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Old 30-10-2009, 02:42 PM   #1
Annecaroline
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Default Wont wind down

I'm having so many problems getting my two hermans to wind down, they just wont. I have tried cutting down their food, light and heat but they are getting more active.

Can anyone advise me on this please. I have never hibernated before so am already worried i am doing this wrong.

Thanks

Anne
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Old 30-10-2009, 03:25 PM   #2
NATURALIS
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Annecaroline View Post
I'm having so many problems getting my two hermans to wind down, they just wont. I have tried cutting down their food, light and heat but they are getting more active.

Can anyone advise me on this please. I have never hibernated before so am already worried i am doing this wrong.

Thanks

Anne
whats the rush?,i don't start to wind mine down till the end of november, the more time they have to build up fat reserves the better.
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Old 30-10-2009, 03:50 PM   #3
Annecaroline
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Default Winding down

I thought they needed to start winding down in october, very happy to wait longer. I suppose the weather being so mild is making a difference also.
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Old 30-10-2009, 04:06 PM   #4
Dawn Fletcher
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I started my winddown for the first time at the end of October.....normally I have always started winddown mid november December time.........now I have decided to wait with this mini heatwave and one of my large females laying yet more eggs yesterday. They are all diving around again, so I am reverting back to wind them all down either Late november or December time. I should have known better then to try and fix something that wasn't broken.....Grrr !!

I only decided to start earlier due to one or two of the group starting to hide away alot during the day, and loosing interest in food, so at best I will leave them to do their own thing and hibenate them earlier if neccessary.


Dawn


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Old 30-10-2009, 04:31 PM   #5
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that's what I am doing.. building up my fat reserves in case I ever need to hibernate

but seriously.. I'm sure I read of some people not hibernating their torts until the end of December/beginning of January especially if doing it for the first time
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Old 30-10-2009, 06:30 PM   #6
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If only doing a short hibernation, say 8 week's i would defo wait till well into next month, the temps here are mild, mine still outside with additional heat and fairly active
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Old 30-10-2009, 07:14 PM   #7
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Mine are still up, enjoying the short sunny days and eating now and again. No rush here in Kent and will probably be late November when they go down. No eggs though. Rain expected next week, so they won't be going very far.
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Old 02-11-2009, 02:28 PM   #8
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I have a Marginated who has wanted to go down for about a month now. She decided for herself last year & is very independant & fiesty compared to my Hermans. I didnt hibernate her till Jan last year as she was smaller it was my first time & she was only having 8 weeks.

I have one Herman who I want to hibernate for the first time this year, so for the last week have really cut down feeding & my Herman is not impressed. I felt really mean not feeding her, she runs over all expectant when I approach & I have to be tuff. As she is on the larger side, so think it would do her good to have an eating rest (who am I to talk, could imagine someone applying the same to me!) but she doesnt seem to have any instincts or recognise what its all about.

Do they just get into a rythm of it after the first time? & is 8 weeks long enough? My marginated is 30 months & Herman in question 19 months.
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Old 02-11-2009, 02:32 PM   #9
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I haven't tried to hybernate mine
They just get faster
Last January they were so fast they were a blurr

I'm not alone because I know someone who put their in the garage to hybernate and they ran round all the time
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Old 02-11-2009, 02:52 PM   #10
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[QUOTE=Annecaroline;332848]I'm having so many problems getting my two hermans to wind down, they just wont. I have tried cutting down their food, light and heat but they are getting more active.

Hermanns will eventually respond to lower temperatures, less hours of light and less hours of heat. This is detirmined by how their body works. But in mild weather or with tortoises kept indoors under comfortable human conditions temperature-wise, the tortoises maybe do not see winter coming yet. I'd suggest either keep them going a while longer, which is what I'm doing, or reduce the heat and light a lot more than you have done. This second option might be tricky if its vey mild outside and warm inside your house.
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