- Joined
- Nov 1, 2009
- Messages
- 73
Hi everyone,
First, thanks to those who last month answered so many of my questions regarding lighting. http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-10195.html
Tortoisenerd, Meg90, etc, thanks!
My new question is regarding sleeping habits and hibernation.
I have not heard about hibernation until reading some recent threads here, and certaintly nothing when we bought the little guy. He was very active last week and the weekend, especially after a soaking and when we changed out his old substrate and straightened up his terrarium (which we do once every few weeks. We spot check for droppings and urine, but we do a complete cleanup every few weeks).
On Sunday, after we cleaned his terrarium, he spent a lot of time digging a nice hole in the substrate under his log (a usual sleeping spot for him on the cool end, about 75 degrees). He stayed there for 3 days straight without eating or moving. We'd hear him adjusting himself, but he didn't leave the hole. We finally took him out Wednesday evening and put him in front of his food. It took him a few seconds to wake up, but then he promptly ate, basked for a bit, and then went back to his hole. He stayed in there all yesterday (Thursday), and my wife took him out of his hole this morning. He ate, basked, and probably went back to bed (we left for work and won't see him until this afternoon).
I should mention typcially he is waiting by his food dish every morning, ready to eat, like clockwork.
Question: Is his sluggishness due to an eventful weekend (bath, changing his home around, being very active in his terrarium all weekend), or is he actually trying to begin hibernating (which i know nothing about!)
He's a young one, presumably, as Meg90 suggested by the photos I posted in the other thread. We've only had him since Oct 12 of this year, so 2 months. The sluggishness this week, along with knowing nothing about hibernation, makes us wonder what to do or look for.
He has a MVB UVB (Thanks to everyone's help selecting a good one!) and a cool area of 75-80 degrees. UVB is on from 6am to 7pm, and the red light heat lamp is on during the night to keep the terrarium warm on the one end. His log he hides under is on the cool 75-80 side.
Thanks!
First, thanks to those who last month answered so many of my questions regarding lighting. http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-10195.html
Tortoisenerd, Meg90, etc, thanks!
My new question is regarding sleeping habits and hibernation.
I have not heard about hibernation until reading some recent threads here, and certaintly nothing when we bought the little guy. He was very active last week and the weekend, especially after a soaking and when we changed out his old substrate and straightened up his terrarium (which we do once every few weeks. We spot check for droppings and urine, but we do a complete cleanup every few weeks).
On Sunday, after we cleaned his terrarium, he spent a lot of time digging a nice hole in the substrate under his log (a usual sleeping spot for him on the cool end, about 75 degrees). He stayed there for 3 days straight without eating or moving. We'd hear him adjusting himself, but he didn't leave the hole. We finally took him out Wednesday evening and put him in front of his food. It took him a few seconds to wake up, but then he promptly ate, basked for a bit, and then went back to his hole. He stayed in there all yesterday (Thursday), and my wife took him out of his hole this morning. He ate, basked, and probably went back to bed (we left for work and won't see him until this afternoon).
I should mention typcially he is waiting by his food dish every morning, ready to eat, like clockwork.
Question: Is his sluggishness due to an eventful weekend (bath, changing his home around, being very active in his terrarium all weekend), or is he actually trying to begin hibernating (which i know nothing about!)
He's a young one, presumably, as Meg90 suggested by the photos I posted in the other thread. We've only had him since Oct 12 of this year, so 2 months. The sluggishness this week, along with knowing nothing about hibernation, makes us wonder what to do or look for.
He has a MVB UVB (Thanks to everyone's help selecting a good one!) and a cool area of 75-80 degrees. UVB is on from 6am to 7pm, and the red light heat lamp is on during the night to keep the terrarium warm on the one end. His log he hides under is on the cool 75-80 side.
Thanks!