To hibernate or not

[EJ]

We're not allowed to use that phrase. These animals are not being kept in the wild.

Originally Posted by ibizathetort

Personally I believe hibernation to be a necessity to the species surviving in the wild...I'm certain that wild tortoises that have access to year round food and good temps wouldn't hibernate at all. Therefore its logical that home kept tortoises adapt just as well to year round warmth and food.

[Merlin M]

Originally Posted by EJ

A tortoise is a reptile. It depends on the environment around it to survive. If the temperatures around it are not correct... it suffers... unless it finds a way to survive the incorrect conditions.

are they reptiles Ed really?? I thought they were birds!!

Please don't talk down to me, I may not have the knowledge or experience you do, but that does NOT make me stupid!

However, adverse conditions they may be, but winter is a natural thing, that they are designed to cope with, and I can tell you this for free Ed, even indoors it is damn hard to escape it here! If nothing else we only get 8 hours of day light in winter, I think even they will notice that!

[EJ]

It seems that many can't grasp this very basic concept.

As pointed out to me earlier... the tortoises are not being kept in nature.

We are providing what they need. If we are providing for their needs they should not be inclined to hibernate.

Originally Posted by Merlin M

are they reptiles Ed really?? I thought they were birds!!

Please don't talk down to me, I may not have the knowledge or experience you do, but that does NOT make me stupid!

However, adverse conditions they may be, but winter is a natural thing, that they are designed to cope with, and I can tell you this for free Ed, even indoors it is damn hard to escape it here! If nothing else we only get 8 hours of day light in winter, I think even they will notice that!

[Merlin M]

No, they are not being kept in winter, however, it is far easier for be to hibernate over the worst of the winter, and reduces the chances of them being exposed to too much of these adverse conditions!
Given it can get to -10C at night here during a bad winter is it not better they are safe in my fridge rather that their table where they could, even with my over night heating,possible get far too cold!
Now I can (and have) over wintered, but it was really difficult to maintain temps, the times I hibernated were so much easier!

[Suze65]

Mediterranean tortoises have been hibernating for thousands of years, so surely it has become part of their natural cycle and they have evolved to the point where other things depend on it e.g their breeding cycle, without hibernation this I believe doesn't happen , also good shell growth, am I right in thinking that their shells grow perfectly in the wild without being fed for 52 weeks of the year, so their shell growth has adapted to this over thousands of years, so to bring them in and keep them awake for 52 weeks of the year is now unnatural for med tortoises.

[EJ]

I hibernate species that are now known to hibernate. It is easier... it is not a necessity.

...but there is a risk to the animal.

Originally Posted by Merlin M

No, they are not being kept in winter, however, it is far easier for be to hibernate over the worst of the winter, and reduces the chances of them being exposed to too much of these adverse conditions!
Given it can get to -10C at night here during a bad winter is it not better they are safe in my fridge rather that their table where they could, even with my over night heating,possible get far too cold!
Now I can (and have) over wintered, but it was really difficult to maintain temps, the times I hibernated were so much easier!

[EJ]

I read this somewhere before... I can't remember where... total nonsense.

Originally Posted by mediterraneansuze

Mediterranean tortoises have been hibernating for thousands of years, so surely it has become part of their natural cycle and they have evolved to the point where other things depend on it e.g their breeding cycle, without hibernation this I believe doesn't happen , also good shell growth, am I right in thinking that their shells grow perfectly in the wild without being fed for 52 weeks of the year, so their shell growth has adapted to this over thousands of years, so to bring them in and keep them awake for 52 weeks of the year is now unnatural for med tortoises.

[Suze65]

I may not be 100% correct but I don't think it's total nonsense.

[Merlin M]

Originally Posted by EJ

I hibernate species that are now known to hibernate. It is easier... it is not a necessity.

...but there is a risk to the animal.

I never said there was no risk, I also never said it was necessary!!
I am more than aware of the risk of getting it wrong!

But that does not mean we should not necessarily do it!

[Alan1]

I could never really understand the fridge hibernation thing being what they do in the wild, it's not like they can jump into the nearest BEKO frost free job out in the Slovenian wilderness. During 'hibernation' in the wild they dig down and dig back up and even come out at times above ground and have a creep about so it's obvious they are not asleep.

Being in a fridge (where they are also not asleep) may keep them at a specific temperature for x amount of weeks but they are not able to move about (I'm not talking about 6 inches left or right) like they are in the wild so who's to say that's not detrimental to their well-being?

Many people who put their torts in the fridge do so to make life easier for themselves, nothing wrong with that at all, why make life difficult, but it's not the same as what happens in the wild.