Hibernation help

[Kate Pearson]

Hi,

I inherited a spur-thighed (probably Greek) tortoise early this Spring via an elderly friend of the family - he's around 80 years old.

He's been hibernating using the box system in our shed but, as it was very mild today, I popped out to check the thermometer in his box which was at 9 degrees so I decided to move him to the fridge. He pulled his head half out of his shell and his eyes were half open when I moved him. He hasn't urinated so I think it's OK to just cool him down and get him back into deep hibernation but wanted to check in case I've blown him and need to now over winter him?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum @Kate Pearson !

Please give your tort daily soaks in warm water so as to avoid pyramiding and dehydration, and make sure he has enough warmth and humidity.

Where do you live and what's the weather like back there, now?

Read the "Beginners Mistakes" Thread, and please post pics of your tort as well as his enclosure, so as to enable us to give you advise more easily.

 

[JoesMum]

Hi there

We've had our Greek 46 years and always boxed him until this year.

Last year we had a freak warm week in December and I had the same panic as you. Joe went back down just fine, but I was very worried.

This year we bought a fridge specifically for him. I was quite relieved as we hit the warm weather again in the UK just now.

So, some movement during hibernation is normal. As long as the temperature in his box hasn't got much above 10C he's unlikely to have roused much.

The fridge needs to be a steady 5C and I don't recommend removing him from it. It must not go below zero and the door needs to be opened once a day, but in the interests of temperature stability, preferably no more.

 

[Kate Pearson]

Thanks so much, that's really reassuring.

We are also in the UK, very strange weather this winter.

He's currently in the drawer of our own fridge. I'll pop out and get him his own small fridge tomorrow, it will definitely ease my mind as I worry about him in the shed with fluctuating temperatures.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, Kate, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
I overwinter my Greek, but the other Greeks I look after in the area, don't mind the occasional disturbance and go right back to sleep.
Can't see it being a problem, but keep an eye on him.

 

[JoesMum]

Thanks so much, that's really reassuring.

We are also in the UK, very strange weather this winter.

He's currently in the drawer of our own fridge. I'll pop out and get him his own small fridge tomorrow, it will definitely ease my mind as I worry about him in the shed with fluctuating temperatures.

How big is he Kate?

Joe is 3.25kg and 26cm long - pretty big. We had to buy a standard under counter fridge without a freezer compartment to fit him in. I got a grey plastic storage crate from Screwfix as it was the best fit for Joe and the fridge!

I posted some pictures of the setup on here when I put him into hibernation. I'll hunt them out

 

[JoesMum]

Here's the thread I posted in
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/started-fridge-hibernation-today.148156/

 

[Kate Pearson]

How big is he Kate?

Joe is 3.25kg and 26cm long - pretty big. We had to buy a standard under counter fridge without a freezer compartment to fit him in. I got a grey plastic storage crate from Screwfix as it was the best fit for Joe and the fridge!

I posted some pictures of the setup on here when I put him into hibernation. I'll hunt them out

He weighs 1.5kg and is 19.5 cm long so quite a petite fellow - fits nicely into the salad crisper with space to move about a little bit. I thought I'd go for one of those counter top fridges without a freezer compartment....something like this: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/3317893
What do you think?

And yes please to pictures, it'd be really helpful to see.

 

[JoesMum]

He weighs 1.5kg and is 19.5 cm long so quite a petite fellow - fits nicely into the salad crisper with space to move about a little bit. I thought I'd go for one of those counter top fridges without a freezer compartment....something like this: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/3317893
What do you think?

And yes please to pictures, it'd be really helpful to see.

More petite than Joe then

There are photos of the fridge in that thread I linked earlier. I bought a thermometer with a probe on a wire with a min/max function on it so I could monitor the temperature stability without opening the door.

I'd double check the reviews of those counter top ones as I don't know how well they hold a stable temperature. I don't know how easy it is to adjust the temperature. I'd also run it for a week before moving your tort in. I found I actually had to turn up the refrigeration dial on my fridge once Joe was in, presumably the fridge needs to work harder once he was there.