Hibernation info please

[07921sarah]

Hi everyone, I have a female hermann tortoise she is 5 years 5months old she has never been hibernated before but we think that this year she has slowed down a lot and isn't coming out of her hide unless I get her out to bath her so we think she is readying herself for hibernation. I have read a lot of information on the Internet ref hibernation but I just want to confirm my findings, I'm planning refrigeration hibernation for a period of 3 weeks only as this is her first hibernation and I'm planning a wind down (starve) period if 12days prior to she currently weighs 259g and is 110mm long.
Can people let me know if this sounds correct
Thank you

 

[Tom]

Has she already stopped eating completely on her own?

 

[07921sarah]

She is in a tortoise table indoors we are putting food in each day as normal but she is only eating once every 4 days when I did her up to bath her she'll eat a small amount after her bath then the following day buries herself until her next bath and hasn't come up on her own for food or light in about 4 weeks only when I get her up.
The temp in the table is good and I have moved her next to the window to increase the amount of light.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

So you're not running a UVB light or keeping lights on for a summer length day?

 

[07921sarah]

Yes we are we are using a 100w mega ray bulb with combined heat and UVA and UVB

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Someone else will have to address this. If she's going to hibernate, her days should get shorter and her temps get cooler. And she should stop eating altogether. But someone else will have to talk you through it.

 

[ascott]

A tortoise that is designed for brumation;

You should offer a period of time where you do not offer supplemental food for at least a couple weeks before the targeted brumation start.
You should offer soaks for the tort a few days as the target day approaches.
You should also begin to cut down on the artificial heat/lighting leading up to the target day.
You should have the hibernacle set up and ready to go so that when you hit your target, you can readily place the tort in for brumation.

What have you specifically done to prepare for this event?

 

[ascott]

Also, have you had the tort in your care for the entire 5+ years?