# To hibernate or not to hibernate?



## Little Texas (Nov 20, 2012)

This is the first winter I have had my Desert Tortoise back from my mother. She kept her while I was at school. I have read that if a DT was sick at some point throughout the year then they should be kept awake during the winter. Does anyone have an opinion on this? My DT has always had respiratory issues of different levels. This year she was not so bad. She had a runny nose but no wheezing ever. About a week or a week and half ago she started hibernating however I just walked into my room to see her hanging out with the dogs. Haha. She had woken up and came out of her dog house. The temperature in the house nor in her dog house have changed, she simply woke up. However in regards to temp. For whatever reason my mother let her hibernate at a much much warmer temp than is suggested because she placed a heating pad under part of her house, even though her house is kept indoors. Should I continue the hibernating patterns she has had over the years or should I attempt to have her hibernate at colder temps, or should I keep her awake over the winter in an attempt to help her respiratory issues.


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## Yvonne G (Nov 20, 2012)

Hi Amy:

I think you should keep your tortoise up this winter and have someone build you a nice, big tort table to keep it in. I'd be willing to bet that the runny nose is due to stress and not due to a respiratory infection. Once you can get the tortoise into a permanent situation, a habitat made especially for the tortoise without any dogs, and not roaming around the house, the nose will probably clear up. Then when the weather is good again, the tortoise needs to be put outside in a safe, secure habitat and left alone in there. 

Some tortoises are pretty people oriented and react very well to being treated like a puppy, but some really get stressed out if you handle them too much.


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## Little Texas (Nov 20, 2012)

She has always roamed around the house freely in addition to spending tons of time outside during the summer here. She has had the runny nose for years before being introduced to dogs or being brought back to my house. She is too large for a tortoise table in my opinion. When it is warm she is given the entire back yard however sometimes she comes up to the patio door and I let her in. She loves people and to be honest she really seems to love the dogs also. She is about 14, I/my family have had her since she was a baby. She has always spent her summers outside and the other seasons mostly indoors but put outside on nice warms days. About 5 years ago my mother moved away from the house I currently live in and took her with her since I was at school. She moved to a slightly colder climate, to a house with no other animals and that is when she started having respiratory problems, again some years worse than others. This summer she spent with me and only had the runny nose. I really appreciate your feedback but based on the history of her life I am going to guess that she isn't stressed out from living indoors or being around the dogs. She follows people around and follows the dogs around when she is inside.


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## ascott (Nov 20, 2012)

Hi...I will not try to sway you one way or the other...but feel compelled to share here 

A tortoise is a solitary critter--especially if you are dealing with a male tort....however, they will gravitate towards hussle and bussle because they are a curious sort.

A tortoise has a few steadfast needs in its life, food--shelter--warmth--water along with a quiet place to retreat...

A tortoise species that brumates (CDT) should be preparing the entire year leading up to winter months--during this time they will consume food, consume water, soak up the sun rays and rest between all of this.....these things are so important for a successful start/middle/conclusion brumation...now, if during this time a tort is ailing in any way then their immune system is likely compromised and the tort is not at its best when brumation should begin...can a tort survive this type of situation---yes, they can--sometimes for 1 year, 5 years perhaps 10-15 years---but while this may seem like a good length of time to a humans perception---this is but a drop in the bucket of the life expectancy of a CDT----so, absolutely it is up to you to decide that your tort has made it each year up to now, absolutely it is up to you to ask questions here on this forum--and to either utilize the information offered--or disregard it and say you will do as has been done in the past...great, completely your decision, right?

However, I present you this thought  What would happen if you overwintered that tort of yours---and during that time provided a space that has increased temps day and night that never fall below 80-85 as well as offer a basking spot of 95-110? As it is a proven tool that increasing the temps for an ailing tort will kick their immune system into high gear, which in turn offers a chance for the tort to heal itself (so to speak) and that runny nose may just clear up....

Also, have you ever had that tort checked for a heavy parasite load? If the tort has ever been a wild tort then placed into captivity at some point it may simply be a lingering battle with parasite load that causes the runny nose? There are a variety of things that can cause a runny nose...stress is the main one--and all though you may see things as all good---you are looking at the over all pic through human eyes---and not your tort...also, if your tort has free run in the same space as your dogs---I can lay a pretty confident bet that your tort has seeked out and eaten dog poo----not the best thing for him to do....

In conclusion, I have attached a prior thread here that is a prime example of a story told waaaay too many times and so please understand---torts and dogs do not, nor would they ever in the wild comfortably co habitate with one another---the canine will always eventually see the moving rock as a fun chew toy...not if--but when..

Also, Yvonne--the lady offering you help here----has TONS of years of experience in this particular species as well as it being one of her favs...so, I would certainly consider what she is sharing as an effort to offer you helpful information to better the quality of life for your tort---and not because she is trying to "tell you what to do"...

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-45850.html#axzz2Cq88tuWO


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## kimber_lee_314 (Nov 21, 2012)

My general rule is if they've been sick within 6 months of hibernation time, I keep them up for the winter.


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## jaydog6644 (Jan 5, 2013)

dont do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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