Hello All:
I got my Russian tortoise about 2 months ago. I live in AZ, and he is in an outdoor enclosure. The lady I got him from said he had hibernated outside the last 2 years with no trouble. Thsi is my first tortoise so I have some questions.
My concern is that I built him a burrow made with cinder blocks and dirt on the top. He used that for awhile but has now made his own favorite spot by dugging himself a burrow under a half log. I dont ever see him in the cinder block burrow anymore. I am worried that he is going to try and hybernate in the one he built himself, and that one isnt as protected from the elements.
Should I hibernate him in a large plastic container in the garage? Or see where he trys to hibernate outside? Also, do you need to take them out of hibernation for soaking? And if I go with the garage route do I need to take him outside for natural sunlight?
Any tips or suggestions are much appreciated!
Also, if I hibernate him in the garage what kind of substrate should he have? Since his is outside right now he just has natural soil and top soil. Although I am thinkign of putting cocunut coir in his cinder block burrow to maybe entice him back in there and not under the log.
I got my Russian tortoise about 2 months ago. I live in AZ, and he is in an outdoor enclosure. The lady I got him from said he had hibernated outside the last 2 years with no trouble. Thsi is my first tortoise so I have some questions.
My concern is that I built him a burrow made with cinder blocks and dirt on the top. He used that for awhile but has now made his own favorite spot by dugging himself a burrow under a half log. I dont ever see him in the cinder block burrow anymore. I am worried that he is going to try and hybernate in the one he built himself, and that one isnt as protected from the elements.
Should I hibernate him in a large plastic container in the garage? Or see where he trys to hibernate outside? Also, do you need to take them out of hibernation for soaking? And if I go with the garage route do I need to take him outside for natural sunlight?
Any tips or suggestions are much appreciated!
Also, if I hibernate him in the garage what kind of substrate should he have? Since his is outside right now he just has natural soil and top soil. Although I am thinkign of putting cocunut coir in his cinder block burrow to maybe entice him back in there and not under the log.