HELP! Very concerned about my Russian's weight pre hibernation...

[HelloBella]

Bella is my 6.5 y/o Russian. I've had her for about a year now and she has always seemed very happy and healthy and usually has a good appetite for weeds (and an occasional grape treat) though this has slowed down just recently due to the colder weather. Her previous owner her kept her indoors 100% of the time and never let her hibernate. This summer I have had Bella outside in a large run most days and in a dry hutch at night. Now it's coming towards winter I would really like to start preparing Bella for hibernation. I have just measured and weighed her and now having never really worried for her health before I am quite concerned. She measures 18cm long, pretty standard for a Russian? However she weighs only 825g! According to the Donoghue Ratio she should be more like 1.1kg! I know this is just an estimate but surely she shouldnt be this out?? And as I was planning hibernation I was hoping she would be over the estimate!

Very, very concerned and would like as much advice as possible regarding both hibernation considering this will be her first time and diet to get her healthily plumped up! It is worth me saying that she hasn't had a sudden weight loss, I weighed her about 5 months ago and I can't remember her weight exactly but it was in the 800s so she has had a pretty consistent weight other the year.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't really pay attention to stuff like that (the ratio thingey). I pick up the tortoise and if it feels like a shell full of water or rocks, far as I'm concerned, it's heavy enough. If it feels like a shell full of air, it's light and needs to be fattened up.

If you are concerned about your tortoise's ability to withstand the rigors of hibernation, then, by all means, set up a habitat in the house and keep the tortoise up for the winter.

 

[HelloBella]

I don't really pay attention to stuff like that (the ratio thingey). I pick up the tortoise and if it feels like a shell full of water or rocks, far as I'm concerned, it's heavy enough. If it feels like a shell full of air, it's light and needs to be fattened up.

If you are concerned about your tortoise's ability to withstand the rigors of hibernation, then, by all means, set up a habitat in the house and keep the tortoise up for the winter.

I was really keen to try having her hibernate this year as to me it seems more natural than to have her eating and growing 12 months a year as she has been so far. Is it ok to never let a tortoise hibernate? (I realise if her health is seriously at risk an awake tortoise is better than a deceased one)


P.S. I respect your more organic approach and just doing what feels best, I find a lot of comments can be quite uptight and require everything done by the book.

 

[Yvonne G]

Those who believe you must hibernate your tortoise are very adamant about it. And they have good reasons for thinking as they do.

Those who feel you don't have to hibernate also have their good reasons.

You need to listen to both sides and decide if it is right for you and your tortoise.

Hibernation (brumation) is mother nature's way to keep a cold blooded reptile alive through the cold weather. If you keep your tortoise in the house under lights and heat, he's not experiencing the cold weather, and need not be allowed to hibernate. In my opinion, there is no harm in keeping a tortoise awake for the winter.

 

[ascott]

And Yvonne is correct....I feel that there is no rational reason to keep a species that brumates awake for winter...unless of course there is a health issue....so as you see, I am one of the adamant ones for it

Yvonne is completely correct is sharing that it is entirely up to you what you will decide to support for the tort in your care, 100%.

I too do the no frills approach to deciding if the tort is ready for brumation...I look, lift and watch during the peak tortoise season for my decision....

Here is an interesting link to show you just how intense this particular subject can become----

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-38255.html

Also, your particular tort appears to have gained weight...so for his individual self that is good....also, you can do a shorter trial brumation for his and your first time....you can also decide to do a full 2 or 4 or 6 or 8 week period and have a set up ready for him indoors if you choose to bring him out early...or you can simply choose your tort to do a full brumation....so you will want to go with what you have set up...

You are also planning for the wind down and such for this winter right? If you are going to do brumation you will want this plan to be ready to set in motion....likely he is already giving you his evolutionary cues...

 

[HelloBella]

Just an update on Bella's weight: Since posting this I have changed from bathing Bella 1ce/2ce a week to EVERYDAY in slightly warmer than usual water ~35C. I have kept the type of food she always has available to her; a live lettuce in the corner (realise this has very little nutritional value but she seems to like the soft leaves), handful of kale in the morning, weeds as and when I find them and a couple of cheeky grapes. This sounds a lot considering many recommend only giving them what the can eat in 20 minutes but tortoises are grazers and to be honest in the past, most of this has gone to waste. However, since upping her bathtime regime I've noticed a hike in her appetite and in a fortnight she's gone from 820g to 900 (her ideal weight is about 1.10kg)! Dehydration must have been the issue here, despite her always having a pool of water available to her, big enough for her to climb in to. Frequent baths are also causing her to pass solids more frequently which might also up her appetite.

Thanks to Yvonne and Ascott for your help

 

[ascott]

Sounds good.....