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Originally Posted by TessaRuth
Hello and so grateful for any advice. We took on two 18 month old tortoises last January so this is our first winter with them. I know that such young tortoises shouldn't hibernate but they seem to be doing this anyway. They live in a tortoise table with heating etc, are by a window and we are in southern England. Completely on their own, they have taken themselves off and have not eaten or drunk in the past four days. Otherwise, they are perfectly healthy and have put on nearly half their weight again in the past 11 months. Should I get them up to bathe them every few days? Not at all sure what to do or whether this is just completely normal. How long is is safe to leave them like this? Really appreciate any advice. They are Hermanns.
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Hatchling tortoises hibernate from their first year in the wild:0) So it would be normal to do so, but most keepers are scared to do so. But if the correct info is followed its a doddle if a little scary the first time. I have been hibernating tortoises for over 35yrs (hatchlings too) and not lost one to hibernation yet:0)
It does sound as though they are trying to wind themselves down. If you dont want to hibernate (far better for them to do so) then you will have to raise their light levels in their enclosure. As its light that gets them up, and heat gets them going:0) I live in Kent and our light levels have been very low for weeks now. All my tortoises are in hibernation so not such a worry:0)
When I used to have hatchlings and needed more light I just use to use a desk lamp with an ordinary bulb over the enclosure to help:0)