# russian tortoise won’t eat and sleeps all day



## EddieAndHannah (Jan 4, 2021)

hi, so my russian tortoise eddie hasn’t been acting normal recently. he has slept for 3 days straight, only waking up to move his sleeping spot slightly and when i take him out every morning to soak, even then he’s really sleepy. i took him out of the tank earlier and he went straight to sleep. he won’t eat anything even when i place his favourite lettuce in front of him. he’s only about 6 months to a year so i don’t think he’s trying to hibernate, i also checked his tank temperture
under heat lamp: 40°c or 100°f
in hide (dark and damp): 25°c or 70°f
im wondering if it’s an issue with humidity as recently i’ve been adding more spray than normal as i’ve seen they need a lot of humidity
2 nights ago i covered his substrate (newspaper pellets, i know it’s not great for them, i have orchid bark coming in the post) in water, not until it forms puddles, but where it’s quite damp and i’ve sprayed his tank about twice a day which i did before anyways. there’s lots of mist on the glass but i don’t think that has anything to do with it.
he’s not dehydrated as he gets soaked everyday and he drinks water when he is being soaked
i genuinly don’t know what else i should do, i don’t know if this is normal behaviour or if he’s just tired but it’s certainly not like him, he loves his good and he’s always running around
i’ve included a picture of his tank in case it’s something to do with that. i’ve ordered new substrate like i said and two terracotta plant pot bases for food and water.



the plastic container with lettuce underneath is for enrichment as he loves tipping things over


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## method89 (Jan 4, 2021)

Your hide temp is too cold. Wanna get it up to 80 to 85°


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 4, 2021)

method89 said:


> Your hide temp is too cold. Wanna get it up to 80 to 85°


okay thank you, is that part of the issue of him not eating and sleeping so much?


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## Lyn W (Jan 4, 2021)

Hi have a look at the care sheet for Russian torts in the species section for more help.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 4, 2021)

Lyn W said:


> Hi have a look at the care sheet for Russian torts in the species section for more help.


thank you


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## method89 (Jan 4, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> okay thank you, is that part of the issue of him not eating and sleeping so much?


It could be. Too cool Temps are usually the cause of most problems


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 4, 2021)

Lyn W said:


> Hi have a look at the care sheet for Russian torts in the species section for more help.
> [/





method89 said:


> It could be. Too cool Temps are usually the cause of most problems


oh ok thank you!


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## Lyn W (Jan 4, 2021)

The pellets will go moldy if wet and the rule I was given was -
_*too cold + humid = sick tort
right temps + humid = healthy tort.*_
So make sure your temps are correct for him at his level,
What are you using to check the temps?
I have a digital temp gun which is great for spot checking temps at tort level.
Are you using anything for night heat?

The caresheet will be your best guide for temps (night and day) humidity, diet and substrate etc.

A few other ideas -

A plant in there may make him feel more secure. Many of us use spider plants as they are tort safe but try to get cuttings from a chemical free plant. If you buy from a shop/garden centre they will have been treated with fertiliser and pesticides so wash roots, repot in chemical free soil and leave for up to a year to allow anything that has been absorbed to grow out - so if you can get cuttings from an older untreated plant it will be quicker. Leave the plant in a pot and bury it in the substrate - it's quicker and easier to swap plants of they get nibbled or bulldozed
www.thetortoisetable.org.uk is a good guide to safe/toxic plants for food and enclosures.
until the plant saucers arrive I would feed on something else like an old plate etc so he doesn't eat the wood pellets too (just worried it could be a choking hazard for him)
I hope he's better soon.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 5, 2021)

Lyn W said:


> The pellets will go moldy if wet and the rule I was given was -
> _*too cold + humid = sick tort
> right temps + humid = healthy tort.*_
> So make sure your temps are correct for him at his level,
> ...


oh thank you! his temps are regular and i use a regular thermometer but have got a digital reptile inclosure metre arriving in the mail soon. i also do check his night heat before i go to bed as i turn his heat lamp off a while before i go to bed, it’s 25°c under the basking lamp and i think this is normal (according to google) i think him acting strange may be because his substrate was a bit too soaked so i got rid of it because it smelt really bad in there and i think it could be because of that, plus the new substrate came. he’s perked up a bit, i took him out earlier and he walked around for a bit, still not eating but had definitely perked up. i’ll also look into a plant for him and his plant saucers arrived too! thank you so much for the info!! ?


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## method89 (Jan 5, 2021)

What are you using for night heat?


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## JoesMum (Jan 5, 2021)

This is the care sheet you need to follow





The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise


I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...




www.tortoiseforum.org





You need to convince your tortoise that it’s summer.

Have the lights on full and bright for 12-14 hours. Use a timer.

It must be 35-37C directly under the basking lamp at tortoise level. Use an infrared thermometer foraccuracy.

It must not drop below 17C at night. If your tort gets too cold he will take too long to warm up next day. You may need a ceramic heat emitter, which must be used with a thermostat, to maintain temperatures when the lights are off.

Haul your tort out first thing every morning and soak him for 30 minutes in warm water. Use a large flat-bottomed bowl like a washing up bowl. Change the water if it goes cool.

Weigh your tortoise straight after the soak on e a week. It is important to know that your tortoise isn’t losing weight.

Feed your tortoise immediately after the soak as this is when he’s most likely to eat. He will be less active until the days grow warmer and brighter.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 5, 2021)

method89 said:


> What are you using for night heat?


i turn everything off at night but hes in a vivarium so the heat stays in mostly.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 5, 2021)

JoesMum said:


> This is the care sheet you need to follow
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 oh, thank you! his lights are on 12 hours or more a day and at night it is 25° and directly under the heat lamp in day time it’s 40°. i do take him out most of the time every morning once i wake up for his soak and use a tub which is opaque and tall so he can’t see out of it
i will start weighing him after his soaks i do weigh him but never after his soaks and i can’t remember where i wrote it last time i weighed him 
i put him in his tank after his soak and then go down and get his food ready 
thank you so much for the info!


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## JoesMum (Jan 5, 2021)

If it’s 40 under the heat lamp then it’s a bit too warm. You need to raise the lamp and get it down to the range I mentioned. A tortoise will become ina tive if it’s too hit as well as too cold.

Please read that care sheet I linked to and compare it with your setup.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 5, 2021)

JoesMum said:


> If it’s 40 under the heat lamp then it’s a bit too warm. You need to raise the lamp and get it down to the range I mentioned. A tortoise will become ina tive if it’s too hit as well as too cold.
> 
> Please read that care sheet I linked to and compare it with your setup.


i can’t raise the lamp as he’s in a vivarium and its at the highest i can put it. is there any other way to lower the temp? and i will read the care sheet, thank you!


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## JoesMum (Jan 5, 2021)

You adjust temperature under a basking lamp by raising and lowering the fitting, using a dimmer if the bulb is compatible with one or by using a lower wattage bulb


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 5, 2021)

JoesMum said:


> You adjust temperature under a basking lamp by raising and lowering the fitting, using a dimmer if the bulb is compatible with one or by using a lower wattage bulb


ok thank you. i’ll look at it’s wattage tomorrow morning as i don’t want to burn my hands and look into a lower wattage bulb


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## Lyn W (Jan 6, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> oh thank you! his temps are regular and i use a regular thermometer but have got a digital reptile inclosure metre arriving in the mail soon. i also do check his night heat before i go to bed as i turn his heat lamp off a while before i go to bed, it’s 25°c under the basking lamp and i think this is normal (according to google) i think him acting strange may be because his substrate was a bit too soaked so i got rid of it because it smelt really bad in there and i think it could be because of that, plus the new substrate came. he’s perked up a bit, i took him out earlier and he walked around for a bit, still not eating but had definitely perked up. i’ll also look into a plant for him and his plant saucers arrived too! thank you so much for the info!! ?


There is a lot of old and unsafe information on the internet so don't rely on Google for accurate information. This forum is full of very experienced tort keepers some of whom have been involved in research over the years to improve conditions for torts, so make TFO your only port of call for all advice. 

The viv won't necessarily hold the heat your tort needs all night if your room temps fall but check the caresheet to see what the lowest temp should be for tort babies. 

If needed a CHE on a thermostat will keep the temps even within the required range at night so that it doesn't get too hot or cold. They last for years so after the initial cost you don't need to keep replacing it.

A digital thermometer and hydrometer with a probe positioned in the viv at all times will make it easier for you monitor temps and humidity.

The best way to check your temps when adjusting the basking bulb height is to put a rock or something similar in size to your tort under it and check the temps on that until you get it right.

It can be expensive to get all the equipment needed at first but worth it to keep your tort safe and healthy and will save on vets bills in the long run.

Also Russians like to dig into their substrate so make sure its suitable and deep enough for that.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

Lyn W said:


> There is a lot of old and unsafe information on the internet so don't rely on Google for accurate information. This forum is full of very experienced tort keepers some of whom have been involved in research over the years to improve conditions for torts, so make TFO your only port of call for all advice.
> 
> The viv won't necessarily hold the heat your tort needs all night if your room temps fall but check the caresheet to see what the lowest temp should be for tort babies.
> 
> ...


hi! thank you for the info, i don’t usually use google, i do mostly use tfo. i have a digital thermometer and hydrometer coming in the post today actually and he has a log under his basking lamp so he can climb up and i usually put the thermometer on that. my room temps usually are at 20°c-25°c and he has orchid bark as his substrate and he does love to dig. thank you!


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

hi, i have posted about this before but i’m going to post about it again as it has gotten worse. my russian tortoise hasn’t eaten in 5 or 6 days and has slept for 5 or 6 days straight, only waking when i wake him up for soaks and even then he is super tired and tries to sleep a lot. he has no energy and there’s definitely something wrong with him, this is not like him, he usually loves his food and is always running around. he also peed earlier and it was pink. i’ve seen this can be caused by pink/red coloured foods but he hasn’t eaten in ages and usually only eats green foods (different types of lettuce, cucumber, etc) and hasn’t had red foods before. i don’t know what to do, should i take him to the vet?


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## Suey (Jan 6, 2021)

Hi just wondering if he’s warm enough, I have 2 Russians and my larger 6yr old hasn’t eaten now for 2wks but she is active. This time of year is very confusing I think for a hibernating species and I think nature takes over. I would just make sure he’s warm to touch wake every morning and soak for 15 to 20 minutes in warm water . Hopefully after that if you offer food he might eat. Someone with more knowledge will help you out soon


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## Yossarian (Jan 6, 2021)

Sounds like low temps and lighting levels. Not sure about the pink urine sorry.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

Suey said:


> Hi just wondering if he’s warm enough, I have 2 Russians and my larger 6yr old hasn’t eaten now for 2wks but she is active. This time of year is very confusing I think for a hibernating species and I think nature takes over. I would just make sure he’s warm to touch wake every morning and soak for 15 to 20 minutes in warm water . Hopefully after that if you offer food he might eat. Someone with more knowledge will help you out soon


he’s only around 1 or less so it’s not to do with hibernating, he also gets soaked in the mornings. his heat lamp dosent stay on at night so he’s not warm to touch in the mornings but i’ll keep it on tonight. thank you


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## Suey (Jan 6, 2021)

Well they don’t like lights on at night, a ceramic heat bulb is what you need at night. They give off heat but not light. They come in different wattages so depends on how big your setup is as to what size you’ll need. I buy off swell reptiles online they are very helpful if you ring or email them. Oh you’re in Northern Ireland ? Don’t know if they deliver there or not, worth a try, they are also very quick with deliveries. Good luck.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

Suey said:


> Well they don’t like lights on at night, a ceramic heat bulb is what you need at night. They give off heat but not light. They come in different wattages so depends on how big your setup is as to what size you’ll need. I buy off swell reptiles online they are very helpful if you ring or email them. Oh you’re in Northern Ireland ? Don’t know if they deliver there or not, worth a try, they are also very quick with deliveries. Good luck.


 thank you so much! i will definitely look into one from them ?


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## Suey (Jan 6, 2021)

Sorry don’t know about pink wee ?


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

Suey said:


> Sorry don’t know about pink wee ?


that’s alright- thank you!


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

alright, i’ve booked a vet appointment for tomorrow morning, i’ll bring a sample of the urine, this is his first time going to the vet, any thing else i should do?


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## Suey (Jan 6, 2021)

Sometimes they want a poo sample, wouldn’t hurt to just take one ( if you have one ) hope he goes on ok .


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## Maggie3fan (Jan 6, 2021)

Sounds to me like he is too cold and trying to hibernate. Russians like to cool off at night. But with him I would keep his light on for 12 hrs a day and night temps, I think, should be 70 to 80, not sure about the night temps. Make sure that Vet is an exotic Vet, as most Vets do not know about chelonians


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## Yvonne G (Jan 6, 2021)

I agree with Maggie. It's pretty hard to keep Russian tortoises awake and active during the winter months. I doubt there's anything wrong with your tortoise. . . it's just time time of year. 

The color of the urine is reflecting what the tortoise has been eating. For example, dandelion makes urine red.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

maggie3fan said:


> Sounds to me like he is too cold and trying to hibernate. Russians like to cool off at night. But with him I would keep his light on for 12 hrs a day and night temps, I think, should be 70 to 80, not sure about the night temps. Make sure that Vet is an exotic Vet, as most Vets do not know about chelonians


thanks, he’s only 6 months to a year old so it shouldn’t be a hibernating issue. i’ve ordered a ceramic heater for night times. thank you ?


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

Yvonne G said:


> I agree with Maggie. It's pretty hard to keep Russian tortoises awake and active during the winter months. I doubt there's anything wrong with your tortoise. . . it's just time time of year.
> 
> The color of the urine is reflecting what the tortoise has been eating. For example, dandelion makes urine red.


well he’s only 6 months to a year so shouldn’t be a hibernating issue. he also dosent eat dandelions or any red food, just lots of variety of greens which is strange.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 6, 2021)

the vet wanted to see him early


Suey said:


> Sometimes they want a poo sample, wouldn’t hurt to just take one ( if you have one ) hope he goes on ok .


the vet wanted to see him early and i brought a urine sample and he pooed in the box we brought him in, he didn’t say anything so i’m sure it’s fine. he’s keeping him overnight and giving him a feeding tube as he’s lost quite a bit of weight. (out of control, not to do with his diet, just as he’s not eating)


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## Melissacoop (Jan 8, 2021)

Poor baby. Keep us posted!


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## KT1 (Jan 8, 2021)

What brand of vitamin/mineral powder do you all recommend? My leopard tortoise is about six months old. Thanks


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

Melissacoop said:


> Poor baby. Keep us posted!


i will! at the moment hes home and he’s definetly getting better! he still won’t eat but he’s running around like normal!


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## Chefdenoel10 (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> i will! at the moment hes home and he’s definetly getting better! he still won’t eat but he’s running around like normal!


????
The chocolate is for you having to go through this.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

Chefdenoel10 said:


> ????
> The chocolate is for you having to go through this. ❤


aww thank you ??


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## Melissacoop (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> i will! at the moment hes home and he’s definetly getting better! he still won’t eat but he’s running around like normal!


Great news! Hope he’s on the mend!!


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## Maggie3fan (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> well he’s only 6 months to a year so shouldn’t be a hibernating issue. he also dosent eat dandelions or any red food, just lots of variety of greens which is strange.


Is it that you think he is too young to hibernate? Dandelions are yellow flowered, but it turns urine red. He should eat dandelions, they are good for him.





Russian Tortoise Care Sheet


Russian tortoises have great personalities, are very hardy, tolerate a wide variety of enclosure parameters, stay small, and are generally a good "starter" tortoise in my opinion. Here is how I like to set them up: Indoor Enclosure type and size: Most people want to know the minimum size...




tortoiseforum.org










The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise


I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...




tortoiseforum.org


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

maggie3fan said:


> Is it that you think he is too young to hibernate? Dandelions are yellow flowered, but it turns urine red. He should eat dandelions, they are good for him.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yeah i do think he’s too young to hibernate.
i’m in the uk and dandelions are usually everywhere in spring/summer and quite hard to find in winter, so as of spring when they start to bloom it will be part of his diet!


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## Yossarian (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> yeah i do think he’s too young to hibernate.
> i’m in the uk and dandelions are usually everywhere in spring/summer and quite hard to find in winter, so as of spring when they start to bloom it will be part of his diet!




There are some other weeds you can find in winter months that are suitable. One my greek really likes is called Plantain, and it is pretty much everywhere in the colder months. I find Tortoise Table is really useful, I try to identify plants on my walks and when I find one I check it to see if it is feedable. Sometimes they are edible but the tort wont touch them, so some experimentation is needed. I can often find narrow leaf and broad leaf Plantain near each other and my Greek tort eats both, though hes a bit picky and preferes younger shoots and leaves.






Search The Tortoise Table Database


Search the Tortoise Table Database



www.thetortoisetable.org.uk


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

Yossarian said:


> There are some other weeds you can find in winter months that are suitable. One my greek really likes is called Plantain, and it is pretty much everywhere in the colder months. I find Tortoise Table is really useful, I try to identify plants on my walks and when I find one I check it to see if it is feedable. Sometimes they are edible but the tort wont touch them, so some experimentation is needed. I can often find narrow leaf and broad leaf Plantain near each other and my Greek tort eats both, though hes a bit picky and preferes younger shoots and leaves.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yeah i use the tortoise table too! i have recently tried finding some weeds for him, he likes beech leaves and grass from the garden, he’s super picky ? i had only started trying out some weeds for him just before he started not eating, so i haven’t done much experimenting yet


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## Yossarian (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> yeah i use the tortoise table too! i have recently tried finding some weeds for him, he likes beech leaves and grass from the garden, he’s super picky ? i had only started trying out some weeds for him just before he started not eating, so i haven’t done much experimenting yet



It isnt obvious because of the thumbnail but I linked the specific page for Plantain, so you could see what it looks like and have a look for it. I dont know if its common in NI.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

Yossarian said:


> It isnt obvious because of the thumbnail but I linked the specific page for Plantain, so you could see what it looks like and have a look for it. I dont know if its common in NI.


oh sorry i thought you were just linking the app ? i don’t think i’ve seen it before, i’ll have to keep an eye out. thank you!


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## Yvonne G (Jan 9, 2021)

EddieAndHannah said:


> thanks, he’s only 6 months to a year old so it shouldn’t be a hibernating issue. i’ve ordered a ceramic heater for night times. thank you ?


What do you think happens to baby tortoises living in the wild when winter rolls around? THEY HIBERNATE! Please don't make another new thread about this problem. I've merged the three you started together. You have been given some very good advice. Now it's up to you if you want to take it or not. A vet can't help you.


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## EddieAndHannah (Jan 9, 2021)

Yvonne G said:


> What do you think happens to baby tortoises living in the wild when winter rolls around? THEY HIBERNATE! Please don't make another new thread about this problem. I've merged the three you started together. You have been given some very good advice. Now it's up to you if you want to take it or not. A vet can't help you.


sorry- i didn’t know. i thought they didn’t hibernate until they were older. thank you for the information.


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