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Old 07-11-2015, 11:39 AM   #1
vikki
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Gloucestershire
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Default The importance of hibernation.

As a follow on from the thread "too light to hibernate" I felt that I would love to hear peoples opinion on the importance of hibernating. I realise as keepers we should try to keep things as close to nature as possible but then I start to think that realistically they don't live in wild conditions. In the wild tortoises hibernate due to weather conditions and availability of food so therefore under conditions where we can provide 'summer' type conditions year round is there a need for them to hibernate? Some species of tortoises don't hibernate and presumably this is because in their native habitat there is no need for them to do so as temperatures do not drop too low and food remains available. As most of you will know I have decided this year to overwinter my two and they are now indoors with combi lamps and food being supplied and they are probably at least as active if not more so than they have been during the summer and are both eating as much as they can get hold off (little pigs!!!). Herbie has definitely not been hibernated and I would guess neither has Daisy. I would like to stress that I am not suggesting that tortoises should not be hibernated (although I believe there are people who never do) but would just like to get peoples opinions on the importance of it and the reasonings behind it. Thanks
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