one of my torts is sleeping and digging down more, should i hibernate?

sammkins · 04-11-2009, 08:51 PM

I just wondered if they naturally try and hibernate even when there temps are the same all year round, they all have their heat lamps and uv lights on, but 1 especially seems alot more sleepy and i hardly see him for food, he is also very hard to find as he digs right down in his enclosure - he is well and been wormed etc so i dont have any worrys about his health.

I just didnt know if instead of hibernating they would be ok to sleep for days on end without surficing for food etc? a bit more like in a coma- i think its called brumpton or something like that. As i dont feel confident enough to hibernate this year as he is only 18 months old? and i have 5 others that range from 2 to 4 and they are still active and eating.

Ozric Jonathan · 04-11-2009, 09:30 PM

Hi! Please can you say what species of tortoise you are keeping?

sammkins · 04-11-2009, 09:46 PM

oops sorry horsfields

Harri Hughes · 04-11-2009, 09:53 PM

Hi Sammkins
Just wanted to say that my horsefield is exactly the same! He only seems to eat when I hand feed him and sleeps most of the day - he does get a little active after a bath but that is it. I was not planning to hibernate either as just moved house.

Any advice would be great and really appreciated.
Thanx

burnt toast · 05-11-2009, 01:49 PM

Hi
I dont have a horsefield but I have noticed a lot of people on here having trouble keeping them awake lately. I have a marginated & last year she started doing exactly what you describe. As the days got shorter & colder she began to bury herself & stay asleep for days & days it didnt seem to hurt her, sometimes 3 or 4 days. Id get her up, bath her & she'd bury again.

I was in fact advised to eventually wind her down & hibernate her as that was what she wanted (I knew she was fit/healthy) so thats what I did & she was fine, she was 18 months & about 90 odd grams. (the same tort has been now trying to wind down for the last 3/4weeks where as my Hermans show no signs of slowing, perhaps some species are just more tuned into the seasons, or maybe once they have done it once before they just know what to do)

The only potential problem I could see is gases inside them building up - which is why you wind them down, to empty them & eliminate this potential problem.

Im sure an expert will be along soon to advise you.

martynh99 · 05-11-2009, 02:42 PM

We've got two horsefields both about 3 years old.

Last year one of them slept through most of winter - the other wide awake throughout and active.

Same is happening now, sleeping most of day. We put her under heatlamp first thing in morning and she stays there for about an hour then just buries down again. Wakes up for a bath and will eat but only when handfed - not really comfortable hibernating her though so will just persevere with baths and keeping temps good.

Beverley · 05-11-2009, 05:47 PM

Tortoises have been hibernating for thousands of years so its in there nature to want to hibernate, especially horsfields who in some areas are only really active for about 3 months in the year.
My horsfields are still pretty active and eating well, but the Hermanns are really quiet and have been difficult to keep active since the beginning of September. If you are not confident about hibernation, then keep up good light levels and up the temps a a couple of degrees.

**Bindi** · 05-11-2009, 06:50 PM

I would keep bathing him, to make sure he's well hydrated, and regular weight checks to make sure he's not losing weight. When they're actually hibernating,( not sleeping) everything slows down so much they lose hardly any weight. I'm not sure how the weight loss thing would be if he was just sleeping, not hibernating.

sammkins · 06-11-2009, 10:02 PM

So would you say it would be ok for him to sleep for a few days and just keep bathing him every few days and put him under the heat lamp, even though i know he will just go back to digging underground. Or do you think i should try and hibernate him?

I will weigh him too to make sure he doesnt lose weight.

Hmmm what to do......... what to do!!!

Thanks for your replies by the way

**Bindi** · 07-11-2009, 08:35 PM

If it were me and I was confident he was healthy then i would do a shortish hibernation. It does sound like that's what he's wanting to do

04-11-2009, 08:51 PM	#1
sammkins Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Surrey Posts: 321	one of my torts is sleeping and digging down more, should i hibernate? I just wondered if they naturally try and hibernate even when there temps are the same all year round, they all have their heat lamps and uv lights on, but 1 especially seems alot more sleepy and i hardly see him for food, he is also very hard to find as he digs right down in his enclosure - he is well and been wormed etc so i dont have any worrys about his health. I just didnt know if instead of hibernating they would be ok to sleep for days on end without surficing for food etc? a bit more like in a coma- i think its called brumpton or something like that. As i dont feel confident enough to hibernate this year as he is only 18 months old? and i have 5 others that range from 2 to 4 and they are still active and eating. __________________ My list: Owner of 3 boys + Hubby 1 Abyssinian Cat 1 Siamese Kitten 6 Horsfield Torts 6 Baby Sulcatas 1 rabbit 2 Aylesbury Ducks Hubbys list: 20 bearded Dragons 1 Blue tongue Skink 7 Chameleons House Gheckos and the list goes on!

04-11-2009, 09:30 PM	#2
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	Hi! Please can you say what species of tortoise you are keeping? __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

04-11-2009, 09:46 PM	#3
sammkins Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Surrey Posts: 321	oops sorry horsfields __________________ My list: Owner of 3 boys + Hubby 1 Abyssinian Cat 1 Siamese Kitten 6 Horsfield Torts 6 Baby Sulcatas 1 rabbit 2 Aylesbury Ducks Hubbys list: 20 bearded Dragons 1 Blue tongue Skink 7 Chameleons House Gheckos and the list goes on!

04-11-2009, 09:53 PM	#4
Harri Hughes Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Carterton, Oxon Posts: 57	Hi Sammkins Just wanted to say that my horsefield is exactly the same! He only seems to eat when I hand feed him and sleeps most of the day - he does get a little active after a bath but that is it. I was not planning to hibernate either as just moved house. Any advice would be great and really appreciated. Thanx __________________ Harry Horsefield and Charley Hermanns live here

05-11-2009, 05:47 PM	#7
Beverley Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,493	Tortoises have been hibernating for thousands of years so its in there nature to want to hibernate, especially horsfields who in some areas are only really active for about 3 months in the year. My horsfields are still pretty active and eating well, but the Hermanns are really quiet and have been difficult to keep active since the beginning of September. If you are not confident about hibernation, then keep up good light levels and up the temps a a couple of degrees. __________________

05-11-2009, 01:49 PM	#5
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,246	Hi I dont have a horsefield but I have noticed a lot of people on here having trouble keeping them awake lately. I have a marginated & last year she started doing exactly what you describe. As the days got shorter & colder she began to bury herself & stay asleep for days & days it didnt seem to hurt her, sometimes 3 or 4 days. Id get her up, bath her & she'd bury again. I was in fact advised to eventually wind her down & hibernate her as that was what she wanted (I knew she was fit/healthy) so thats what I did & she was fine, she was 18 months & about 90 odd grams. (the same tort has been now trying to wind down for the last 3/4weeks where as my Hermans show no signs of slowing, perhaps some species are just more tuned into the seasons, or maybe once they have done it once before they just know what to do) The only potential problem I could see is gases inside them building up - which is why you wind them down, to empty them & eliminate this potential problem. Im sure an expert will be along soon to advise you.

05-11-2009, 02:42 PM	#6
martynh99 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 14	We've got two horsefields both about 3 years old. Last year one of them slept through most of winter - the other wide awake throughout and active. Same is happening now, sleeping most of day. We put her under heatlamp first thing in morning and she stays there for about an hour then just buries down again. Wakes up for a bath and will eat but only when handfed - not really comfortable hibernating her though so will just persevere with baths and keeping temps good.

05-11-2009, 06:50 PM	#8
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	I would keep bathing him, to make sure he's well hydrated, and regular weight checks to make sure he's not losing weight. When they're actually hibernating,( not sleeping) everything slows down so much they lose hardly any weight. I'm not sure how the weight loss thing would be if he was just sleeping, not hibernating. __________________

06-11-2009, 10:02 PM	#9
sammkins Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Surrey Posts: 321	So would you say it would be ok for him to sleep for a few days and just keep bathing him every few days and put him under the heat lamp, even though i know he will just go back to digging underground. Or do you think i should try and hibernate him? I will weigh him too to make sure he doesnt lose weight. Hmmm what to do......... what to do!!! Thanks for your replies by the way __________________ My list: Owner of 3 boys + Hubby 1 Abyssinian Cat 1 Siamese Kitten 6 Horsfield Torts 6 Baby Sulcatas 1 rabbit 2 Aylesbury Ducks Hubbys list: 20 bearded Dragons 1 Blue tongue Skink 7 Chameleons House Gheckos and the list goes on!

07-11-2009, 08:35 PM	#10
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	If it were me and I was confident he was healthy then i would do a shortish hibernation. It does sound like that's what he's wanting to do __________________

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