Help with hibernating??
 

Hi everyone!

So I’ve had my horse field Zippy for 3 years this Christmas and I have never hibernated her before. Last winter she really slowed down and rarely ate most of the winter although her heat lamp was on usual timings and she was bathed at least 3 times a week, she was also very active. I was worried but as February came around she was back to her usual self eating everything in sight. This year the same has happened again and she has completely stopped eating the last two weeks and is sleeping most of the day unless brought out of her box.

Does anyone have any advice? I’m such a worrier and am a bit wary of hibernating her and also have no idea how to do it.

Any advice would be great, thanks everyone!

It's my first year hibernating my two 2 year olds, currently indoors. Not sure if I am doing it right either, but I have done a lot of reading!

So far I have cut down the lamp time to 8 hours a day and peak temperatures are about 28. They are still eating and active though. I'm planning keeping them under the front door stone steps in the old cole store - I am assuming it will be cold enough in there by the time Winter comes. I understand you need to starve them for 4 weeks before putting them away?

When they are small, hibernation windown should be three weeks.
Week one, normal heat and light, bathe NO FOOD
Week two reduce each end of the day by an hour, bathe NO FOOD
Week three they should be ready by the end to hibernate them.
I would try and use a thermometer to help keep an eye on temps when they are down. If you box them just make a hole in the top of both boxes so you can do this:0)
My tortoises never had 12 hrs of heat and light, as most were asleep around 5clock pm so just turned the heat/light off:0)

always lights out by 4 ! for me , they are away by then anyway. Sandy has given good advice. Rule of thumb for me for older is first week in November packed away - that gives a good slow down and though they would have purged by then just in case warmer temps it gives them extra. I find mine stop eating early September anyway