Russian tortoise hibernation questions.

[Saltwater60]

I have a fully grown Russian tortoise and she is in an indoor enclosure in my basement. She has uv light and two heat lamps. Normally she slows down this time of year and eats less but this year she has been digging a lot. I added more dirt to make her happy and she seems to have gone into hibernation. I didn’t plan for this because she hasn’t needed or wanted to the last few years that I have owned her.
I’m just looking for a little advice to do this safely. I guess my plan is to soak her to empty her gut and stop feeding her. I will warm her up a bit as the temps are supposed to be warmer for this week. She’s rather plump so I’m not really worried about weight. I’ll soak her here and there to prevent dehydration and I will keep her soil moist.
many other thoughts or recommendations? I certainly want her to be safe and happy.

 

[Tom]

I have a fully grown Russian tortoise and she is in an indoor enclosure in my basement. She has uv light and two heat lamps. Normally she slows down this time of year and eats less but this year she has been digging a lot. I added more dirt to make her happy and she seems to have gone into hibernation. I didn’t plan for this because she hasn’t needed or wanted to the last few years that I have owned her.
I’m just looking for a little advice to do this safely. I guess my plan is to soak her to empty her gut and stop feeding her. I will warm her up a bit as the temps are supposed to be warmer for this week. She’s rather plump so I’m not really worried about weight. I’ll soak her here and there to prevent dehydration and I will keep her soil moist.
many other thoughts or recommendations? I certainly want her to be safe and happy.

You can read the whole thread, but the info you are looking for is down in post #19:

Looking for an RT Hibernation "Mentor"

In this thread, @Tom mentioned seeking out a "mentor" who has experience in successfully hibernating Russian tortoises. So I am looking for you! Or any ideas of potential helpful peeps... Thanks! :) A little background: My boyfriend and I are interested in hibernating Steve, our male Russian...

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