New and help please

xlucysmithx · Sep 13, 2018

Hiya

I am new on here and new to owning tortoise, Herbie. I was given my 40 year old tortoise by a friend who's mum could no longer care for Herbie and knowing that I am such an animal lover knew it was coming to a good home. However, when it comes to hibernating Herbie I am slightly concerned, I was advised when it came to hibernating his mum used to put him in a shoe box with paper inside with air holes and then put him in another box, this concerns me as she kept him in a garage during the winter. I only have a shed which I am not sure will be warm enough for him. My friends put their tortoises in a green house to hibernate and that way when the weather changes they roam the green house and then bury themselves when they want to. Is it dangerous for me to change the way he hibernates? should I buy a smaller shed and insulate it somehow? Also how will I know when he is awake without checking every day and does that disturb him? Also with our freakish weather in the UK these days I don't want to hibernate him too early. any advice would be greatly received.

TriciaStringer · Sep 13, 2018

Check out this post. https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/help-first-hibernation-advice.169455/#post-1658398

TriciaStringer · Sep 13, 2018

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/looking-for-an-rt-hibernation-mentor.128790/

And this one

RosemaryDW · Sep 13, 2018

I'm going to suggest we hear from @JoesMum, who hibernated a Hermann's on your side for many years.

JoesMum · Sep 13, 2018

Hello and welcome from Kent. Joe was a Greek who we had for 47 years, but the principal and care are the same for all the Testudo

We double boxed Joe for many years and never had a problem until more recent warmer winters in Kent forced us to switch to a fridge as we couldn’t get the required temperature stability any more.

Joe went in a smaller box and the outer box was massive (tea chest size) and kept in the garage where he temperatures were most stable.

It is important to maintain a steady temp above freezing and below 10C... ideally a steady 5C and this would be impossible in a greenhouse in my opinion. Above 10C your tort may not be active, but is not hibernating therefore it will be burning calories and losing weight which can be dangerous.

We had an indoor-outdoor thermometer with a min-max function and a wireless outdoor probe. The probe went in the inner box with Joe and I could keep an eye on temperatures easily.

This thread discusses a UK tort doing fridge hibernation for the first time. If you read that it saves me repeating myself

HELP! First Hibernation advice

A properly hibernating tortoise cannot be disturbed. They have minimal bodily function and it’s a bit like handling a house brick. The most you may get is a leg moving slightly.

I also suggest you read this thread I wrote on keeping Joe outside as it tackles the wind down to hibernation
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

I’m happy to answer questions

JoesMum · Sep 13, 2018

I just realised where you’re from. I live in Tonbridge and am currently on a train approaching your station as I head to London for the evening

Gillian M · Sep 13, 2018

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Don't worry. You'll get the help you need, here.

xlucysmithx · Sep 13, 2018

JoesMum said:
Hello and welcome from Kent. Joe was a Greek who we had for 47 years, but the principal and care are the same for all the Testudo

We double boxed Joe for many years and never had a problem until more recent warmer winters in Kent forced us to switch to a fridge as we couldn’t get the required temperature stability any more.

Joe went in a smaller box and the outer box was massive (tea chest size) and kept in the garage where he temperatures were most stable.

It is important to maintain a steady temp above freezing and below 10C... ideally a steady 5C and this would be impossible in a greenhouse in my opinion. Above 10C your tort may not be active, but is not hibernating therefore it will be burning calories and losing weight which can be dangerous.

We had an indoor-outdoor thermometer with a min-max function and a wireless outdoor probe. The probe went in the inner box with Joe and I could keep an eye on temperatures easily.

This thread discusses a UK tort doing fridge hibernation for the first time. If you read that it saves me repeating myself
HELP! First Hibernation advice

A properly hibernating tortoise cannot be disturbed. They have minimal bodily function and it’s a bit like handling a house brick. The most you may get is a leg moving slightly.

I also suggest you read this thread I wrote on keeping Joe outside as it tackles the wind down to hibernation
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

I’m happy to answer questions

xlucysmithx · Sep 13, 2018

Thats so helpful thank you, its making me feel a lot more confident now. I have found a hibernating box set that has a temperature probe attached to it as well so I think I will get this for peace of mind - the shoe box was just making me worry about the cold getting through and I had visions that the poor thing would be waking up and not able to get out. Your thread has also given me ideas in relation to the new house I want to build for him so thanks again. I am sure I will have more questions.

JoesMum · Sep 13, 2018

xlucysmithx said:
Thats so helpful thank you, its making me feel a lot more confident now. I have found a hibernating box set that has a temperature probe attached to it as well so I think I will get this for peace of mind - the shoe box was just making me worry about the cold getting through and I had visions that the poor thing would be waking up and not able to get out. Your thread has also given me ideas in relation to the new house I want to build for him so thanks again. I am sure I will have more questions.

A shoebox crammed with shredded paper is fine. The bigger outer box must be stuffed with paper, straw or hay and this insulates your tort from extremes. If you don’t have the outer box, your tort can move close to the edge and the insulation you provide is useless.

Given that I live so close to you, the problem you will have is that a prolonged warm snap after you have started hibernation is quite likely. A couple of years ago we had nearly 20C in mid December. This means your tort will wake and should not be hibernated again, but it’s near impossible to stop him.

This is why we switched to a dedicated fridge for Joe.

Yvonne G · Sep 14, 2018

Welcome!

New and help please

xlucysmithx

New Member

TriciaStringer

Well-Known Member

TriciaStringer

Well-Known Member

RosemaryDW

Well-Known Member

JoesMum

Well-Known Member

JoesMum

Well-Known Member

Gillian M

Well-Known Member

xlucysmithx

New Member

xlucysmithx

New Member

JoesMum

Well-Known Member

Yvonne G

Old Timer

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