Quote:
Originally Posted by GemJam
Hi all,
I hope all your tortoises are settling and adjusting to the colder temperatures.
I just need a bit of advice regarding hibernation. My Hermanns is 3 years old, 95mm in length and weighs 150g and usually overwinters. I have overwintered previously due to her being underweight.
I feel this year may be the year to hibernate. I have a combi bulb on from 9am - 4pm (reduced hours since summer) in a tortoise table, however she has not got up in the past 3 days and has buried herself in the soil. She last ate on Saturday after we gave her a bath and not seen her up since!!
Can anyone advise me of a good link to read about hibernation process and/or provide a crash course based on fridge hibernation.
Or do you think I should overwinter her this year?
*EDIT* I have just used the Jackson ratio to find she is 0.17, which they recommend is too light for hibernation. I do not want to risk putting her into hibernation and becoming ill or worse. Your advice is greatly appreciated on this!
Many thanks in advance,
Gemma and Hettie
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You have to be really honest with yourself.
Are your fears of hibernation taking over your ability to be accurate with measurements etc:0)
As three years old with that weight sounds fine to me. You have to remember the Jackson ratio is only a guide, and not set in stone.
If you have been watching your tortoises habits over the last few years, and he/she has been eating and drinking, and acting normally then it should be fine.
I don't weigh any of my tortoises now, but use their Health and behaviour as the guide. And my tortoises dig down in my garden soil in the greenhouse. So i also can't weigh them during this time. And have done this for 20years. Including small tortoises.
Being scared of hibernation is worse for you than the tortoises, as its part of their normal behaviour. And have survived millions of years doing things their way:0)