Over wintering new torts

[veggie86]

Hi all, what would you recommend for over wintering my new girls?

The previous owner said the older girl was starting to slow down and getting ready for hibernation as she was struggling to keep the temps up (in a static caravan). However I have seen no signs of this at all! They're both up pretty much as soon as the lights are on and stay up all day, and I can't believe the amount of food they are getting through! Little Pip especially, I don't know where she puts it all

I know some people recommend less food and allowing torts to slow down over winter even if they're not hibernating?

Do you think I should keep them feeding and active as if it were summer? I'm not sure about changing their routine with them being so new, i'm really happy they have such good appetites after their move, but I want to do what's best for their health if that means cutting the food a bit over winter.

Thanks in advance

[Catwoman63]

Why change if they are happy and active and eating, leave it as it is, they are doing really well by the sounds of it x

[veggie86]

Thanks I'm really pleased with how well they've settled in, lovely girls

I just keep reading about people just feeding every other day, and trying to maintain rather than put weight on. Is there any benefit to this?

[Catwoman63]

I feed my over wintered tortoises every day, I let them choose if they want to eat or not and some days they don't eat anything. Some days they don't get up, but there is always food and water available to them

You are doing a good job, they are new and settling in and I wouldn't change what your doing with them, they are obviously happy with the way it is x

[veggie86]

Ok, great That sounds right. It's what I was doing with Pickles before I gave in and decided to hibernate him. He wasn't interested in food every day, and did have some 'duvet days' lol, but I figured he knew what he was doing, which is why I chose to let him go ahead and wind down. The girls just show no sign of slowing down at all!

Thanks for your advice x

[emma_mcraf]

I overwinter all my torts and feed them every day. I maintain their light levels and temps and they rarely slow down. As Bev has said, continue with what you're doing - they sound content enough.

[Alan1]

I put food (Mazuri pellets) and water in every day but not a lot because they mostly don't eat it. Every now and then they will come out and eat when they feel like it, once a week maybe and if they eat all that's there I give them a bit more. They are in separate tables. The lamps are not on all the time

[Pussygalore]

if you had a male in with the girls could they be carrying eggs? if so I know my female used to eat for england when she had eggs so I'd carry on feeding just in case. Don't forget that light is as important as heat in the winter even if you have to add extra light, I used to use freestanding anglepoise stands with ordinary bulbs as extra as they can be positioned anywhere. I'd also provide the girls with a deep soil area kept nice and warm and humid just in case they want to lay, it needs to be deeper than the tort is long as they really dig down with their back legs.

[Catwoman63]

I doubt they have eggs as they are very young! Lol

[Pussygalore]

I assumed that as they are old enough to be sexed and a previous owner was mentioned that they could be old enough to breed i didn't see an age mentioned.