Not heavy enough to hibernate?

[Ludrup]

Hi

I have been reading a few threads here about hibernation and found them useful. Up to now I had been adhering fairly rigidly to the Jackson ratio but now not so sure.

My two pre wind down had body weights of 1008 and 743g (JR of 0.189 and 0.165 respectively). Now they are coming to the end of their wind down, their weights have dropped to 942 and 699g (JR 0.175 and 0.155).

I'm very concerned that they have lost too much weight to be able to hibernate for too long.

Please can someone with more experience give me some advice as to the best way to proceed? I was thinking of putting them in the fridge for maybe a shorter period and also checking their weights more regularly to keep an eye on them.

Would that be enough, or are there other things I need to consider?

L

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Ludrup

Hi

I have been reading a few threads here about hibernation and found them useful. Up to now I had been adhering fairly rigidly to the Jackson ratio but now not so sure.

My two pre wind down had body weights of 1008 and 743g (JR of 0.189 and 0.165 respectively). Now they are coming to the end of their wind down, their weights have dropped to 942 and 699g (JR 0.175 and 0.155).

I'm very concerned that they have lost too much weight to be able to hibernate for too long.

Please can someone with more experience give me some advice as to the best way to proceed? I was thinking of putting them in the fridge for maybe a shorter period and also checking their weights more regularly to keep an eye on them.

Would that be enough, or are there other things I need to consider?

L

I don't use any ratios with my tortoises, especially when they are the size yours are.
If they have eaten well through the Summer months, and acted normally, they feel like a solid tortoise then they get hibernated.
I would have no problem hibernating tortoises at the weights yours are going into hibernation. As of course they will lose weight they have been starved. As long as they have been healthy then its fine.
The Jackson Ratio is only a guide its not set in stone:0)

[Ludrup]

Thanks for that. The larger one definitely feels weighty enough to hibernate. I think I will put the smaller one in as well and keep a close eye on her.

Many thanks

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Ludrup

Thanks for that. The larger one definitely feels weighty enough to hibernate. I think I will put the smaller one in as well and keep a close eye on her.

Many thanks

As long as you keep a close eye on them, its fine. But use your head not your heart when it comes to making the choice to get them up:0)
The smaller one can do eight weeks easily (should not lose more than 10% loss of weight from going into fridge/box over the hibernation time) if the weight loss is ok, then another two weeks would also be fine. Better they are asleep during our cold Winter, than up feeding salad foods all the time:0)

[veggie86]

I've checked my torts weights against 3 different ratios and they have come up under weigh one and massively over on another. I've given up on ratios lol.

I've gone with Sandy's advice and hibernated because my tort was stuffing his face all summer and active until it started getting colder