Hasn’t left his hide for 3 days

[SinLA]

So I’m in the “prep for brumation” stage for my adult male Russian where I stopped food 5 days ago, but temp and light are all the same. I am away for 4 days but have a camera going. (To be clear he is inside, to issues re being hurt, etc)

for the last few weeks when inside, I soak in the am, put him near his basking area, he basks for a couple of hours and then goes into his hide. This is a big change from summer when he’d be under the light for most hours of the day if in his inside box.

Because I’m not there to soak him for a few days, he simply isn’t leaving his hide. No sign of him for 3 days now. Ambient temperature is 80s during the day, high 70s at lowest at night (he has a cooler hide but hasn’t gone there).

I’m be home tomorrow but how concerned should I be about this?

 

[Maggie3fan]

I actually don't know...but my sister used to gather all her Russians and take them to her hibernation place and put them in. They did come from outside, but why are you watering and allowing basking if you want him to 'go to sleep'? Second question...why hibernate in Lala land?

 

[Tom]

I’m be home tomorrow but how concerned should I be about this?

Not a big deal. Many do this. Just keep getting him up daily and keep soaking for the prescribed amount of time before brumation. It will all work out.

 

[SinLA]

I actually don't know...but my sister used to gather all her Russians and take them to her hibernation place and put them in. They did come from outside, but why are you watering and allowing basking if you want him to 'go to sleep'? Second question...why hibernate in Lala land?

He's in the stage of needing to clean out his digestive track before cooling down. I very much do NOT want to hibernate him, but he has other ideas so if I'm going to do it, i'm going to do it properly (hopefully)

 

[Tom]

...but why are you watering and allowing basking if you want him to 'go to sleep'?

Because that is how you empty to gut before brumation.

Second question...why hibernate in Lala land?

While we are warmer than you, it is still too cold and the days are too short for them to want to stay up for the winter. And because it is best to brumate captive species that would be brumating in the wild.