Tortoise Hibernation

[Katie O'Brien]

I have a spur-thighed tortoise that is 3 years old. When i bought him, i was told to not let him hibernate, although at this point in the year, he is sleeping a lot under a log and doesn't seem to eat much. Does this mean that he wants to hibernate? and if so, should i let him?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

There are a couple of species that are referred to as Spur-thigh or Spurred. One is Geochelone sulcata, and the other is a Testudo ibera (also called a Greek), a small tort. If you have an Ibera/Greek he's probably trying to hibernate, so up your temps and leave his light on for 12 to 14 hrs a day. If his species hibernates, and you want to....learn all you can first. He's got to empty his stomach, you have to put him in a safe place, (my sis uses an unplugged freezer.). I don't hibernate any of mine, so someone else will have to advise you on hibernation.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I just read this...from AH.....
In order to survive hibernation in good condition, tortoises need to have built up sufficient reserves of body fat; this in turn stores energy and water. Without fat and water tortoises die of starvation or dehydration. Adequate reserves of body fat are vital to tortoises in hibernation; they live off these reserves whilst asleep, and if the reserves run out too soon then the animal's body will begin to use up the fat contained within the muscles and internal organs, eventually these too will become exhausted. Should this occur the tortoise will simply die in hibernation.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I just read this...from AH.....
In order to survive hibernation in good condition, tortoises need to have built up sufficient reserves of body fat; this in turn stores energy and water. Without fat and water tortoises die of starvation or dehydration. Adequate reserves of body fat are vital to tortoises in hibernation; they live off these reserves whilst asleep, and if the reserves run out too soon then the animal's body will begin to use up the fat contained within the muscles and internal organs, eventually these too will become exhausted. Should this occur the tortoise will simply die in hibernation.

An unprepared tortoise can certainly die in hibernation. Let me add to that: Another hazard is if the temperature is not low enough. At room temperature or temps above hibernation temps, that seemingly hibernating tortoise will not be in a true state of hibernation (brumation) and slowly starve. This can lead to organ damage/failure or to death, even in a health animal.

 

[ascott]

If you set up the proper hibernacle, the brumating tortoise has no reason to fail...especially in captivity....so, please do educate yourself and research a good place for the process and then decide what will work out best for the tortoise...brumation is a natural process that is so easily dismissed....

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Katie, and welcome to the Forum!

The first thing you need to consider is how long you've had the tortoise. We recommend that you keep a new-to-you tortoise up the first winter that he is with you. This way you can be sure you know him, know if he's healthy and fit to hibernate.

So, if this is a new-to-you tortoise, wake him up. Pull him out of his hiding place every time you walk by the habitat and place him in front of the food, or in the water. Don't let him sleep his day away. Put him at the farthest end from the hiding place so he has to walk and get exercise. Keep your lights on for 14 hours a day in order to fool him into thinking it is still summer time.

It's not always easy to keep a tortoise awake during the winter, but sometimes it's necessary.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Hi, like maggie said, do you have a sulcata (African Spurred Tortoise)-
Or a Greek(Spur Thighed Tortoise)-
If you have the tippity top tortoise, he CAN'T hibernate! Suclata's don't hibernate, barbecue they can't. If you have a little greek tort, he may be trying to0.
Like everyone's saying, there are A LOT of factors to consider before hibernating a tortoise. Has he been to the vet? How long have you had him?
I don't hibernate any of my animals, because I don't have to, and things can go horribly wrong if it's done incorrectly (like the tort dying) and a bunch of other reasons