hibernation

Hi, my 6 year old horsefield is in hibernation using fridge method. 3rd year hibernating. Was checked by vets prior. Been in fridge since 23/11/2020. On inspection today he has black spot on his nose and I’m really worried. I’ve emailed the vet but yet to hear back. Any idea what it might be...

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if hibernation is a requirement for my little Hermann's. He's 2 years old at the moment and kept in a comfortably warm indoor enclosure. I didn't hibernate him the past 2 winters as the vet recommended I don't consider hibernation until he's a little bit older...

my tortoise was acting weird today and i gave him collard greens and baby arugula this morning and put him outside on the grass in the sun so he could eat and he barely ate and had his head out a lot so i brought him in and put him on the carpet and when i came back he was in his shell and...

Tortellini (Eastern Hermann) is about 4-6 months old and is 76g. I keep him in a vivarium because it is terribly dry in the winter (like my own body is cracking because it’s so dry). It’s around 70%~80% at all times. Cool zone 28c, hot zone 33c, central 30c. He had sun soak time until early...

Hello all. I am Hibernating my Marginated Tortoise this year for the first time and I am confident about everything except for weight. As his species is marginated I havent been able to find any information on a healthy weight for tortoises his size. I have been fasting him since late november...

Hi everyone, I have just joined today. I have had a horsefield tortoise for about 12 years or so, yesterday I went to check on him and noticed his shell was red in places and his limbs were limp and his eyes look a bit sunken in. He doesn't seem to be reacting to anything and was just wondering...

Hey everyone, I have a question my 2 year old Russian tortoise has started to slow down in pace as the winter rolls into California. He's an indoor tortoise and says inside, except for the occasional outings to his outdoor shelter once in a while when it's not too cold, and not raining...

I live in the city and a few weeks ago I found a Sonoran Desert Tortoise crossing the street in my neighborhood. I posted on Facebook to see if anyone had lost him but no one claimed so I just adopted him. Since then I’ve tried to learn as much as I can about taking care of him. We’ve been...

My hermann tortoise is getting ready for hibernating and has starved for 3 weeks now. I was going to put him away today or tomorrow but the weather is too warm.. my loft and shed are both 11/12° I also don’t have a spare fridge for a last resort. I’m not sure whether to start feeding him again...

I’ve starved my hermann tortoise for 3 weeks now. He’s ready for hibernation however the temperatures outside are still too warm (12 degrees) and he hasn’t slowed down at all. He’s a small hermann he weighs 970g. I’m not sure whether to start feeding him again and hibernate him later in the...

I have a tortoise who lives in a large tortoise table. He’s normally active and eating his bugs but recently he’s slowed down a lot and I watch bugs crawl over him and he’s just chilling there. He doesn’t move as much and I’m curious if this is his body preparing for hibernation? I have a heat...

I have been on this forum for my Sulcata. Only one profile... I've had a snapper before and successfully kept him 20 years, ending up in a appropriately terraced 55gal tank. Great pet. Been gone for years. Recently I was given a baby snapping turtle in June. I have him in a 10gal tank, with a...

I just rescued an African Spur from getting dropped off at a shelter, but apparently I'm out of my depth. This is my first tortoise. He's around 40 lbs and 5 years old. I am currently setting up additions to his habitat, as he doesn't seem to like what I created for him and he's choosing weird...

Hi, I have a two year old horsefield tortoise who is recently very lethargic and has a soft springy under shell (this may have always been soft and springy, I didn't check previously). Over lock down I moved him to my Mum's (I relocated too) to make sure that there would always be someone...

Hi all! I’m just messaging to get some general advice really: Arnie is my 6 y/o Russian Horsefield. He recently had a check-up at the vets who advised he is ‘on the skinny side’ and that I can increase his daily food intake. For reference he has a mix of lambs lettuce, kale, petunias and...

Hey this is the first year I am hibernating my tortoise and I want to make sure I do it really well as there’s conflicting knowledge online. I thought it would be a better idea to ask you guys your experience/ the best things so I can start preparations right away :) thanks

Hi everyone ? I was hoping I can receive some helpful advice. I am a newer custodian owner of two female gopherus agassizzi. I have a beautiful habitat for them outside that is large and safe. I also have two burrows the same exact size but they both go to only one of the burrows. The previous...

Good afternoon all, Earlier this year (back in March), I noticed that my sweet 22-year-old male Russian tortoise had swelled up with edema and was taken to the vet the next day. After an X-ray and fecal float, it was determined that all was well although he had two strains of parasites. I can't...

Do I have to burmate my tortoise, or can I provide it with the same conditions all year round? There seems to be a difference of opinion, some believe burmation to be essential as its natural for certain species, whereas others seem to have never bothered with their tortoises and don't seem to...

I live in the PNW, near Portland, OR. We created an outdoor enclosure for our Russian. In August he went missing and we thought he had escaped, but yesterday he emerged from a deep hole in the enclosure- evidently he was hibernating this entire time! My question is this: Is he done...