NADIA HAS COME OUT OF HIBERNATION

[Carol S]

Hi:

I live in Alta Loma, CA. It was around 80 degrees outside today. It was suppose to rain heavy on Monday or Tuesday, however, it barely sprinkled.

Today when I was outside sprinkling the tortoise enclosure where I had planted poppy seeds I saw that one of my Russian tortoises had come out of hibneration. I knew were she had dug down into the earth and was hibernating. She was basking at the opposite end of the enclosure (which at this time of year is the only small area where there is any sunshine). The area where she was hibernating is still wet without any sunshine yet so I was suprised that she had come out of hibernation as I thought the ground had to warm up in order to wake them up. Is this true?

As soon as I saw that she was awake I soaked her in warm water, but she did not drink. She might have taken a drink out of her water bowl earlier today. I cleaned the bowl and filled it up the other day just in case one of the Russians woke up early.

My question is should I bring her in at night? I checked out her burrow, but it appears to be caved in and the dirt is wet and I don't know if she will go in the burrow that we made for her at the time that the enclosure was constructed or burrow into the wet dirt where her burrow is.

After there was no more sun in the corner of the enclosure I brought her in for the night and put her in a box until I hear from fellow members as to what is best to do in this situation. Tomorrow morning I will put her back out in the sunshine and soak her again.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Carol

 

[ascott]

Hi....yes, you did the right thing, in my opinion....it will not be long before the temps will be ideal again...so out on the sunny days and in for the nights until the weather is a bit warmer...this is what I would do especially since her spot is caved in and wet....

I would also soak her every day perhaps going out for the day and a little before you bring her in...just really want to make sure she gets her water intake to hydrate and to move the system a bit

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's another opinion for you, you'll have to decide.

Since the tortoise has been outside all this time, it is acclimated to being outside and cold. You can leave it outside, protected from the rain and let it warm up with the weather. It probably won't eat until it gets warm enough outside.

I don't ever bring mine in if they've been hibernating outside.

And another little tid bit for you. Its pretty dangerous to allow a Russian tortoise to brumate (hibernate) outside if you live in a place that gets a lot of rain during the winter. Getting wet while hibernating could be a death sentence for a Russian tortoise. Of course, if the hibernatorium is protected from getting wet, then it would be ok.

 

[GBtortoises]

Here's another opinion for you, you'll have to decide.

Since the tortoise has been outside all this time, it is acclimated to being outside and cold. You can leave it outside, protected from the rain and let it warm up with the weather. It probably won't eat until it gets warm enough outside.

I don't ever bring mine in if they've been hibernating outside.

And another little tid bit for you. Its pretty dangerous to allow a Russian tortoise to brumate (hibernate) outside if you live in a place that gets a lot of rain during the winter. Getting wet while hibernating could be a death sentence for a Russian tortoise. Of course, if the hibernatorium is protected from getting wet, then it would be ok.

I agree with Yvonne. Unless the tortoise is in danger due to a less than ideal brumation location, I would leave it alone. In some climates it's not unusual for tortoises to come out of brumation and go back in either for a short brumation or inactivity period due to weather changes.
They know what they're doing, as long as they're given adequate conditions to do it in.

 

[Jacqui]

I too vote for leaving her as is, even tho I know the human impulse is to take them in and "baby" them. You have chosen for her to live a more normal natural life, and if you have the enclosure set up correctly, then she should go thru this normal behavior at wake up time just fine.