in no way interact with the food in the fridge - I'll obviously wash it out really well later on. These tortoises have been with me for quite a while, and have had a clean fecal check.
That said, I totally hear you on the hygiene. I clean anything tortoise related in the bathroom or in the laundry room utility sink. Tortoise water gets dumped on the compost or down the toilet. I do use the kitchen counter to soak the tortoises, but I clean it well afterwards. :)

Jacqui said:
Nice article. When I was doing the frig hibernation, I chose to buy an older frig to use. I used small plastic boxes, because I had more then one species in there. I like the ease of checking up on them with this method and the temps staying pretty much the same all the time. I also have a mental thing about tortoises being in any area where food is, so mine are not even allowed in the kitchen. Their equipment is clean in the bathroom, not the kitchen either. Like I said personal thing.
 
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