Herman's Hibernation poop HELP!!!!

SucellusTheRescue

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Hello everyone,

I have a rescue tortoise that came to me in pretty bad shape last year. To get his health and weight up he didn't hibernate last winter and presumably never has.

Sucellus has been hibernating for three weeks now and in his last two weigh ins he had poop in with him. The first time I noticed I read that poop was normal and not a concern. But he wasn't fed for a month before going into the fridge, and now tonight he's pooped again?!
The poop is grey/brown and pasty.

Skin and eyes all seem fine! Just need to know if I should wake him up tonight?? Just cleaned up the last "poop".

My first time hibernating anything so any advice is much appreciated!!!!

Thank you Ellen and Sucellus
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Ellen! Welcome to the Forum.

We normally allow our tortoises to sit around in warmish weather for two or three weeks in order for their systems to be able to clean themselves out prior to going into brumation mode. So I'm not familiar with pooping during brumation. Let's ask @HermanniChris , who is very experienced with the Hermanni tortoise species. He may not be online right now, so wait to see if he responds tomorrow.
 

SucellusTheRescue

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Hi Ellen! Welcome to the Forum.

We normally allow our tortoises to sit around in warmish weather for two or three weeks in order for their systems to be able to clean themselves out prior to going into brumation mode. So I'm not familiar with pooping during brumation. Let's ask @HermanniChris , who is very experienced with the Hermanni tortoise species. He may not be online right now, so wait to see if he responds tomorrow.

Thank you!!
 

HermanniChris

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Hermanni can and do defecate during the early part of brumation so if all else looks well, I see no need to worry.
 

Tom

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Hello everyone,

I have a rescue tortoise that came to me in pretty bad shape last year. To get his health and weight up he didn't hibernate last winter and presumably never has.

Sucellus has been hibernating for three weeks now and in his last two weigh ins he had poop in with him. The first time I noticed I read that poop was normal and not a concern. But he wasn't fed for a month before going into the fridge, and now tonight he's pooped again?!
The poop is grey/brown and pasty.

Skin and eyes all seem fine! Just need to know if I should wake him up tonight?? Just cleaned up the last "poop".

My first time hibernating anything so any advice is much appreciated!!!!

Thank you Ellen and Sucellus
I've never had any tortoise of any species poop during hibernation. As Yvonne described, I keep them warm and lit, and soak them daily or every other day for two or three week leading up to hibernation. I do this to empty their gut.

Please keep us posted on how things go after hibernation. I'd like to learn from this.
 

SucellusTheRescue

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Hi everyone thank you so much for the advice!

After I posted Suzie settled right down to a wonderful sleep.

But unfortunately I have just had to wake him up. Weekly check up yesterday there was mold growing in his soil. Cleared it all up and gave him a once over with a damp cloth. Checked in today and his poor eyelids had gone white so decided to wake him.

So all in all 52 days in hibernation weight is still good but the skin is dry. I'm guessing this is because of the mini bath I gave him? Then returned him to the fridge?

Has been awake a few hours now. Eyes are good and he's reacting to visual stimuli.

Have him in a friend's old Viv because I am building a new one (thinking he'd be asleep till after Christmas it's not ready yet).

Basking away under the lamp and seems happy will try food tomorrow after his bath.

Thanks again!!

Ellen and Sucellus.
 
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