Greetings From Austin,TX

[Kamakazie]

Howdy folks!

My name is Carmen, and my son Manny and I have adopted the cutest Russian Tortoise, Kamakazi.

We built an awesome enclosure, with a sunny side and a shady side. The lid folds back and becomes a bench. We've read all kinds of posts on this tread to do our research, and are very grateful for all this useful information.

Thanks for all your posts!
Carmen & Manny

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Carmen, and welcome!

 

[Minority2]

Welcome to the forum. Pictures of your tortoise, lighting fixtures, heating fixtures, and enclosure would be great if you wish to share them.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Hi Carmen! I made some comments in your other post, in the Russian section.

 

[Kamakazie]

 

[Kamakazie]

Here are the pictures ... We did a lot of research on what to buy, and then finally decided to make our own plans. We are pretty proud of it. Kamakazie, our tortoise seems pretty happy, and our son Manny loves it (so do I)! Thanks for asking ... So now, on to our issue ... The weather turned cold unexpectedly two nights ago. Kamakazie appears to have started hibernating (he is alive, but won't wake up). Yesterday he had his head and his legs all spread out, but slightly burrowed in the stone house on the warm side of the enclosure. Today, he was turned around inside the stone house, with his head tucked in, but his four legs spread out. He was cool to the touch, and did not wake up, even though we picked him up, and moved him into a styrofoam cooler house. So the question is, he was eating all last week. So should we bring him in, and warm him up and try to wake him? Or should we just leave him be and let him happily hibernate as is? Temperature will be down to 35 tonight. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Kamakazie]

 

[Kamakazie]

This is Manny, our son and you can see the stone house clearer in this picture (up and to the right).

 

[Cheryl Hills]

If he just ate, I would wake him. Also, how long have you had this tort? If this is his first winter with you, I would not let him hybernate, don’t know if he is well enough yet. Good luck

 

[Kamakazie]

If he just ate, I would wake him. Also, how long have you had this tort? If this is his first winter with you, I would not let him hybernate, don’t know if he is well enough yet. Good luck

We've had him 3 months. He last ate on Friday.

 

[Cheryl Hills]

Then I would keep him up this winter, put him in the inside enclosure with lights on for 14 hours a day and summertime temps. This way you get to know his habits better and make sure he is healthy enough to hybernate next year. Plus since he just ate on Friday, there has not been enough time for his gut to clear out. If he hybernates with food in his system, it could grow bacteria’s or parasites which could cause harm.

 

[jaizei]

Here are the pictures ... We did a lot of research on what to buy, and then finally decided to make our own plans. We are pretty proud of it. Kamakazie, our tortoise seems pretty happy, and our son Manny loves it (so do I)! Thanks for asking ... So now, on to our issue ... The weather turned cold unexpectedly two nights ago. Kamakazie appears to have started hibernating (he is alive, but won't wake up). Yesterday he had his head and his legs all spread out, but slightly burrowed in the stone house on the warm side of the enclosure. Today, he was turned around inside the stone house, with his head tucked in, but his four legs spread out. He was cool to the touch, and did not wake up, even though we picked him up, and moved him into a styrofoam cooler house. So the question is, he was eating all last week. So should we bring him in, and warm him up and try to wake him? Or should we just leave him be and let him happily hibernate as is? Temperature will be down to 35 tonight. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

I would not leave him outside tonight.

The temperature isn't consistent enough in Austin to let them hibernate naturally, i.e. outside. You would need to hibernate him in a refrigerator if you do choose to hibernate him and the temperature is usually kept around 45*F with the minimum being 40*F.

 

[Kamakazie]

We brought him in ... the temp was already below 40 inside the styrofoam box, and below freezing outside ....