Hibernating?

[gopherhockey03]

As some of you know my RT hasn't ate anything in two weeks I've tried everything. She burrows a LOT at the cold end of the enclosure. I was thinking about just letting her do her thing and hibernate her, is there a check list I should do before doing it? she hasn't ate but has drank water. The fridge she will be in is never used and is about 45 degrees. Is it as simple as putting her in the shoe box and check her once a week?

 

[GBtortoises]

Check out this link on refrigerator hibernation:



http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Refrigerator.htm

 

[gopherhockey03]

Yes, I have the stuff to do it ill have to check the temps and everything.

But again ive only had her for 2 weeks... I'm torn...

 

[ascott]

If you have only had your tortoise for two weeks I would suggest no brumation this year....

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I would leave her set up active and just know that she will be out of sorts for a couple reasons....still new, only couple weeks with you and her enclosure and two...it is that time of year that evolution makes her call....so just be patient

 

[GBtortoises]

I agree that hibernating (brumating) a newly acquired tortoise usually isn't a good idea. Especially on that you've only had for a few weeks. New tortoises generally need time to acclimate to new environments. Any tortoise that I plan to brumate I do not do so with until it has spent at least one full year here going through each seasonal change. That gives the tortoise the time to acclimate to each changing season and establish a routine leading up to brumation.

You also have the option of not having to brumate your tortoise ever by keeping it awake and active throughout the winter months. Tortoise brumate and aestivate in the wild in order to get through times of adverse conditions such as extreme temperatures and lack of food. None of those conditions are normally present in a captive situation.

Either way, it's more likely that your tortoise has not become secure enough in it's new environment to become fully active yet. Burrowing is a Russian tortoises form of security.

 

[Utah Lynn]

Tanner, I've had my male RT since June. He has been doing the same thing for a few weeks now. I just dig him out every other day, give him a good soak, put back to eat and then he goes right back to dig in. He appears to be healthy. Good luck. I would never hibernate them. It's not necassary.