Hibernation help

[Greatbigchicken]

Hi, I got my 4 year old Hermann last year so this is my first hibernation, it's also hers. I've been following these guide lines.
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ht=hibernation

I started on 1st Nov, but it my tort is not slowing down, she's marching round her enclosure constantly, in the last week she's lost about 50g,
01/11/13 = 130mm 463g
09/11/13 - 130mm 409g

I've dropped the temps to about 20oC at the warm end to try to slow her down, but she moved her log under the light and sat on top basking.

Is this normal? It doesn't feel right not feeding her, but as I said this is my first hibernation and I'm rather nervous.

Any advice would be greatly received.

[pagan queen]

You don't have to hibernate.

[Pussygalore]

it will work, give it time and follow the guide, the person who wrote it is a very good experienced keeper, the weight your tort has lost should just be poo which can be surprisingly heavy, you start to shorten the days from monday so things should get better, make sure your room temp at night also has a drop. You say you've lowered the cool end to 20c it should have always been that, that temp is what the room should be through the day it doesn't need to be anymore and your basking/hot spot 32-34c, the tort needs those temps for the first couple of weeks so it continues to poo and drink plenty.

[sandy]

Originally Posted by Greatbigchicken

Hi, I got my 4 year old Hermann last year so this is my first hibernation, it's also hers. I've been following these guide lines.
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ht=hibernation

I started on 1st Nov, but it my tort is not slowing down, she's marching round her enclosure constantly, in the last week she's lost about 50g,
01/11/13 = 130mm 463g
09/11/13 - 130mm 409g

I've dropped the temps to about 20oC at the warm end to try to slow her down, but she moved her log under the light and sat on top basking.

Is this normal? It doesn't feel right not feeding her, but as I said this is my first hibernation and I'm rather nervous.

Any advice would be greatly received.

At 20c your tortoise will still be active, that's too high.
Winding down should be done in a cold room.
First week normal temps, but no food.
Then gradually reduce the day, by switching light and heat on later and off earlier.
So that by the last week no heat or light is on.
Temps in the room should be below 10c.
Once in hibernation temps should not go higher than 5c, lower for horsfields.

[Catwoman63]

I found putting my torts in the cold porch (they were placed in wooden boxes) helped for the last 2 days before placing in the fridge, their shed wasn't getting low enough, but this year they are going down beginning to mid December (instead of beginning November) so it should be cold enough the last couple of days in their sheds, I place thermometers on top of the boxes with the probe in a hole in the side of the boxes to check the temp is below 10c before placing in the fridge x