Squirt's weight... :s

em7070 · 05-12-2011, 10:29 AM

Hi there, from earlier posts you will see that I'm hibernating my 2 year old Hermans (Squirt)... This is my first attempt at this and I've taken all the advice I can on board. Squirt is into his second week of the starvation period and had his monthly weigh-in yesterday and is now only 199g and is 10.4cm. He has lost 12g in the past month and I'm worried that this is too much of a drop in weight for me to carry on with hibernation. I worked it out to be something like a 6% overall weight loss and I've read that you can allow for 10% in the whole hibernation process but I'm worried he'll not do too well during hibernation

it makes him on the lighter side for hibernation unless for active tortoises (i use the jackson ratio calculator on the tiny tortoises website) and he is a very active tortoise. He seems perfectly happy and healthy. Please go easy on me and any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much in advance!

Levi · 05-12-2011, 01:18 PM

Hi Emma,

All those calculations and graphs are for summer weight, you shouldn't use them during wind down.
6% weight loss in the first two weeks isn't too bad, I helped a friend with her first hibernation and the tort lost 9% over 3 weeks wind down and then a further 4% over 9 weeks in the fridge. Not ideal but the tort was perfectly fine.
I would carry on with it, but I personally wouldn't let Squirt lose more than 4% in the actual hibernation.

em7070 · 05-12-2011, 01:32 PM

Hi Levi,

Thanks for letting me know about the graphs and calculations, I will definitely bear that in mind. Glad to hear the weight loss isn't too bad. He seems bright and healthy, but he just wasn't very interested in eating, which was what first made me think he'd like to hibernate as he showed signs he was slowing down. I just don't want to do it wrong that's all, so it's all very worrying - Christmas is the least of my worries with tortoises to contend with haha! Thanks for your help with percentages, I really do want to hibernate him so will carry on for now, I was only planning to hibernate for 6-8 weeks anyway as he's still small. Does this sound ideal?
Thanks again

Levi · 05-12-2011, 01:53 PM

It is very worrying the first time, I think 6 to 8 weeks is fine for a first time, just keep an eye on his weight and see how it goes.

em7070 · 05-12-2011, 08:58 PM

Thanks Levi, I will bear that in mind and will definitely be checking him often

05-12-2011, 10:29 AM	#1
em7070 Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 295	Squirt's weight... :s Hi there, from earlier posts you will see that I'm hibernating my 2 year old Hermans (Squirt)... This is my first attempt at this and I've taken all the advice I can on board. Squirt is into his second week of the starvation period and had his monthly weigh-in yesterday and is now only 199g and is 10.4cm. He has lost 12g in the past month and I'm worried that this is too much of a drop in weight for me to carry on with hibernation. I worked it out to be something like a 6% overall weight loss and I've read that you can allow for 10% in the whole hibernation process but I'm worried he'll not do too well during hibernation it makes him on the lighter side for hibernation unless for active tortoises (i use the jackson ratio calculator on the tiny tortoises website) and he is a very active tortoise. He seems perfectly happy and healthy. Please go easy on me and any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much in advance!

05-12-2011, 01:18 PM	#2
Levi Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: A few degrees south of Freezing to Death. Posts: 437	Hi Emma, All those calculations and graphs are for summer weight, you shouldn't use them during wind down. 6% weight loss in the first two weeks isn't too bad, I helped a friend with her first hibernation and the tort lost 9% over 3 weeks wind down and then a further 4% over 9 weeks in the fridge. Not ideal but the tort was perfectly fine. I would carry on with it, but I personally wouldn't let Squirt lose more than 4% in the actual hibernation.

05-12-2011, 01:32 PM	#3
em7070 Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 295	Hi Levi, Thanks for letting me know about the graphs and calculations, I will definitely bear that in mind. Glad to hear the weight loss isn't too bad. He seems bright and healthy, but he just wasn't very interested in eating, which was what first made me think he'd like to hibernate as he showed signs he was slowing down. I just don't want to do it wrong that's all, so it's all very worrying - Christmas is the least of my worries with tortoises to contend with haha! Thanks for your help with percentages, I really do want to hibernate him so will carry on for now, I was only planning to hibernate for 6-8 weeks anyway as he's still small. Does this sound ideal? Thanks again

05-12-2011, 01:53 PM	#4
Levi Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: A few degrees south of Freezing to Death. Posts: 437	It is very worrying the first time, I think 6 to 8 weeks is fine for a first time, just keep an eye on his weight and see how it goes.

05-12-2011, 08:58 PM	#5
em7070 Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 295	Thanks Levi, I will bear that in mind and will definitely be checking him often

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)