How to stop Russian tortoise from hibernating

Laurenodonoghue

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Hi I am new to this forum, I have had my Russian tortoise for 9 years and after a recent vet visit it was advised to not let her hibernate this year.

Over the past week or two my tortoise has stopped eating and over the past few days has started spending less time under her heat lights and is falling asleep in the colder areas of her enclosure so I think she is trying to hibernate.

I am looking for some advice on how to stop her from hibernating, I have moved into a new flat this year and it gets quite cold in the living room where she is so I am thinking of getting an extra heat bulb however I am unsure if this is the best thing to do.

Thanks in advance for any advice :)
 

Yvonne G

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You may have to allow her to burmate for a couple weeks just to get it out of her system. Let the enclosure be cool with the lights off. Then when you're ready to get her up, make sure she's not near a window, keep her lights on for 14 hours a day and her enclosure warm day and night. Give her a good, long soak in warm water and pester her so she can't stay hidden/sleeping.
 

JoesMum

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The short answer is that you have to kid your tortoise that it’s summer.

Don’t have colder areas of the enclosure. 27C minimum day, 18 minimum at night ... and 35-37C directly under the basking lamp.

Additional LED lighting may be required by day to make the enclosure brighter without affecting temperatures.

A ceramic heat emitter and a thermostat may well be needed to ensure temperatures don’t drop at night.

None of this will work without a cover over the enclosure to keep the heat in.
 

Laurenodonoghue

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The short answer is that you have to kid your tortoise that it’s summer.

Don’t have colder areas of the enclosure. 27C minimum day, 18 minimum at night ... and 35-37C directly under the basking lamp.

Additional LED lighting may be required by day to make the enclosure brighter without affecting temperatures.

A ceramic heat emitter and a thermostat may well be needed to ensure temperatures don’t drop at night.

None of this will work without a cover over the enclosure to keep the heat in.
Thanks for your reply :)
 

Laurenodonoghue

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The short answer is that you have to kid your tortoise that it’s summer.

Don’t have colder areas of the enclosure. 27C minimum day, 18 minimum at night ... and 35-37C directly under the basking lamp.

Additional LED lighting may be required by day to make the enclosure brighter without affecting temperatures.

A ceramic heat emitter and a thermostat may well be needed to ensure temperatures don’t drop at night.

None of this will work without a cover over the enclosure to keep the heat in.
Thank you for your reply :) the vet advised not to let her huber
You may have to allow her to burmate for a couple weeks just to get it out of her system. Let the enclosure be cool with the lights off. Then when you're ready to get her up, make sure she's not near a window, keep her lights on for 14 hours a day and her enclosure warm day and night. Give her a good, long soak in warm water and pester her so she can't stay hidden/sleeping.
thank you for your reply :) the vet advised not to let her hibernate due to a lack of calcium, would it still be safe to burmate for a few weeks or should I keep her awake and replicate summer?
 

JoesMum

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If the vet has advised you to keep her awake then do so.

I had to do it one winter with Joe and it was stressful for both of us. We had had him 40 years at the time and he was used to roaming the garden or hibernation... not being cooped up inside. He hated it ... and we knew. I was very glad to be able to return to his routine of decades the following year.
 

Laurenodonoghue

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If the vet has advised you to keep her awake then do so.

I had to do it one winter with Joe and it was stressful for both of us. We had had him 40 years at the time and he was used to roaming the garden or hibernation... not being cooped up inside. He hated it ... and we knew. I was very glad to be able to return to his routine of decades the following year.
Okay thank you I will get some additional heating for her and have her lights on longer. I currently bath her 2-3 times a week, would increasing this help to keep her awake as well?
 

JoesMum

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Okay thank you I will get some additional heating for her and have her lights on longer. I currently bath her 2-3 times a week, would increasing this help to keep her awake as well?
Use a timer on the lights and have them on for 12-14 hours every day.

Haul her out first thing every morning and soak her for 30 minutes in warm water. Don’t give her the option to stay snoozing.

Feed her immediately afterwards. She is most likely to eat after the soak.

What she does for he rest of the day is up to her. She will likely be less active than during the summer.

Weigh her once a week straight after the soak. It’s important to keep track of her weight.
 

Laurenodonoghue

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Use a timer on the lights and have them on for 12-14 hours every day.

Haul her out first thing every morning and soak her for 30 minutes in warm water. Don’t give her the option to stay snoozing.

Feed her immediately afterwards. She is most likely to eat after the soak.

What she does for he rest of the day is up to her. She will likely be less active than during the summer.

Weigh her once a week straight after the soak. It’s important to keep track of her weight.
Okay great thanks for all your help! :)
 

Yao

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You may have to allow her to burmate for a couple weeks just to get it out of her system. Let the enclosure be cool with the lights off. Then when you're ready to get her up, make sure she's not near a window, keep her lights on for 14 hours a day and her enclosure warm day and night. Give her a good, long soak in warm water and pester her so she can't stay hidden/sleeping.
I'm in the same situation that my RT stopped eating and cannot be convinced it's "summer time". Could you give more details on how to do a "pseudo hibernation" or provide a real example?
 

Sarah2020

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I just continue my routine throughout winter. No time for long sleeps 😴 daily heat and light, daily food as normal and 3 soaks a week. Lots of checking and interaction. Good luck think you will be able to do it.
 

Yao

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I just continue my routine throughout winter. No time for long sleeps 😴 daily heat and light, daily food as normal and 3 soaks a week. Lots of checking and interaction. Good luck think you will be able to do it.
No luck yet. He stopped eating almost three weeks ago. If I wake him up, he becomes very fuzzy and moves things around. I tried to increase temp, added lights and soaked him daily but he is still not interested in food at all
 

Sarah2020

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I see your challenge. They should not have anything in the stomach when brumating so your semi there I guess you just keep up the other activities to avoid a long deep sleep, esp under vets orders. Re lights are they on 12 hours? Check temp is warm enough.
 

Yao

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I see your challenge. They should not have anything in the stomach when brumating so your semi there I guess you just keep up the other activities to avoid a long deep sleep, esp under vets orders. Re lights are they on 12 hours? Check temp is warm enough.
Day temp is 70-95F. Night temp is around 70. Lights on 14 hours. He is two years old.
 

Cathie G

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Just do as everyone stated above. I don't hibernate my Russian but he does brumate every year. I don't let him sleep for more than a day or so. I bug him and place him near his food or give him a soak. And do regular care everyday with clean food and water. He usually starts trying to brumate around this time of year but starts getting up himself around December.😊
 

Yao

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Just do as everyone stated above. I don't hibernate my Russian but he does brumate every year. I don't let him sleep for more than a day or so. I bug him and place him near his food or give him a soak. And do regular care everyday with clean food and water. He usually starts trying to brumate around this time of year but starts getting up himself around December.😊
Did he stop eating until Dec? Not eating is the part that scares me.
 

Cathie G

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Did he stop eating until Dec? Not eating is the part that scares me.
He tries. What I do is put fresh food out every day. If they aren't really eating you don't put out as much. Use favourites and when they eat it put a little more out. I just bug him like yavonne g said with regular care. Like it or not. Keep the temps and humidity the same and do regular soaks etc. Don't let the tortoise go completely to sleep for days on end.
 
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