Hibernation of a Juvenile Hermann

[CarlyH]

Please help. I have read conflicting views and very confused.

I have a 1 year 1 month Hermann tortoise and the breeder recommended I didnt hibernate him as we are not experienced. Is this correct???

I just want to do the best for him

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum!!!!!!! in my opinion hibernating torts is not a must, i have never hibernated my russians and they are perfectly healthy. there will be more experienced tort owners with different opinions commenting on this thread.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

No, I wouldn't. It is always good to wait until 'adulthood' or at least 'semi adulthood', because young 1 yo tort might not make it. He's too small. It is also a go to wait a year after you get him to hibernate, to make sure he is healthy and well.
IMHO, I would not hibernate a tort unless absolutely necessary. To me, it's a dangerous thing to to do, and not required at all unless you're breeding, and even then I read the practice can be fudged. I (again, just me, many people like to hibernate) just think there are too many health risks (death) involved for little to no payoff.

 

[CarlyH]

Thank you both .. So to keep him awake just carry on with same routine. I have noticed that he is becoming sleepy much earlier in the day, so i am putting him under basking lamp and UVB??

Is this Ok?

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't allow babies to hibernate until they are in their third year of life.

 

[ascott]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/is-hibernation-absolutely-required.38255/

 

[THBfriend]

No, I wouldn't. It is always good to wait until 'adulthood' or at least 'semi adulthood', because young 1 yo tort might not make it. He's too small. It is also a go to wait a year after you get him to hibernate, to make sure he is healthy and well.

There's no such thing as "too small / too young" for brumation. Even Hermann's hatchlings can and do brumate, the eastern subspecies for up to 21 weeks. You're right that it's not a good idea to brumate a new tortoise you just got, as you can't tell whether it's healthy enough. That's one reason why you should acquire Hermann's tortoises in spring or early summer, not later, so that you have enough time to see some growth and assess their fitness.

Yes, brumation can be risky, especially if you're inexperienced. Which is why you should start with a shorter duration if you're new to it, e.g. 8 weeks (any shorter than that isn't worth the effort, in my opinion). As Angela's link shows, whether or not brumation is neccessary is still highly debated. If that survey about hatchling/juvenile mortality is right, then not brumating can be risky as well.
For my tortoises at least, brumation is the only reasonable thing to do, as they live outside all year in a temperate climate zone, and are therefore exposed to the seasonal cues. And I have neither the space nor the desire to build them adequate indoor enclosures where they could spend the cold winters.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Thank you both .. So to keep him awake just carry on with same routine. I have noticed that he is becoming sleepy much earlier in the day, so i am putting him under basking lamp and UVB??

Is this Ok?

I've noticed that when it's getting colder outside, my russian somehow 'knows' even though I don't allow it to drop below 70 in his table.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

There's no such thing as "too small / too young" for brumation. Even Hermann's hatchlings can and do brumate, the eastern subspecies for up to 21 weeks. You're right that it's not a good idea to brumate a new tortoise you just got, as you can't tell whether it's healthy enough. That's one reason why you should acquire Hermann's tortoises in spring or early summer, not later, so that you have enough time to see some growth and assess their fitness.

Yes, brumation can be risky, especially if you're inexperienced. Which is why you should start with a shorter duration if you're new to it, e.g. 8 weeks (any shorter than that isn't worth the effort, in my opinion). As Angela's link shows, whether or not brumation is neccessary is still highly debated. If that survey about hatchling/juvenile mortality is right, then not brumating can be risky as well.
For my tortoises at least, brumation is the only reasonable thing to do, as they live outside all year in a temperate climate zone, and are therefore exposed to the seasonal cues. And I have neither the space nor the desire to build them adequate indoor enclosures where they could spend the cold winters.

I completely understand where your coming from baby tort DO hibernate in the wild, but in captivity? No, not always. And almost everywhere I'm seeing not to hibernate (for safety reasons!) until they are a smidge older
I read the link above, I missed it, and I believe maggie3fan is right, it just a personal preference that not everybody wants to make !

 

[ascott]

it just a personal preference that not everybody wants to make

I do believe that when a person decides to host/care for a species that has been deeply seeded for brumation as part of their life cycle...then it is up to that person to also become versed in all areas of the species....I mean, if a person does not want to support brumation then perhaps they may want to call on an alternative species that does not include this process? I do not mean that in a crappy way---just a simple observation....

You see, when we begin to pick and choose things that are important to "us" things we want to do in regards to a tortoise versus what would be natural to the tortoise in our care....we are tinkering with things we have no business tinkering with, we become the one messing with things instead of the observer, the buffer....again, my opinion and only shared here and not any type of blast intended...