Marianna
Member
Living in Greece I know how damp the winters are here.
I keep a couple of marginated tortoises in an enclosure of about 500 m2. I think it has all the aspects of their natural habitat. Rocks, olive trees, shrubs, sloping and flat areas. They are only 4 years old but have hibernated outside from when I got them at the age of 1 year. I try not to interfere but just observate their behaviour. As I still not know if within their enclosure the ideal natural hibernation spot excists, I made them a simple house of bricks with a floortile on top and filled it with dry leaves.
By the end of November they dig themselves just a little into the wet red clay soil and with the leaves on top they are fine until they wake up by the end of March.
So from the beginning it was obvious for me that they are made for long dry summers (they hardly ever bath then although I supply them fresh water every day) and damp winters. They basically are surrounded by a humidity level of 90- 100% for 4 months and no signs of pyramiding at all.
I think it is simple. When/if you keep a tortoise in capttivity, learn about
its natural habitat and try to copy that as much as possible....
I keep a couple of marginated tortoises in an enclosure of about 500 m2. I think it has all the aspects of their natural habitat. Rocks, olive trees, shrubs, sloping and flat areas. They are only 4 years old but have hibernated outside from when I got them at the age of 1 year. I try not to interfere but just observate their behaviour. As I still not know if within their enclosure the ideal natural hibernation spot excists, I made them a simple house of bricks with a floortile on top and filled it with dry leaves.
By the end of November they dig themselves just a little into the wet red clay soil and with the leaves on top they are fine until they wake up by the end of March.
So from the beginning it was obvious for me that they are made for long dry summers (they hardly ever bath then although I supply them fresh water every day) and damp winters. They basically are surrounded by a humidity level of 90- 100% for 4 months and no signs of pyramiding at all.
I think it is simple. When/if you keep a tortoise in capttivity, learn about
its natural habitat and try to copy that as much as possible....