Fridge Hibernation For A Spur-thighed Tortoise

[MaNaAk]

Good afternoon everyone!

The vet has recommended fridge hibernation for Jacky my 87 year old Spur-thighed Tortoise. I have never hibernated her in this way before and whilst I given information on how to do this. I would be most be grateful if someone could please post some pictures of tortoises hibernating in fridges and fridge recommendations.

Thankyou very much

MaNaAk

 

[Tom]

Good afternoon everyone!

The vet has recommended fridge hibernation for Jacky my 87 year old Spur-thighed Tortoise. I have never hibernated her in this way before and whilst I given information on how to do this. I would be most be grateful if someone could please post some pictures of tortoises hibernating in fridges and fridge recommendations.

Thankyou very much

MaNaAk

Read through this:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[MaNaAk]

Read through this:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Thankyou Tom.

I'm going to keep coming back to read this.

MaNaAk

 

[Tom]

Thankyou Tom.

I'm going to keep coming back to read this.

MaNaAk

Excellent. Questions and further discussion are welcome.

 

[MaNaAk]

Excellent. Questions and further discussion are welcome.

Thankyou Tom.

Natrah and Jacky the tortoise

 

[MaNaAk]

Read through this:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org

Dear @Tom,

I've just read your thread again and I was wondering if you could please recommend a small fridge at all because I live in a flat with an undercounted fridge and also would I need a probe for the temperature.

Thankyou very much

Natrah

 

[Yvonne G]

Look up 'wine cooler.'

 

[MaNaAk]

Look up 'wine cooler.'

Thankyou Yvonne I will do. I did Google Fridges For Tortoises and a good one came up with a window but I want to do more searching.

Natrah

 

[Tom]

Thankyou Yvonne I will do. I did Google Fridges For Tortoises and a good one came up with a window but I want to do more searching.

Natrah

I have purchased a couple of wine fridges for diapausing tortoise eggs, and have found them to be unreliable. They also don't get cold enough for brumation. The coldest one stayed right around 50-55F (10-13C) at its coldest setting, which is just a little too warm.

I also don't like a clear door. I think the light and the movement disturbs them. Their wild hibernacula would be dark the whole time.

Any fridge should work, but you will need to check the temperatures thoroughly for consistency before putting a tortoise into it. Use digital thermometers that record the highs and lows so that you can see what it is doing at its extremes. Also remember to stuff the fridge with as much food and drink as you can, as this will help the fridge maintain a consistent temperature. I stuff mine with water bottles and beer.

 

[MaNaAk]

I have purchased a couple of wine fridges for diapausing tortoise eggs, and have found them to be unreliable. They also don't get cold enough for brumation. The coldest one stayed right around 50-55F (10-13C) at its coldest setting, which is just a little too warm.

I also don't like a clear door. I think the light and the movement disturbs them. Their wild hibernacula would be dark the whole time.

Any fridge should work, but you will need to check the temperatures thoroughly for consistency before putting a tortoise into it. Use digital thermometers that record the highs and lows so that you can see what it is doing at its extremes. Also remember to stuff the fridge with as much food and drink as you can, as this will help the fridge maintain a consistent temperature. I stuff mine with water bottles and beer.

Dear @Tom,

I see what you mean about a clear door so that case maybe I should trade my undercounter freezer for a fridgefreezer or just another small fridge on top of my current one.

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @molliemoo,

You might like to read this old thread of mine.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @molliemoo,

I have booked a pre-hibernation checkup for Jacky on the 11th September. You may want to think getting the fridge for your tortoise and also an enclosure with the right heating and lights. You will also need a thermostat especially for the fridge. If your tortoise is very young I don't recommend hibernation of more than six weeks.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @molliemoo,

The vet gave Jacky the all clear for hibernation and she recommended that I start hibernating her in October.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @molliemoo,

I have reduced Jacky's enclosure from 28 degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius during the day (20 degrees Celsius at night). I will continue feeding her at lunchtime for the next few days at least before stopping. I may turn will start shortening her day as well and stop feeding her next week.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @pippin,

Feel free to follow this thread.

Natrah

 

[pippin]

Dear @pippin,

Feel free to follow this thread.

Natrah

Thank you. Shelly is now inside . Her run is not covered and our home dosent drop below 16c at night. (I was told this is OK for a hermanns?) I switch her lamp on first thing and it reaches about 32 directly under? The heating kicks in and it reached around 25 in her "room/enclosure " if we get some sun I put her out for a couple of hours at noon. She is trying her damndest to hibernate though! should I just stop feeding her now and continue to soak her in prep for hibernation? I have a beer fridge that keeps at a constant 5_7 degrees. Is thos what you would reccomend? Taking into account before she came to us shelly had never been properly bruminated? Just kept in a box in a cold part of the house?

 

[MaNaAk]

Dear @pippin,

The beer fridge sounds brilliant. @Yvonne G recommended a wine cooler and if you scroll back you should see what I've got. Anyway I am going to stop feeding Jacky next week as I made a mistake earlier in the week and reduced the temperatures too soon and she was too docile. I'll post on here when I stop feeding her also today it is warmer so some tortoises might decide to snack.

Natrah

 

[MaNaAk]

Jacky hasn't touched her food today because I put her outside whilst I cleaned her enclosure after she gave me a massive 'present' !

Natrah

 

[pippin]

Jacky hasn't touched her food today because I put her outside whilst I cleaned her enclosure after she gave me a massive 'present' !

Natrah

Despite my best efforts shelly has not eaten very much at all and is quire docile, so I think I'm going to stop trying to feed her and just keep soaking her and popping light on to encourage her to move a little and empty her tract. Is this the right thing to do now? It was quite cool in her room/enclosure this morning (around 14?) So I've turned heat up a touch to get her moving more. I'll weigh her again too. Thanks for all your help. It's our first year with shelly and we're trying to get things right and improve her life as wasn't brilliant before.

 

[MaNaAk]

Despite my best efforts shelly has not eaten very much at all and is quire docile, so I think I'm going to stop trying to feed her and just keep soaking her and popping light on to encourage her to move a little and empty her tract. Is this the right thing to do now? It was quite cool in her room/enclosure this morning (around 14?) So I've turned heat up a touch to get her moving more. I'll weigh her again too. Thanks for all your help. It's our first year with shelly and we're trying to get things right and improve her life as wasn't brilliant before.

Good morning @pippin,

Yes that's correct. I'm going to see whether Jacky eats today. By the way please could we see a picture of Pippin. Here is a picture of Jacky: