Hibernations!

[Jlant85]

Ok. Well i have a greek tortoise and when my wife purchased her, she didnt know jack squat about how to care for her! She got her from petco and didnt really get any good information! She didnt really know that the greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) we got hibernates! I noticed that around December she started getting sluggish! Thats when i kind of took over and began raising her myself! I kept the room temperature at about 70-80 degrees and basking area at around 90. I thought this solved the problem because she got more active! WELL... SHE DIDNT END UP HIBERNATING! Since it was too late for me to hibernate her, I kept it at that. My question is, is it ok for me to keep doing this? Im reading it ok but some people say other wise. LET THE DEBATE BEGIN!

 

[FLINTUS]

No, this is why so many tortoises grow too fast, they need hibernating-especially one from a place such as petco as it would've been WC. Some even kind of hibernate tropical torts such as reds in winter, slow them down and give them low temps.

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort does not have to be hibernated. No tort has to be hibernated. There are some, that must not be hibernated, but none that must be.

Whether you chose to do so or not is purely personal preference. Many wners notice their tort becomes more sluggish in the winter months even with artificial light and heat. Torts seem to know when the light levels and temperatures fall outside.

I do hibernate my Greek, but hold the opinion that hibernation done wrong is far more risky than keeping a tort up all winter.

 

[Jlant85]

Your tort does not have to be hibernated. No tort has to be hibernated. There are some, that must not be hibernated, but none that must be.

Whether you chose to do so or not is purely personal preference. Many wners notice their tort becomes more sluggish in the winter months even with artificial light and heat. Torts seem to know when the light levels and temperatures fall outside.

I do hibernate my Greek, but hold the opinion that hibernation done wrong is far more risky than keeping a tort up all winter.

It does sound scary! Do you know a good website on how i can go about this w/ my greek tortoise?

 

[JoesMum]

There are plenty of threads on here. There is also this article on safer hibernation from the Tortoise Trust

Some important points are:

Only hibernate a 100% fit tortoise

Temperature must be stable as close to 5C (40F) and not exceeding 10C or going below 0C

Check your tort's weight and health regularly through hibernation

Don't hibernate for too long. A couple of weeks is enough for a first attempt.

After hibernation, soak, soak and more soaking to rehydrate.

 

[GBtortoises]

There are plenty of threads on here. There is also this article on safer hibernation from the Tortoise Trust

Some important points are:

Only hibernate a 100% fit tortoise

Temperature must be stable as close to 5C (40F) and not exceeding 10C or going below 0C

Check your tort's weight and health regularly through hibernation

Don't hibernate for too long. A couple of weeks is enough for a first attempt.

After hibernation, soak, soak and more soaking to rehydrate.

Great information! I'd also add that it is important to do the research and find out if your tortoise is a species (or subspecies) that does in fact brumate (hibernate). Not all Greeks do. I would not trust that a tortoise that you purchased from a retail pet store in the U.S. is a brumating species. The majority of those that have been imported and sold in retails stores hail from the Middle East. Where exactly is anyone's guess. But they are definitely not Northern Ibera. There have been a few middle and southern range Ibera coming in with other Middle Eastern Greeks. Some consider these to be Ibera, some consider them to be Antakyan Greeks and still others another subspecies completely. The information on the Middle Eastern Greeks is at best confusing and constantly changing. Generally speaking if any of them do come from a climate where they brumate it is for a much shorter period of time than do the Northerns. Without knowing for certain the origin of a Greek tortoise it is better to err on the safe side and not brumate them. Because almost all of the imported animals are mature adults, or very near it, little, if any additional growth will take place. So any potential accelerated growth that would be caused by not brumating them through the winter is not a concern.

 

[Jlant85]

>.< If its not going to harm my tort to not hibernate i would rather not have them hibernate! the weather in San Francisco is unpredictable! But i will do more research and once i do feel comfortable, Ill give it a shot. I've been asking around and the tortoise breeder I got my new tort from confirmed that my older tort is a Testudo graeca ibera! I read online that they do hibernate. I want whats best for my Torts but I rather not do something stupid and harm them just for a stupid experiment.

 

[JoesMum]

Re: RE: Hibernations!

>.< If its not going to harm my tort to not hibernate i would rather not have them hibernate! the weather in San Francisco is unpredictable! But i will do more research and once i do feel comfortable, Ill give it a shot. I've been asking around and the tortoise breeder I got my new tort from confirmed that my older tort is a Testudo graeca ibera! I read online that they do hibernate. I want whats best for my Torts but I rather not do something stupid and harm them just for a stupid experiment.

It sounds like you are being sensible. Your (TGI) Ibera should be able to hibernate fine. My TGG is of Algerian origin apparently. Algeria isn't well known for its cold weather, but Joe hibernates just fine too. When it comes to unpredictable weather, I am sure we in the UK can beat SF hands down


Joe is big, weighing in at 7lb, and we have had him for over forty years. His hibernation, depending on the weather, is 3 to 4 months. But he is big and we know the routine and take care to wind him down properly; he virtually self-hibernates outdoors before we box him for the winter. We use a heat lamp outdoors to keep him going as long as possible... it's only a basking boost, not to keep the general temperature up. Without fail, Joe shows us it's time to go about a week before the first frost.

 

[PapS]

My tortoise is a T.h.b. (Hermann's Tortoise, boettgeri) and I also hibernate her (our tortoises share similar ranges). In winters here temperature never drops below freezing so I just let her hibernate outside. This year she hibernated from October until February and she woke up just fine. I'm worried each hibernation that she won't wake up but every year she does. I still need to take more control of her hibernation though. Most of the time she switches positions when there are a few warm winter days so by the time spring comes I have no idea how she is.

 

[Jlant85]

Will rain harm them in anyways? I plan to make a terrain for them outside. I'm so glades I start this forum. [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND SMILING EYES]

 

[GBtortoises]

Rain will not harm them at all. In fact, if the temperatures are warm while it's raining they will often be out in it and active. As long as their outdoor shelter remains dry on the inside. They should not be made to have to sit in wet conditions, especially during cold temperatures. Rain during the winter, again as long as they're in a dry area where water doesn't sit, will have no effect on them when brumating. They should at that point be protected from the elements.

 

[Jlant85]

I want to thank all of you for your information! I feel a little more confident now and are highly thinking of hibernating my two torts for this up coming winter! As for now, WE ARE GOING TO ENJOY OUR TIMES TOGETHER! I just bought a 1 year old and have to keep the two seperated for now up until Im confident that both are healthy and my 5 year old wont attack her ^_^