Brumation Update

[hokankai]

This year is my first year brumating one of my Western Hermann’s tortoises. He’s being brumated indoors in a temp monitored mini fridge in a bin of substrate topped with leaves.

I did a check on him yesterday and he’s looking great! In the last month he’s only lost maybe a gram in weight, but it’s hard to know because I don’t rinse him to weigh him. Breathing sounds good and he was responsive to my touch.

My question is, I’m hoping to get him through February and start waking him up in March. He’s been brumating since the end of November. What do I need to look for to ensure I don’t need to wake up him earlier than March? I’m assuming weight is the biggest one since that’s the only metric I have.

Picture from awhile back just for fun.

 

[Tom]

I leave them alone and don't check them. I don't like to disturb them and wake them up. If you've checked and all is good, and the temperature is staying consistent throughout, I would leave him be. I look for a warm sunny spell at the end of February or beginning of March on the 10 day Forecast and that is when I wake them.