Short hibernation

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Gordon

Personally I don't tend to worry to much about the food side of things even though I do try and make sure they are empty.
I can't see that a tortoise in the wild will starve itself for three to four weeks they will have a limited amount to eat I'm sure but if it gets warm enough to eat I'm sure they will and then if the temp drop again being a reptile they will sleep again.
It's the same with tortoises that are carrying eggs some people say don't hibernate them but mine have hibernated with eggs and as soon as awake they tend to get rid of them again I'm sure this happens in the wild.
I think a lot of the information we tend to think as gospel is very outdated hence we tend to get an awful lot of people that are to frightened to hibernate.

These are my thoughts please don't shoot me.

I agree Gordon.
I have not worried about egg laying as mine too will lay when they get up.
As for eating, mine start to slow down their eating themselves from around late August. If more actually watched their tortoises over a few years they can see for themselves. Although experience does help:0)

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by sandy

I agree Gordon.
I have not worried about egg laying as mine too will lay when they get up.
As for eating, mine start to slow down their eating themselves from around late August. If more actually watched their tortoises over a few years they can see for themselves. Although experience does help:0)

One thing that does puzzle me is any eggs I have ever had have always been infertile.
So are they fertile before they hibernate and loose the fertility over hibernation or something else as I can't see any reason that a fertile tortoise would use all that energy and calcium to just carry infertile eggs all that time.

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Gordon

One thing that does puzzle me is any eggs I have ever had have always been infertile.
So are they fertile before they hibernate and loose the fertility over hibernation or something else as I can't see any reason that a fertile tortoise would use all that energy and calcium to just carry infertile eggs all that time.

Mine have mostly been fertile when laid after hibernation. Maybe its down to species?

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by sandy

Mine have mostly been fertile when laid after hibernation. Maybe its down to species?

That's a possibility as it's always my thb that do it and seem to cause me more trouble than all my other torts put together