Another over-wintering thread

[Ozric Jonathan]

This is relevant to the other one, but slightly different.

What is it that we are aiming to do when over-wintering? Several keepers have said that we are trying to trick the tortoise into thinking it is 'summer'.

But I have also seen keepers saying that this is not possible, especially with tortoises that have ever been hibernated, and/or tortoises that are adults.

Some keepers have said that over-wintering is just about keeping the tortoise going, that they always slow down to some degree no matter what. The aim then becomes to stop the tortoise slowing down too much. I think this point of view is more widespread in other European countries.

Although I haven't been on the French and German forums hardly at all for ages, the 'normal' view there is that hibernation is the usual thing. Exceptionally, the tortoise might be kept up artificially, but it's not expected that the tortoise will be active like it is in summer. This isn't seen as a problem, just something inevitable.