willow dug down

[destiny88]

Hi this may sound like a daft question but

Willow my hermann whos in his tort table has dug deep down inside his
box and hasnt moved for 2 days ! i can just see the top of his shell
he did this last week too so i worried he was cold so put an oil radiater
next to where his box sits and he then came out and was his normal self
but ive done this again and he's still in his box!
Could he be hibernating? shall i move him or just leave him alone?
If he hibernates himself in his box is there a reason why i cant leave him there
or do i need to put him in the fridge ect?
I wasnt planning on hibernating him as i dont feel experianced enough yet so im a bit worried.
thanks so much
karen

[Merlin M]

They always know when winter is coming!
You don't need to hibernate him, monitor the room temp when that drops he will try and slow down, so night temps are important too, they will still be less active in the winter

[Catwoman63]

My bleedin juvenile horsfields still want to go outside, I had to make a temporary plastic greenhouse type thingy with a wall around so they can still go out but under a cover and not in the rest of the enclosure as it was terrible weather this week, my sister says I mollycoddle them too much x

[destiny88]

Hi

Thanks for your reply
im so glad i wont have to hibernate him! maybe next year when
im more experianced.
What if he doesnt move from his box? shall i take him out and move him or
should i just leave him for a while?
my front room is quite dark so i think i may get a lamp to put near him

Fancy your horsfields still wanting out in this weather ha ha ha
rather them than me ha ha i think we all seem to molly coddle the torts
for some reason ha ha

karen

[Suze65]

In the wild, the drop in night time temps and shortening hours of day light are the triggers for tortoises natural instinct to start winding down, so even if day time temps are still good, this drop in night time temps will be enough to start slowing down. So check your night time temps, and keep them no lower than 18c.

[destiny88]

Aha that explains a lot then
so because he knows its colder at night then he knows its coming winter
i will make sure his nightime temps are right
I think they are about 18 now according to the thermometer


thanks
karen

[becciwales]

I'm going to get a CHE for overnight.

[destiny88]

hi
Yes i think i will be getting a CHE too ,at the moment im using a oil
radiater which im going to start leaving on at night next to his enclosure
and see if that helps first
The thought of leaving on a bulb all night worrys me incase of fire
Willow is in a large indoor rabbit cage so i would have to suspend it inside
and im worried something will catch fire !! Also im confused as i need a bulb
and a holder i think and a thermostat! seems all a bit daunting ..
Im moving on 22nd november and the new house is a lot warmer and smaller
so im hoping it will be warmer at night.

[Suze65]

A CHE isn't like a bulb, it's more like a mini radiator , and yes you will need the correct holder, and I would put it on a thermostat so it only comes on if the temp drops below17/18c, you don't want your tort too warm at night or they won't settle.

[Catwoman63]

I have CHEs in the sheds (have i already said, if i have sorry for repeating myself, its my age ) they are in ceramic holders plugged into thermostats x