Hibernation

[Josh]

desert tort folks, do all your desert torts hibernate? can you describe an average hibernation for me? for instance, does the tortoise ever wake up while hibernating? will tortoises be content "burrowing" into some substrate in a plastic container for hibernation?

 

[Crazy1]

Josh,
I found this site and it has some info on hibernation of desert tortoises
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/safer.html
as well as
http://www.tortoise.org/general/descare.html
Hope this helps.

 

[Josh]

thanks for posting those sites, crazy1. im leaning strongly towards adopting a DT when i have enough room to properly care for one. i'm doing as much reading as i can now and these sites will be added to my 'To Read' list

 

[Kyrazy]

Our DT hibernates November to March every year (approx). We start leaving the patio door open during the day when she shows signs of wanting to get her beauty rest. Eventually, when she is ready, she'll come into the house and go to her corner. (She's hibernated in the corner of our livingroom under the end table for six years now.)

Kyris

 

[Amy]

Our DT hibernates November to March every year (approx). We start leaving the patio door open during the day when she shows signs of wanting to get her beauty rest. Eventually, when she is ready, she'll come into the house and go to her corner. (She's hibernated in the corner of our livingroom under the end table for six years now.)

Kyris

That's so cute, kinda like a puppy. Is that common with DT? They like routine?

 

[Kyrazy]

That's so cute, kinda like a puppy. Is that common with DT? They like routine?
[/quote]

Ours seems to be pretty mellow. Just goes with whatever we're doing but doesn't let it interfere with what SHE is doing. She has her schedule though - up in the morning when it warms up enough - grazes around until someone goes out to the yard to do something then makes a general pest of herself - always in the way. Wants to graze next to your feet or snack on your toes if you're working in the flower bed. If you get the hose out, you have to squirt her bowl clean and make sure she sees it or you have a shadow the whole time.

She is very personable - has to be where we are if we're out and likes to be "petted".

 

[Jacqui]

Elmer would slow down, stopped wanting to go outside or eat, and then we would know he was ready for hibernation. He had a plastic tote in the closet. Would check on him during the winter, but he never moved as I recalled. When spring came, you would hear him move in his box and that was the signal he was ready to come out.