HELP! Not sure if tortoise is in hibernation or sick...

[FrankieBaby]

Hi everyone! My name is Katherina and my tortoise is called Frankie. He is approximately 6 years old. I live in Austria so it's winter at the moment. Frankie has never hibernated because the vet always said he wasn't healthy enough but this winter he seemed determined to hibernate or... semi-hibernate. He stopped basking under the lamp and retreated to the darkest corner of his terrarium so I took the lamp away and lowered the temperature in the room just a little bit. at first he would eat a little bit (2 or 3 times a week) but for the past 2 1/2 months he's only eaten twice. Sometimes I hear him stirring a little bit so I put in some food to see if he'll eat it. But he doesn't. I feel like it's too late to put him into proper hibernation but I'm worried that this half-hibernating thing he seems to be doing isn't healthy either. His eyelids have gotten kind of whye (which I read is due to dehydration?) and well... he just doesn't really do anything. His terrarium is in my room though and I turn the lights on and off and listen to music so I'm not sure if that's stopping him from properly hibernating or what's going on. I really just want to do what's best for Frankie even if that involves buying/building a huge terrarium (he's definitely growing out of this one) or even giving him away. I feel like I'm not giving him the life he deserves (sorry to sound dramatic) and I'd like to fix this situation. Also, do tortoises get lonely? Because Franke has lived on his own since he was a newborn... Any help would be greatly appreciated. Where should I go from here? Should I turn his lamp on and force him to wake up?

The photo attached is of Frankie right now. He doesn't really have anywhere to hide since he's grown out of his little "cave". I know... I'm a terrible mother!

Oh and also! What type of tortoise is Frankie? I'm pretty certain that he's a Greek tortoise but I can't be sure...

 

[Jacqui]

I would suggest that you immediately give him a nice long warm soak and get his lights back on, along with turning his heat up. It's time to get him back up, active, and heating. It's no longer his choice, it's now you who needs to get him motivated.

 

[FrankieBaby]

I would suggest that you immediately give him a nice long warm soak and get his lights back on, along with turning his heat up. It's time to get him back up, active, and heating. It's no longer his choice, it's now you who needs to get him motivated.

I will! Thanks for your help.

 

[FrankieBaby]

Just gave him a soak and now he's eating again! Thanks

 

[bigred]

My box turtles use to come in and out of hibernation. But if you have him in your house in a warm room the temperatures are probably a little to warm for him to hibernate.