Hibernation

[macychristine]

My Russian tortoise has recently been sleeping alot and not eating and not moving around much. I thought she was very sick but my friend suggested to me that she might have gotten her hibernation switched around and is hibernating. Is that possible?

 

[dmmj]

They only hibernate when it is cold, where are you? is it cold? is he being kept outside?

 

[JoesMum]

Hibernation when it's very cold... Normal.

Aestivation when it's VERY hot... escaping the heat by sleeping... Normal.

Otherwise, there is a problem.

Use a thermometer to measure the temperatures in the 4 important places and let us know what they are:
1. Under the basking lamp (Should be 95F)
2. Warm end
3. Cool end
4. Overnight minimum

While your tort isn't normally active and eating, a daily 20 minute soak is important for hydration.

There's a link to my soaking tips in my signature block below this post.

 

[ascott]

Brumation just does not happen randomly....so it would be good to know where about in the world your tort lives and what his enclosure lighting/heating set up is....