Do You Hibernate Your Med Torts

[shellonia]

Yes hibernate all mine unless there is an underweight problem.I do it from Age 1.It's a lot of work as I'm not confident with fridge method,but feel its best

[skildpadde]

Yes, mine have always hibernated with their previous owner, and they will with me too. Have been spending the past week callibrating the fridge
Mette (T G Ibera)

[Kenneth]

Yes, I hibernate my 2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri.

They were born in august 2008. Didn't let them hibernate in the winter of 2008/2009 because I wasn't confident enough. From that point I started reading a lot about different ways of hibernating them.
They have been hibernating in winter 2009/2010 for about 6 weeks.

At this moment, they're allready hibernating for 3 weeks... planning to stretch that period to 3 months or so.

I will continu hibernating this species every year from now (if they're healthy enough obviously).

[SeeShell]

I won't be hibernating my hermanns and iberas this year. In part because I don't feel confident enough yet and in part because I'm not yet convinced of the advantages of doing so; but I have an open mind and I may in the future!!

[roofee0778]

I have read hibernating posts on here until my eyes have boggled! Luckily the decision this year was made for me when I took her to the local weigh-in. I will be over-wintering her this year, but remain open minded for next year. I don't half feel like I am fighting nature at the moment though.

[ziggy's owner]

I don't see a reason too but at mo they are underweight anyway so not this year maybe one year who knows,

If someone can give me a real reason/ fact that it harms them to stay awake I may change my mind, but as of yet I don't see the need, also I'm
not willing to let my tort die via hibernation

[swad1000]

Torts don't die because of hibernarion, the die due to health problems just as torts that haven't been hibernated die due to health problems and since this site has been going there have been very few loses in hibernation certainly less than have died out if hibernation.

[JackieL]

Interesting replies, thank you.

I am not hibernating my horsfield this year, I haven't had him for very long and I don't really feel confident enough. I will do it in the future however as it is natural in the wild so I therefore would like to replicate that.

I made a thread regarding my horsfield and him sleeping all day, was given some great suggestions which I have followed up.

My only question is - why is it so important to keep them awake? I mean, obviously my lad knows the temperatures outside have dropped, which is why he has slowed down etc. Why not just leave him to it and make the decisions for himself ?

[FinnGB]

I wont be hibernating my two because i simply don't have the full understanding of how its done yet, but i do plan on doing so next year

[EJ]

It would be interesting to see those that have the honesty to post when thier tortoise died in hibernation. I suspect that those that have had tortoises die in hibernation are not going to report it because it would indicate a failure.

...and yes... hibernation does kill tortoises... Suboptimal conditions will tend to do this.

Originally Posted by swad1000

Torts don't die because of hibernarion, the die due to health problems just as torts that haven't been hibernated die due to health problems and since this site has been going there have been very few loses in hibernation certainly less than have died out if hibernation.