Hibernation

[wwmxc36]

I was going to place my tortoise in straw for his first hibernation but am now reading this may not be safe , can anyone tell me why?

 

[Yvonne G]

I can't answer that question because I've not heard that straw would not be good. However, it is so easy to tear up strips of newspaper. I generally use a Xerox paper box because of the size and the lid. In the bottom of the box I place the WHOLE Sunday newspaper, ads and all, left folded in half. This makes a very thick floor on the box. Place the tortoise in the box on this thick newspaper floor. Then start tearing up strips of newspaper. If you tear a newspaper from top to bottom (as opposed to side to side), you are able to easily tear 1" strips. Keep tearing and placing the strips all in and around the tortoise until the box is full. Then place the lid on the box and put the box someplace quiet. It should be below 50 degrees and above 40 degrees. Any colder and you run the risk of the eyeballs freezing. Any warmer and the tortoise doesn't go completely to sleep and might use up his store of fat before spring.

Yvonne