[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Zen ton

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice and warm welcome!

How long should a tortoise hibernate for and when should he/she be woken?

We've always put him down for hibernation around October and then when ever the sunshine is out a few months later. I don't know whether that's correct but that's what my parents have done for the past thirty years or so.

Also do you ever have any problems with your tortoises and cats?

I already feel a lot more knowledgable about providing a decent hibernating box this winter.

As Gordon has said, he will let you know when he ready to hibernate, I'm sure he's probably already started to notice autumn. If you let him wind down naturally, he might be ready to go down by about the end of October /beginning of November. As I said above he looks like a North African Graeca, they have a shorter hibernation than European Meds. About 8 weeks. Also, I have never had a problem with cats and tortoises.