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Old 03-10-2018, 08:22 PM   #11
Ozric Jonathan
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No recognised reputable sources say a hermann should hibernate for 6 months. This is nothing like normal in nature even in a long cold winter. Many of the wild ones do 2 months or less if spring comes early. Yes we're not in nature, I agree, but my opinion is that 6 months is unsafe.
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Old 04-10-2018, 10:18 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan View Post
No recognised reputable sources say a hermann should hibernate for 6 months. This is nothing like normal in nature even in a long cold winter. Many of the wild ones do 2 months or less if spring comes early. Yes we're not in nature, I agree, but my opinion is that 6 months is unsafe.
It might be but who knows if we know better than they do though?
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Old 05-10-2018, 10:47 PM   #13
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I'm just offering this view for some balance. Hermann tortoises would not encounter those conditions in nature. But of course our pets are not in nature.
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Old 07-10-2018, 12:07 PM   #14
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Thanks Alan1 and CherryBrandy. Mine started to slow down and eat less but he has picked up again! Not sure if we have missed our window to hibernate him now! We see the vet in a few weeks to make aure he is well and start hibernation then if we can.
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Old 07-10-2018, 12:34 PM   #15
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just posted on another thread , a few of mine are scoffing again because the weather was so hot here Friday, yesterday cold and today so very warm again, blue skies and sunshine. I don't think a few bits of food will stay too long but will keep an eye because if it goes cold again it wont pass through but tortoises do seem to know because the marginated will eat grass when it wants to and knows its nearing hibernation.
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Old 17-10-2018, 06:01 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan View Post
No recognised reputable sources say a hermann should hibernate for 6 months. This is nothing like normal in nature even in a long cold winter. Many of the wild ones do 2 months or less if spring comes early. Yes we're not in nature, I agree, but my opinion is that 6 months is unsafe.
Have to agree with Jonathan on this.
My Hermann hibernates for 10 weeks which is around average for the wild.
A tortoise will stay in a state of hibernation as long as temps dictate...and temps in UK are much colder than the Med, where they have evolved to live. Natural hibernation in UK is a lottery in my opinion.
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Old 18-10-2018, 10:30 AM   #17
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Have to agree with Jonathan on this.
My Hermann hibernates for 10 weeks which is around average for the wild.
A tortoise will stay in a state of hibernation as long as temps dictate...and temps in UK are much colder than the Med, where they have evolved to live. Natural hibernation in UK is a lottery in my opinion.
Natural hibernation is not a problem if done properly:0)
I have let my tortoises bury down in the GH soil for over 20yrs and they all pop up raring to go in the Spring.
I would not let my tortoises just bury down outside (although occasionally this has happened like last year) randomly. But under controlled conditions its brilliant. As they can choose when to go down and when to come up.
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Old 18-10-2018, 05:48 PM   #18
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Natural hibernation is not a problem if done properly:0)
I have let my tortoises bury down in the GH soil for over 20yrs and they all pop up raring to go in the Spring.
I would not let my tortoises just bury down outside (although occasionally this has happened like last year) randomly. But under controlled conditions its brilliant. As they can choose when to go down and when to come up.
Indeed, my point was that controlled hibernation is the way forward. In a greenhouse the temps are inevitably higher and more easily controlled.
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