Fridge for hibernation

[kyle123]

Can anyone recommend a good fridge to buy to hibernate my Marginated tortoise in?

 

[mark1]

if you get a compact fridge , get one without a freezer in it …...

 

[kyle123]

Yeah I have read that, I just wondered if there was a specific one anyone could recommend?

 

[rjamesbeasley]

You could put your tort in your regular fridge, this is actually better as a hibernating tort needs fresh air and will suffocate if the fridge door isn't opened often, otherwise you would need some kind of ventilation system

 

[kyle123]

I have two fridges but are both fridge freezers that's why I'm planning on just buying a smaller one to put him in

 

[rjamesbeasley]

What is wrong with a fridge/freezer combo?

 

[rjamesbeasley]

I haven't read extensively into this so wouldn't know

 

[rjamesbeasley]

Also, if where you are doesn't get warmer than 10°C for the period you hibernate your tort (although 5°C is better and I've heard that 2°C - 8°C is what you want) then you wouldn't need a fridge at all, but I suppose you already know that

 

[kyle123]

Yeah I go away alot and it's my family looking after it so I'm just getting it for piece of mind

 

[kyle123]

And from what I've read you shouldn't use ones with freezers as if something goes wrong they can get alot colder quicker

 

[rjamesbeasley]

I understand, last winter Merlin came out of hibernation early, I believe it was before the new year! We had to keep him indoors until spring but I am aware of a pellet feed that is can give your tortoise over winter instead of hibernation, although I don't know how good that is. How old is your tort?

 

[kyle123]

Mine is about 6, I also have not hibernated mine for any long period of time. Around the mid november he usually starts eating less and then towards mid December he stops and sleeps for only a couple weeks really. I wouldn't call it hibernation as he'll wake up and walk about a tiny bit but mostly sleeps. This year he's been going outside alot more so his cycle will be better I hope. I'm gonna start shortening down his days now to start him thinking about going into hibernation.

 

[rjamesbeasley]

Merlin is about seven years old and has been hibernating from October/November till about April, I'm not sure about marginated tortoises but for Hermanns you can use the Jackson ratio to see if the tort is fat enough to over winter. The Jackson ratio isn't for all tortoises though, there may be a different one for your breed, if you use the wrong one though then you might put a tortoise unfit for hibernation to sleep to never return

 

[rjamesbeasley]

There is lots of info on the web about hibernation and you may want to gradually increase sleep time, but if you speak to someone more experienced then I'm sure you'll get it right, I would recommend speaking to someone else on this though, I'm no expert!

 

[kyle123]

Yeah I've been doing alot of reading. I'm gonna make like a plan in a couple days for what I'm planning to do then I'll post it on here to see if it's a good idea.

 

[tglazie]

Any fridge will work so long as it is reliable and won't ice up. I recently got a True beverage fridge refurbished, new compressor and thermostat, and I've been running it over the summer to figure out how it performs. I measure the temperature in various levels of the fridge, putting rubbermaid tubs filled with peat moss inside and a container with water in the base. I take daily measurements of temperature, once in the morning, once at midday around lunch, and once in the evening when I return home. I want to know how this thing functions so that it is completely safe. Also, if you don't have a place for the tortoise in the winter, I would recommend getting a spare fridge, just in case the one you have gives out. I have a spare fridge that I keep running in the winter time for just such an incident. However, this isn't absolutely necessary, so long as you have a proper indoor enclosure in which to maintain the tortoise.

T.G.