Hibernation?

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joess

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Hi, this is my first thread so please be gentle!

We were given a tortoise in May by a lady who was too old to look after it any more, Suzie (the tortoise) has a enclosure but the majority of the time she's outside roaming around (this is what she used to do with her other owner).

Over the past week or so we noticed Suzie was getting slower when walking and wasn't covering as much ground as she normally did so was putting her in her warm enclosure overnight.

This morning we let her out and she started to dig - not her normal scrape digging, head and front half of shell were in the hole.

We've been out all afternoon and when we've gone to check on her she's completely underground now, we've moved a bit of soil and I'd say she's probably 5cm under the surface, fully covered (thank god we knew she'd been digging this morning or we'd have thought she was lost!).

I've had a quick look on internet and it says they normally did October/November time - could she have already hibernated?

She's about 40 years old give or take, we were told she normally hibernates in the garden but we'd notice her 'stocking up' on food - which we haven't.

Any ideas? I really wanted to hibernate her in our garage then I knew she was safe - if she has already hibernated can I leave her a few days and then put her in a box. The thought of her being in the garden all winter makes me sad!

Anyway thanks for reading and I hope someone can help.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi joess:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

First of all, we'll need to know what kind of tortoise you have. Then it really helps to know where you are. For instance, I have desert tortoises. I don't live where the tortoises come from, I live in the Central Valley of California. My location has way more rainfall during the winter than my tortoises would have to endure in their native land, so it wouldn't be prudent for me to allow them to hibernate in the ground. If they got too wet while they were cold, it might kill them.

So, tell us a bit more, and we'll be happy to help you.
 

Torty Mom

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I will be hibernating Lou for the first time and I am equally freaked out over it!!

Did you say what kind of tortie Susie is?
 
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