Quote:
Originally Posted by Julia
I'd appreciate some advice please on Herman's babies:
I was lucky enough to have 3 babies hatch last September. They have never been very active, mainly sleeping and just coming out to feed.
They weigh between 18 and 21 grams.
In the last 2 weeks they seem to be even less active. 2 of them often don't come out of their hide to feed at all, just sleeping day and night.
Is this something to do with their instinct to hibernate, or should I wake them up every day, to ensure they feed and bath? I think they are too young to hibernate, and I'm keeping a heat lamp on during the day, at around 27 degrees, which must be too warm for them to hibernate anyway.
What should I do?
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They are never too young to hibernate:0)
Just wondering what you think they do in the wild:0)
When temps are not high enough they they will be lathagic and slow down. So low temps and dull light will send them into hibernation mode.
You have two choices, up the temps during the day to at least 32c with a background heat of at least 25c. Also you probably will need an extra light sorce. This can be any spotlight to make it brighter.
Or hibernate them.
Its normally keepers that are too scared to hibernate hatchlings sized tortoises. But with careful monitoring it can be done. I always hibernated my smaller tortoises when I used to breed them.
Windown for small tortoises is shorter than adults, non feeding for three weeks, and eight weeks actual hibernation, but if all is well another couple of hibernation weeks is fine.