Some advice please! (not eating after hibernation)

[JamJam03]

If anyone can help me and give me some advice, I would be most grateful.
I have a tortoise who is 6/7 years old, she woke up from hibanation at the start of March. She often take a few weeks to wake up properly and start eating, but this time she hasn't eaten yet?! She is awake and moving around as normal for this weather but the fact she hasn't eaten yet is worrying me...... Can anybody help?! Thank you x

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

Is this an outdoor only tortoise?
Where are you?
What species?
Are you soaking daily in warm water?

 

[dmmj]

what type of )tortoise are we talking about please?

 

[JamJam03]

It's a Greek spur thighed tortoise. We live in England so she is outside all the time normally from mid April till late September/early October. She comes into the house for a few weeks before going into hibanation, she hibanates in a box in the out building. She normally wakes up early March and will spend a few weeks in the house before going outside full time.
This method has worked well the last couple of years but she isn't eating now.
I have given her a warm bath but I'm not doing it daily. Thanks

 

[Tom]

It's a Greek spur thighed tortoise. We live in England so she is outside all the time normally from mid April till late September/early October. She comes into the house for a few weeks before going into hibanation, she hibanates in a box in the out building. She normally wakes up early March and will spend a few weeks in the house before going outside full time.
This method has worked well the last couple of years but she isn't eating now.
I have given her a warm bath but I'm not doing it daily. Thanks

If temps outside are not warm enough, you will need to create an environment inside that has the correct temps and conditions. They need a basking area that gets around 36C for at least 12 hours a day. If your nights are dropping much below 18C, you might want to add some night heat too.

 

[Tom]

@JoesMum is from your neck of the woods and has first hand experience with this. Perhaps she will see this and chime in.

 

[JamJam03]

If temps outside are not warm enough, you will need to create an environment inside that has the correct temps and conditions. They need a basking area that get around 36C for at least 12 hours a day. If your nights are dropping much below 18C, you might want to add some night heat too.

Thank you

 

[JoesMum]

@JoesMum is from your neck of the woods and has first hand experience with this. Perhaps she will see this and chime in.

Thanks for the shout @Tom

Hello, yes I am well used to hibernation and adapting to a UK climate.

Your tort needs soaking twice a day and more heat.

Joe is an outdoor tort. Our one experience of having to over-winter him awake indoors, due to his health, was so horrendous for both of us that I fully intend never to repeat it!

When Joe comes out of hibernation, I soak him twice a day for a good 20 minutes to rehydrate him. He rarely eats until after he's done a massive wee and a poop. These soaks continue until I am confident he is eating and that he's drinking from his outdoor bowls.

On my vet's advice, I now add Reptoboost to his post-hibernation soaking water.

Even down here in Kent, the weather hasn't been warm enough most days for Joe to get started without help.

Straight after hibernation, I bring him into our conservatory at night so he doesn't get too cold and then start his day under a heat lamp out there. When he's charged up and ready to go then I put him out.

Outdoors he has:

1. A cold frame in a spot in the garden that gets the sun first thing. This has straw in one end and is Joe's usual sleeping spot. I make sure he's in there and under the straw once he's sleeping outdoors, except in high summer when there's no point.

2. A dog kennel with a heat lamp in it for spring/autumn. I have only just started to use it for Joe's early morning charge. He can return to it when he wants. I don't bother with it once the sun is out consistently, but that won't be for another couple of months yet.

3. A patch of blue slate chips in his favourite garden sun spot. They warm up very quickly in the weakest sun and he loves lying on them.

There are pictures of the cold frame and dog kennel here http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...t-tortoise-outside.138772/page-2#post-1304176

And this is the lamp in the conservatory. It's on a timer so it comes on about 6.30am and the slab starts to warm up. When I come down, I put Joe under it.


Happy to answer your questions.