New young Horsefield, hibernate or not?

[Galoka]

HI, new member of the forums here.

Sometime in the next week or so we will be getting a 9 month old Horsefields Tortoise.

We've been planning on getting a tortoise, as youngest daughter is very keen, but it tunrns out that a friend of a friend has this one they would like to rehome fairly soon, so we are getting one a bit sooner than intended.

So, for intial accomodation I'm putting together a tortoise table from a large-ish (2'x3' approx)plastic underbed box, with a 100W Mega-ray, which it should be happy enough in.

Anyway, the meat of the question, should we to try and hibernate it this winter or not? bearing in mind the stresses etc. on it having moved to it's second new home this year.

Thanks

[Herpard]

I've never hibernated, but if I was you I wouldn't this year, as you said the stress of moving to a new home. It will also give you time to make sure the tortoise is well and that it's weight is fine etc

[JoesMum]

I agree. It's very young and had a stressful year. Don't hibernate.

I do hibernate my Greek... and have done for the last forty-odd years. However, Joe would have been quite a bit older before he was first hibernated. As he was Wild caught, I can't be certain how old, but probably 5+ years.

If they are very small, the hibernation should be very short, maybe only a couple of weeks, as they do not have the body mass to cope with a longer spell.

[Galoka]

Ok, thanks folks.

Will stick with not hibernating then.

Shpould be getting it next week, so all very exciting

[Mighty_Quinn]

Just out of curiosity are tortoises not meant to be hibernated until they are 4-5yrs old and have a bit more weight to them or have i picked that up wrong??

[Merlin M]

Originally Posted by Mighty_Quinn

Just out of curiosity are tortoises not meant to be hibernated until they are 4-5yrs old and have a bit more weight to them or have i picked that up wrong??

Some say that others disagree...

[Galoka]

Originally Posted by Mighty_Quinn

Just out of curiosity are tortoises not meant to be hibernated until they are 4-5yrs old and have a bit more weight to them or have i picked that up wrong??

Well, in the wild Horsefield Tortoises young would have to hibernate.

However, I imagine that a number of them die during hibernation in the early years (get to cold, haven't had enough food etc.) - I wouldn't be surprised if it was something like 50% over the first few years.

Of course, captivity isn't the wild, and we have a lot invested in our tortoises, hence I think why many people hesitate to hibernate yourg tortoises (or keep the length of time down etc.)