Hermanns tortoise is trying to hibernate? Need help

Filty

New Member
Joined
May 17, 2021
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3
Location (City and/or State)
Prague
Hello to all tortoise lovers,
I'm new here so I might be asking something I'm not supposed to here. Feel free to redirect me plz.

I had hermanns tortoise that got sick and survived for 2,5 - 3 years (it was it's age as well). I might have done plenty mistakes as it was my first tortoise ever.

I have a new one for arpox 2 months. It's arount 9 months old. It used to be very active, it was eating very much and enjoying its new habbitat (as to my knowledge). The temperatures were around 30C under lamp (2-3 hours a day on) and around 20C all around the habbitat (pretty small, I'm now working on a much larger table). As previous owner advised, after one month I started pushing the temperatures a bit up by letting the heat lamp on longer. Two weeks later the heat lamp was on for around 8 hours a day. Temperatures under the lamp were around 32C, anywhere else 24C aprox.
All of a sudden it started to eat less and sleep more. Mostly under heat lamp. It didn't even tried to find cover during night and slept right there under the heat lamp. So I went to do some internet digging and found out something about tired/sleepy tortoise (mostly CZ websites). Also did some reading about hibernating yet I do not want to properly hibernate. So anyway I went down with the temperatures to give the possibility to my tortoise to fall a sleep, take some rest or whaterever it desires. It stopped eating completely. It sleeps all day long mostly in the cold area (heat lamp usually 2 hours a day, temperature around however still arpox. 22C). Sometimes it's a bit burriend, sometimes it sleeps around food but not eat at all. Sometimes it goes there and there and sleep around places. Seems tired and lazy. It wakes up when you take it. It opens (ussualy just one) eye which seems healthy. No signs of cold, nothing coming out of its nose. Tha carapax seems ok. A bit softer on the bottom then on top. The weight used to be around 25g, yesterday it was even 27g. So it seems it's not loosing weight at least not dramaticaly.

Anyway. My question is: Am I doing right decisions? What should be my next one? I can post pictures if that's what would help you helping me. I'm afraid of doing something wrong and losing my second tortoise. I might be paranoid but I'd like to hear someones elses opinion on this matter.

Thank you very much for your time.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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You are not caring for the tortoise correctly. The lamps we use indoors are meant to simulate the sun. The "sun" need to be up and lit for at least 12 hours of every day, just like outside. The temperature directly under your bulb needs to be around 36-37 so the tortoise can get warmer than the ambient temperature. 20 C is okay for night time, but try to get daytime ambient up to around 26-28C.

They don't hibernate in spring in warm temps and with the lights on. Your tortoise is shutting down because you are not giving it the conditions it needs to continue living.

Its all explained in detail here:
 

Filty

New Member
Joined
May 17, 2021
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Prague
So you would suggest in this state I should slowly put up temperatures? Slowly because people say that any hard changes are dangerous for tortoises. UVB is on around 6-7 hours a day right now so should I put that up as well?

Also I noticed that the tortoise tends to open mouth pretty often and it's head is usually lazy. Like falling down. It doesn't seem to move well. Right now its 12:12AM here and it's not asleep. Trying to walk somewhere but it can't. Seems like.
 
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