Greacia Woken up two months early, worried

TB · 28-12-2015, 02:13 PM

For the first time in over 30 years Oswald (possibly female) has woken up during hibernation . He stopped eating about 2.5 months ago and put himself to bed in his box in the shed the same way he does every year. He appeared to sleep for the first two weeks. Then he woke up with the warm weather. He has been coming out of his box for the past month. He only moves a few feet but is awake. He has never done this before. He appears to have no interest in food.

We can bring him in put him under a lamp, warm him up and try to get him eating but is this the right thing to do?

Oswald is around 100 years old he is very set in his ways and we are worried. Any advice gratefully received.

Gordon · 28-12-2015, 05:08 PM

What type of Greaca is he.If you are sure on his age I would say he is a Tgg which if an algirian a lot of people say not to hibernate them anyway.
If he is that old personally I would warm him up and give him a good soak then if you can keep him up.

Pussygalore · 28-12-2015, 07:19 PM

I'd be concerned that if your tort is awake then it will be using up its fat and water stores so if it was mine I'd be inclined to try to wake him properly under lights/heat etc and bathe him so he has a chance to drink.

TB · 28-12-2015, 07:23 PM

We inherited him from an eighty year old neighbor who had owned him from childhood. He has always looked after himself. When the neighbor owned him he was left in the garden to dig himself in for the winter.

In the years we have had him he still insists on living outdoors and foraging in the garden. He hibernates himself (now in a bed of dry soil, leaves, and hay in his own shed). He Normally sleeps from autumn half term to spring half term.

We are not sure of his species or his sex but it is thought that he is a Greacia

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...730#post156730

Gordon · 28-12-2015, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TB

We inherited him from an eighty year old neighbor who had owned him from childhood. He has always looked after himself. When the neighbor owned him he was left in the garden to dig himself in for the winter.

In the years we have had him he still insists on living outdoors and foraging in the garden. He hibernates himself (now in a bed of dry soil, leaves, and hay in his own shed). He Normally sleeps from autumn half term to spring half term.

We are not sure of his species or his sex but it is thought that he is a Greacia

http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...730#post156730

Had a look at the pics but need one of the top of its shell.

Pussygalore · 29-12-2015, 09:29 AM

the problem with using a shed for hibernation is that its affected by the outside temps as you have found, you really need a brick building or to make an insulated area inside the shed. The temps need to be around 5c for a tort to properly hibernate, in a garden the tort would dig up/down depending on the ground temp which it can't do in a shed. Our unpredictable winters are why many have to resort to using a fridge if they want to safely carry on hibernating. We have used a shed before but partitioned of an area with ply, lined it with loft insulation and had a removable insulated front/door, on a cold night it would be left open to get cold inside then once the door was put back it would stay cold ( 5c or so) the torts were put inside a wooden box again with cold bedding. The shed also had a heater on a thermostat if it turned really cold, the days of allowing/hoping the tort will look after itself have gone as we now know so much more making hibernation safer and less of a gamble.

CherryBrandy · 29-12-2015, 11:03 AM

TB if it was me with these circumstances I would wake Oswald totally. The chemical reaction on waking has probably kicked in and won't be reversed easily. I had a beautiful tortoise 80 years old who hibernated every year in the garden of her keeper, no check on her snow rain etc and she was perfectly ok. I think it is a difficult one this year as I also use sheds, and outdoors for natural hibernation and so far not had a problem at all. This year is exceptionally warm (first time 1this warm in 100 years??) so it is not suprising Oswald, along with the daffodils has woken early ! Oswald looks like a Whitei to me but the weight of her could give good indication too ...Take care hope it goes well, CB

Jan W · 29-12-2015, 04:30 PM

I'm the same as CB and just as worried about warmth. So far OK it seems, but I may well wake them up next week if this continues and after checking weight loss.

TB · 05-01-2016, 04:53 PM

Update - we brought him in. He didn't need waking up as he was wide awake. He turned his nose up at his specially prepared box with hay and is currently sulking under the sofa in the kitchen.

Jan W · 06-01-2016, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TB

Update - we brought him in. He didn't need waking up as he was wide awake. He turned his nose up at his specially prepared box with hay and is currently sulking under the sofa in the kitchen.

Thanks for update. It is good to know what everyone decides.

As it is colder my two seem settled. 1st January I thought Bertie was ready to get up as he seemed to be scratching around for a few hours and I thought that seemed a long time. His head was out, but eyes firmly shut and felt cold. Beatrice I heard scratching for about a minute today and then silence and the first time I have heard her. Not sure whether I am listening more intently/regularly because of the warmth. Currently 8 degrees for them. I plan to weigh this weekend. Decisions! Decisions!

28-12-2015, 02:13 PM	#1
TB Junior Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 7	Greacia Woken up two months early, worried For the first time in over 30 years Oswald (possibly female) has woken up during hibernation . He stopped eating about 2.5 months ago and put himself to bed in his box in the shed the same way he does every year. He appeared to sleep for the first two weeks. Then he woke up with the warm weather. He has been coming out of his box for the past month. He only moves a few feet but is awake. He has never done this before. He appears to have no interest in food. We can bring him in put him under a lamp, warm him up and try to get him eating but is this the right thing to do? Oswald is around 100 years old he is very set in his ways and we are worried. Any advice gratefully received. __________________ TB

28-12-2015, 07:23 PM	#4
TB Junior Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 7	We inherited him from an eighty year old neighbor who had owned him from childhood. He has always looked after himself. When the neighbor owned him he was left in the garden to dig himself in for the winter. In the years we have had him he still insists on living outdoors and foraging in the garden. He hibernates himself (now in a bed of dry soil, leaves, and hay in his own shed). He Normally sleeps from autumn half term to spring half term. We are not sure of his species or his sex but it is thought that he is a Greacia http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...730#post156730 __________________ TB

29-12-2015, 11:03 AM	#7
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	TB if it was me with these circumstances I would wake Oswald totally. The chemical reaction on waking has probably kicked in and won't be reversed easily. I had a beautiful tortoise 80 years old who hibernated every year in the garden of her keeper, no check on her snow rain etc and she was perfectly ok. I think it is a difficult one this year as I also use sheds, and outdoors for natural hibernation and so far not had a problem at all. This year is exceptionally warm (first time 1this warm in 100 years??) so it is not suprising Oswald, along with the daffodils has woken early ! Oswald looks like a Whitei to me but the weight of her could give good indication too ...Take care hope it goes well, CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

05-01-2016, 04:53 PM	#9
TB Junior Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 7	Update - we brought him in. He didn't need waking up as he was wide awake. He turned his nose up at his specially prepared box with hay and is currently sulking under the sofa in the kitchen. __________________ TB

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28-12-2015, 05:08 PM	#2
Gordon Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 5,672	What type of Greaca is he.If you are sure on his age I would say he is a Tgg which if an algirian a lot of people say not to hibernate them anyway. If he is that old personally I would warm him up and give him a good soak then if you can keep him up.

28-12-2015, 07:19 PM	#3
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I'd be concerned that if your tort is awake then it will be using up its fat and water stores so if it was mine I'd be inclined to try to wake him properly under lights/heat etc and bathe him so he has a chance to drink.

29-12-2015, 09:29 AM	#6
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	the problem with using a shed for hibernation is that its affected by the outside temps as you have found, you really need a brick building or to make an insulated area inside the shed. The temps need to be around 5c for a tort to properly hibernate, in a garden the tort would dig up/down depending on the ground temp which it can't do in a shed. Our unpredictable winters are why many have to resort to using a fridge if they want to safely carry on hibernating. We have used a shed before but partitioned of an area with ply, lined it with loft insulation and had a removable insulated front/door, on a cold night it would be left open to get cold inside then once the door was put back it would stay cold ( 5c or so) the torts were put inside a wooden box again with cold bedding. The shed also had a heater on a thermostat if it turned really cold, the days of allowing/hoping the tort will look after itself have gone as we now know so much more making hibernation safer and less of a gamble.

29-12-2015, 04:30 PM	#8
Jan W Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 1,400	I'm the same as CB and just as worried about warmth. So far OK it seems, but I may well wake them up next week if this continues and after checking weight loss.

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