Different Russians, different Chronobiologies?

[jsheffield]

All three of my Russians are adult rescues but I'm noticing a difference between two of them and the third as autumn deepens.

The days outside are getting colder and shorter, but I'm keeping the light cycle and thermostats the same inside, which is where they all are almost exclusively, now that summer is done.

Chili and Wilhelmina lived with families for years before they came to live with me and seem to be equally awake and active and eating now as a month ago.

Persephone, who was found in a park in Virginia, seems to be shutting down despite conditions in her enclosure being constant, and the same as those in the other two enclosures. She seems to want to brumate.

I wonder if she lived out in the world long enough to adjust her chronobiology semi-permanently, and that's why she's shutting down despite a 12/12 light cycle and temps of 65° to 95° (like all year long).

Jamie

 

[RosemaryDW]

Can she see any of the outside world—is there a window or other natural light? If she can tell the days are shortening that’s all the signal she might need. It’s all ours needs does, usually. She has a night box and it can stay pretty sunny here for months but that rarely matters. She has brumated all her life and does what she wants, when she wants! The timing can vary by a month or so, depending on when things get overcast.

This year, her fifth with us, we’re not sure what she’s planning to do; her behavior has been odd. Our vet is experienced with Russians overwintering in our area if they have a heat source so maybe this is her year to switch? We’ll see what happens when the evening temps hit the 50s.