How do I hibernate without killing my tortoises?

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russian/sulcata/tortoise

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I live in Pennsylvania right now it's starting to get cold and I have brought my tortoises inside. I want to hibernate my Russian tortoises, they are inside right now under heat lamps. I was thinking of putting them in the garage inside boxes full of leaves but the garage only stays a little higher then the outside temperatures. It gets pretty cold and I'm unsure how to do this safely or if I should do it at all. Thank you
 

JoesMum

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I live in Pennsylvania right now it's starting to get cold and I have brought my tortoises inside. I want to hibernate my Russian tortoises, they are inside right now under heat lamps. I was thinking of putting them in the garage inside boxes full of leaves but the garage only stays a little higher then the outside temperatures. It gets pretty cold and I'm unsure how to do this safely or if I should do it at all. Thank you
I always double boxed Joe in the garage.

He would be in a smaller box filled with shredded paper and accompanied by the outdoor probe of a wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer.

That box goes in a much bigger box packed round hard with straw to keep the temperature in the inner box as stable as possible. This meant Joe's temperature fluctuated much less than what was happening with the weather (I'm in the UK)

It was unusual for temperatures in my garage to drop below freezing, but if there was a risk then I had an electric radiator with a thermostat that I could use. I set the thermostat to 2C (36F). So it was there only to prevent freezing.

This year, for the first time in 45 years, we have switched to fridge hibernation as we cannot guarantee temperatures will stay cold enough in our garage any more.
 

russian/sulcata/tortoise

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I always double boxed Joe in the garage.

He would be in a smaller box filled with shredded paper and accompanied by the outdoor probe of a wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer.

That box goes in a much bigger box packed round hard with straw to keep the temperature in the inner box as stable as possible. This meant Joe's temperature fluctuated much less than what was happening with the weather (I'm in the UK)

It was unusual for temperatures in my garage to drop below freezing, but if there was a risk then I had an electric radiator with a thermostat that I could use. I set the thermostat to 2C (36F). So it was there only to prevent freezing.

This year, for the first time in 45 years, we have switched to fridge hibernation as we cannot guarantee temperatures will stay cold enough in our garage any more.
how do i prepare my tortoises for hibernation? i have them in the basement right now under heat lamps, I'm still feeding them.
 

JoesMum

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how do i prepare my tortoises for hibernation? i have them in the basement right now under heat lamps, I'm still feeding them.
Disclaimer: I have never hibernated a tortoise that's kept indoors!

With Joe, he starts to slow down as the days shorten. The temperature outdoors is cooling naturally.

If I can see that he needs to be kept going a bit longer, then he has a heat lamp outdoors for basking under so he can charge up to eat and be active.

It gets to the point where the lamp makes little or no difference. I stop using it. I stop offering food and he gets daily soaks for a fortnight before he is hibernated.
 

swatsx

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I slow my feeding down, and lessen it in the weeks leading up to hibernation, I do daily warm soaks and no food for the week prior to putting mine in the chill box. Trying to flush out the digestive tract of food and poo so it doesn't go rotten during the long months
 

JoesMum

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All of my female Russians are at a good weight still eating and are very active, but my adult male Russian has slowed down barley eats, sleeps most of the time even thought he is under a heat lamp. He has lost some weight, what should i do? should i put him in hibernation now?
Sounds like he's ready to go. Stop the heat lamp, soak him for a few more days and then hibernate him where it's cool enough.

If it isn't cool enough anywhere then you have more of a problem
 

russian/sulcata/tortoise

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Sounds like he's ready to go. Stop the heat lamp, soak him for a few more days and then hibernate him where it's cool enough.

If it isn't cool enough anywhere then you have more of a problem
How long do i hibernate them? Do i wake them up? it snows where i live and the only part of my house that isn't heated in my garage, and I'm afraid it will get too cold. I could put a space heater in to even out the temperature.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Nick:

As long as it doesn't get down to freezing, he'll be ok. They usually hibernate for 5 or 6 months. ONce the night time temps get up to 50F and stay there, the tortoises start waking up. Try to find a quiet spot that stays about 40-45F degrees.
 
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