Oh dear......there she goes.......
 

Teela my very small tort (4yrs) has been digging in this last week. I have tried everything to keep her up (the rest think they are now in the Bahamas.). I am now thinking of turning the heat lamps up and the heat light on outside. Problem is this is just her at the moment and I don't want to make the others 'soft'.... Any ideas x x x hugs x x

its a dilemma at best ! I'm not sure anything is going to stop the digging. Most of mine won't even eat. I think maybe heat but not for long? then are you putting off the inevitable .....or wait for Emma's heated up Sept summer....I have faith. Opt for no action for 2 more days CB x

are they out or in, bringing them in if out can help as there's more light inside and they won't sense the air pressure so much, as its far to early to let them slow down you have to try anything to keep them awake. I always think that torts should come back inside if the forcast predicts rain/cold at this time of year they can always go back outside if the weather gets better but bringing them inside before the change is easier than waiting until it has changed.

My tortoises have been staying in their GH with heat on for the last few weeks, as temps outside have been much colder than the norm for this time of the year, and night temps even lower. They come out (they have the choice) maybe once a day for a nibble. But they are really winding down big time. And once they decide to go down I cant stop them.
I have left them to do their thing individually, one went down late October last year, and didnt come up until March. I would worry if this happened every year, but like the seasons they vary. So the odd year of a longer hibernation I dont worry about. They know far better than me.
I do do my best to keep them up as long as I can, but when they go they go. And they do all go down at different times.

Mabel is in and behaving normally (eating and basking like a pro!). Do all torts try and slow at some point or is it just dependant on the tort?

Like Sandy, they have use of a greenhouse which they come and go as they want, it is in the greenhouse that Teela has decided to dig. I have had her up three times this morning and put her outside in the sunshine on the 'basking muons' but each time she has gone back into the greenhouse and begun to dig. X x x. Hugs x x x

This depends on whether the tortoises have hibernated before, if they have they tend to slow down slowly from August onwards, as the days shorten.
If they have not been hibernated, it might be they take longer to do so.
I have always hibernated my tortoises from hatching, so mine automatically wind down when temps etc change.

Tatty, I think you will find even in a table they will know season....My little one is scurrying away more and more now even though not changed set up... rest outside are not eating or very little ...greenhoused or not CB

Ok thanks, guess time will tell whether she starts to slow. I am planning on overwintering her this year anyway. :)

Mine have been going down as well, not eating and hardly getting up, this bloody weather, I feel sorry for the torts x