20-02-2016, 01:23 PM | #1 |
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Hatchling
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Hibernation rocky start
Well with the weird weather November/December I didnt know what was going to happen. I tried to keep mine and my friends torte awake until the end of December but it just didnt happen they stopped eating and wound themselves down in october so went down.
I bathed them as normal then put them down properly after 4 weeks. They never moved even though we had a few days that was well over 10c which was panicking me. I checked them yesterday and they are still both in the same spot in the den which is a great sign. The den is pitch black which has probably helped and again the tube heater set to 5c for them colder days/nights. It works a treat for me or it has upto now fingers crossed. Im planning on waking them up the end of the month. Cant wait to see them in the garden again. Hows it gone for you guys |
20-02-2016, 04:44 PM | #2 |
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Well I got Lem up after 10 weeks of fridge hibernation. I kept a constant watch on the temp and it was 5-7 C the whole time. When I got Lem up his weight was the same as when he went down, 337g, using the same scales.
I've got some more still in the fridge and others I did not hibernate at all. One of the males that I kept up was incredibly active while another one was relaxed and quiet but wide awake.
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Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises |
20-02-2016, 05:00 PM | #3 |
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Mine are still buried down in my GH soil. It will be their longest hibernation they have had.
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20-02-2016, 06:49 PM | #4 |
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Same here Sandy. Can't remember a longer time. (once til April but they went down much later). I wish I hadn't got my Ibera up yet either. I think that's why he was running around like a mad thing. He seemed a lot happier the next day though and is now very calm as usual.
Doing well DAryn, nice to hear from you, CB
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21-02-2016, 07:06 AM | #5 |
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My adults are still fast asleep, I will leave them till March.
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21-02-2016, 05:05 PM | #6 |
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Mine were up by 8 weeks, as they were both on the move and I was worried due to the warm spell. However, they lost only tiniest of weight. Probably a bit early as they keep sleeping for long periods on alternate days in spite of lamps.
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21-02-2016, 05:10 PM | #7 |
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I'm definitely aiming March time. but it was 12'C in the shed today and 28 degrees in the greenhouse, though they are buried deep they aren't so cold to the touch but no stirings they can get up on their own if want to so I gauge it by the Horsfield girlies.
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21-02-2016, 05:52 PM | #8 |
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Hatchling
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Im hoping we get an independant hibernating section so we can all monitor and see what is going on with other keepers tortes.
Im particularly interested in those that have greenhouses and leave their tortes to go down and wake up when they want too. It would be great to see......... When they go down When they wake up How long they have been down All this would be great for others that do other methods such as fridge method etc a sort of education for us all. One method I read about a while back was from a guy that had tortes for many years, sunk a rubbish bin in the ground and filled it with soil etc so tortes could dig up and down over the winter period. |
21-02-2016, 05:53 PM | #9 |
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Thank you its nice to be back, I have so many interests I get side tracked lol
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21-02-2016, 06:11 PM | #10 |
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I know lots of keepers think the fridge idea is just 'not right' and I understand that. But the control the keeper can have can be reassuring to some - well me anyway!
Also the keeper can check on the weight etc so easily. And yes I would know if the tortoise has peed as well.
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Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises |
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