HELP - Not sure what to do!!

[charly_b]

Hi,

I have a horsefield tortoise, she is about 4-5 years old. I have had her for about 3years She has all of sudden gone into what i think is hibernation for about a week and a half and i am not sure if she has had enough food and fully ready. I have been checking her daily, but not sure whether to try and wake her up - I have weighed her and she is about 300g not sure if this is a safe weight or not??? - this is the first time she has done this. She has not been to the toilet since.

Wold really appreciate some advice

Thanks

C x

 

[egyptiandan]

Hi,
Can you tell us how you have her set-up? What kind of lights do you have? How long are they on for? The temperatures in your enclosure, warm end, cool end, under basking lamp and night time?
This will help us figure out whats going on.

Danny

 

[charly_b]

hi there,

she is in a tortoise table with an enclosed area i have wood chippings and straw for bedding etc, with a UV Light and a heat lamp. i put these both on in the morning at about 8:30 ish and turn them off at about 6:00pm. The warm end of the inclosure is about 65 -70F at the moment. The tortoise is in the enclosed area and has buried herself under the straw. I would say it was between 50 - 60f in the cooler end but our house does get cold in the evening. The heating is on at the moment so it is a lot warmer in there

Thank you for your help

 

[egyptiandan]

Yes your tortoise is trying to hibernate. The length of time the lights are on is to low for staying awake. It should be 12 to 14 hours a day. Your temperatures are to low for staying awake also. The need to be 75 to 85F during the day and down to 60F at night at the lowest.
If you do want to hibernate her those temperatures are close to low enough, 40 to 50F is what you want.
But to do that you need to have her warm during the day to help clean out her gut of food, digested and undigested. You need to do this for 4 weeks before you cool her off.

Danny

 

[charly_b]

Yes your tortoise is trying to hibernate. The length of time the lights are on is to low for staying awake. It should be 12 to 14 hours a day. Your temperatures are to low for staying awake also. The need to be 75 to 85F during the day and down to 60F at night at the lowest.
If you do want to hibernate her those temperatures are close to low enough, 40 to 50F is what you want.
But to do that you need to have her warm during the day to help clean out her gut of food, digested and undigested. You need to do this for 4 weeks before you cool her off.

Danny

Hi DANNY,

Thank you! So its not to late to stop her from going into hibernation. If i warm her up by putting her in warm water how long should it be before she should eat etc.

Charly

 

[egyptiandan]

Warming her up is fine, but you still have to raise the temperatures in the enclosure to keep her up and eating. She should start eating within a week once you raise the temperatures.

Danny

 

[Tonka-Tamer]

I picked up some info here, my tortoise is trying to hibernate, as well. Hasn't tried totally yet, but he's been very active. I'll start leaving the lamp on longer