Are you hibernating your tort for the first time?

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by jamestaylor18

I'm in the same boat too, but a bit bigger boat as i have 2 horsefields to hibernate! Just so i don't miss my little babies too much im gettin a bearded dragon a week on wednesday! lol or thats my excuse for gettin one anyway!

im plannin on doin the fridge method too. From what i have heard, the wine coolers from argos are not very suitable. You need a proper fridge apparently!

If your plannig doing this every year, which i suppose most may do, a compesser fridge will be better and come in, than a bottle/wino fridge.

[jamestaylor18]

from what iv read about winding down, and believe me... iv done a fair old bit of reading this is my understanding!!
Basically you wind down over 4 weeks, & hibernate at the end of the fourth week.

Week 1
Stop all feed but still offer fresh drinking water.
Bath daily for 20 mins in warm water ( as usual )
Keep temps as usual

Week 2
As per week one, keep temps the same, daily baths.

Week 3
As per week 1&2 daily baths
Reduced the temp down by 40-50% (of viv)
Reduced bath temp slightly
(torts should gradually by the end of the week slow right down and become quite sleepy/inactive)

Week 4
continue daily baths
turn all lights/heat mats/uv lights off
tort should be almost fully inactive, weigh and then hibernate.

This is what i plan to do, anyone got any pointers?

[shaz]

all seems a bit scary to me thou.

[jamestaylor18]

i actually dont think it is ya no! Think of it like this:

1) Dont feed em, give em daily baths
2) After 2 weeks turn the temps down & reduce the lights down by 40-50%
3) 4th week turn the lot off, continue daily baths
4) Bung em in the fridge!

Simples! Im being all confident now but come december ill be brickin it! ha ha
i plan to hibernate mine in january (2nd). Wanna ave xmas an new year with em! lol

[jamestaylor18]

Actually tho, thinkin bout it, they will be practically asleep for xmas so... mite do it sooner!

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by jamestaylor18

i actually dont think it is ya no! Think of it like this:

1) Dont feed em, give em daily baths
2) After 2 weeks turn the temps down & reduce the lights down by 40-50%
3) 4th week turn the lot off, continue daily baths
4) Bung em in the fridge!

Simples! Im being all confident now but come december ill be brickin it! ha ha
i plan to hibernate mine in january (2nd). Wanna ave xmas an new year with em! lol

That's about the bottom line . The only thing i would add to that is weighing before and during wind down is important, as it is advised that a tort does not loose more than 10% weight loss, from begining to end of hibernation if healthy to begin with, this should not be a problem.

[Pies mam]

This might sound daft but how can it breathe in a fridge????? scary to me can l just put mine in a box and keep him in the house? I see people putting them in garages etc why???

[jamestaylor18]

they only breath about twice a min if that! you do need to open the door daily to let co2 out an for a gas exchange to take place. some people put a hose pipe in the door for a good air supply. You need to maintain a temp below 10 degrees but above 0 degrees to keep them asleep. In a fridge you get an ideal temp of about 5 degrees

[Pies mam]

thanks for reply really informative cheers x still not convinced l would fridge mine lol lm getting stressed about doing it full stop!!!! i will be worried sick!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jamestaylor18]

tbh i think its the safest method. If they get too cold (< 0 degree's) there little eyes can freeze an they go blind. If the get too warm, which given our variable winters they could do, they wake up, we dont notice an they starve to death! i just think the fridge method is so much more controlled! thats just my opinion anyway, cos id hate my little guys to come to any harm.