[Suze65]

Originally Posted by becciwales

I agree with you. BUT I also think that you have to be competent and knowledgeable enough before starting the process, it can't be good for them to start the process then be yanked out if it by a panicking keeper, I'm the first to admit I haven't done it. I'd only had Darwin a few weeks by hibernation time last year, I also don't think Galileo would be suitable for hibernating this year. I am planning on reading up on it and may try next year.

I'm also of the thought though, that hibernation is to survive, I can provide year round sun and UV, is it necessary to hibernate them then?

So to sum up, I really don't know!!

Yes absolutely Becci, you must be confident enough to go ahead with hibernation.
Hibernation is a survival strategy, but I believe that over thousands of years it's become part of their natural life cycle, it is definitely part of their breeding cycle. You don't have to force a tortoise to hibernate, but you do have to force it to stay awake all winter , and that can be difficult with old tors who have hibernated all their lives. And some torts how ever hard you try to keep them going all winter will still slow down for a while. I know some of my hatchlings last winter were sleeping longer during the day by January, and they were plenty warm, and lights on for 12 hours a day.