I really need some help

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
Hello Turtle-Friends,

i'm completely new to this forum and hope this belongs here.
I'm searching desperately for an good advice what to do and what not to do.
I have my lovely greek tortoise now for 26 years and he is my oldest friend.
Usually my mother used to take care of him because she has a house with a big and safe garden for him to live at. The last weeks my mothers health went drastically down so she couldn't take care of my tortoise any longer.
We do live in middle Europe and outside we have on daytime 18-23 C° and at nighttime it goes down to 12-19 C° at the moment.
The first time my tortoise dig himself in at the garden was around the 8.October but the Temperature went up and he woke up and did some small eatings but just came out of his house for heating up in the sun. On 17.October or 18.October he dug himself again inside the ground when it was a bit colder than now. To take care of him I took him to my home on 22.October and placed him inside his terrarium with lights off and heats off. He didn't moved and still slept and on 23.October I gave him a short bath to clean him up where he waked up for a little. After that I placed him in his hibernation box inside of my basement like my mom does every year on her basement. I'm now really worried about my little tortoise because it's still really warm for this time of the year and it's getting warmer and on the next week the weather report says the degrees could go up to around 25 C° at my area. I'm really poor and my fridge is broken for more than a half year and i couldn't afford a new one so to put him into my fridge was no really option. But i passed an important exam this week and will get a little money from our state for passing it so i want to buy a new fridge when the money is likely to arrive in the next 10-14 days.

Now to my questions-what can i do to help my tortoise getting properly through the winter?
Should I put him in my fridge when I get the new one? Should I wake him up again till I get the fridge? Do I let him sleep in the basement until he wakes up on his own? Could he starve while sleeping or would he wake up?
This questions may seem stupid but it's the first time for me taking care of him on my own and I don't want my little guy to get hurt. I just realized how much my mother took care of him and how little I know about my own pet. I'm just really worried that his metabolism don't went down enough and that it harms him in any way. I do look for him twice a day and he didn't moved any in his box since I sat him inside of his hibernation box. I read some forum posts but couldn't find any good advices and I can't stop worrying about him.
Please give me some advice-I'm complete alone and don't have anyone else to ask for help.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks a lot for taking the time to read and maybe helping me, I'm thankful for every good advice <3
 
Last edited:

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I have a Russian who naturally would hibernate. However I don't let him, I keep him up.
I don't really know what the best for you is but if it were me this is what i would do.
I would leave him in the basement and keep an eye on him. If when it gets warmer he has woken up, i would keep him up this winter. If he hasn't then put him right into the frig.
The weather seems to be crazy still all over. Many got unseasonably cold and then unseasonably warm and many torts that hibernate are either not going down or have but is waking.
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
I have a Russian who naturally would hibernate. However I don't let him, I keep him up.
I don't really know what the best for you is but if it were me this is what i would do.
I would leave him in the basement and keep an eye on him. If when it gets warmer he has woken up, i would keep him up this winter. If he hasn't then put him right into the frig.
The weather seems to be crazy still all over. Many got unseasonably cold and then unseasonably warm and many torts that hibernate are either not going down or have but is waking.
Thanks for replying.
Would he wake up on his own and early enough if something is wrong? How dangerous is hibernation for him?
He hibernates every year and starts this completely on his own so i thought it was the right thing for him to do.
Why don't you let your tortoise hibernate?
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I have no idea if they would wake up on their own if something is wrong. Probably 50/50 otherwise some wouldn't die in hibernation.
Hibernation is safe when done right and they are healthy for it. It's natural for them in the wild.
I don't do it because I have no idea if mine has ever been hibernated, he's a rescue. I also don't want the worry. In the wild it's natural for them. Captivity is not the same as the wild. Many do it all the time with no problems. I just don't feel comfortable with it.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Also if you did for whatever reason keep him up this winter, you can still hibernate him next winter. It doesn't always have to be only one or the other.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hello Turtle-Friends,

i'm completely new to this forum and hope this belongs here.
I'm searching desperately for an good advice what to do and what not to do.
I have my lovely greek tortoise now for 26 years and he is my oldest friend.
Usually my mother used to take care of him because she has a house with a big and safe garden for him to live at. The last weeks my mothers health went drastically down so she couldn't take care of my tortoise any longer.
We do live in middle Europe and outside we have on daytime 18-23 C° and at nighttime it goes down to 12-19 C° at the moment.
The first time my tortoise dig himself in at the garden was around the 8.October but the Temperature went up and he woke up and did some small eatings but just came out of his house for heating up in the sun. On 17.October or 18.October he dug himself again inside the ground when it was a bit colder than now. To take care of him I took him to my home on 22.October and placed him inside his terrarium with lights off and heats off. He didn't moved and still slept and on 23.October I gave him a short bath to clean him up where he waked up for a little. After that I placed him in his hibernation box inside of my basement like my mom does every year on her basement. I'm now really worried about my little tortoise because it's still really warm for this time of the year and it's getting warmer and on the next week the weather report says the degrees could go up to around 25 C° at my area. I'm really poor and my fridge is broken for more than a half year and i couldn't afford a new one so to put him into my fridge was no really option. But i passed an important exam this week and will get a little money from our state for passing it so i want to buy a new fridge when the money is likely to arrive in the next 10-14 days.

Now to my questions-what can i do to help my tortoise getting properly through the winter?
Should I put him in my fridge when I get the new one? Should I wake him up again till I get the fridge? Do I let him sleep in the basement until he wakes up on his own? Could he starve while sleeping or would he wake up?
This questions may seem stupid but it's the first time for me taking care of him on my own and I don't want my little guy to get hurt. I just realized how much my mother took care of him and how little I know about my own pet. I'm just really worried that his metabolism don't went down enough and that it harms him in any way. I do look for him twice a day and he didn't moved any in his box since I sat him inside of his hibernation box. I read some forum posts but couldn't find any good advices and I can't stop worrying about him.
Please give me some advice-I'm complete alone and don't have anyone else to ask for help.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks a lot for taking the time to read and maybe helping me, I'm thankful for every good advice <3
You have to keep them up and able to warm up to operating temperatures during the day for at least 3 weeks after eating anything to clear the gut. Keeping him cool after eating can kill him. Use the indoor enclosure. Turn all the heat and lights on and get the tortoise up and moving. Soak daily to help it pass the food in the gut.

After getting the tortoise warmed back up and safe, then you can decide if you want to take the steps to brumate him, or try to keep him up and eating all winter.
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
Thanks for replying.
Would he wake up on his own and early enough if something is wrong? How dangerous is hibernation for him?
He hibernates every year and starts this completely on his own so i thought it was the right thing for him to do.
Why don't you let your tortoise hibernate?
I have no idea if they would wake up on their own if something is wrong. Probably 50/50 otherwise some wouldn't die in hibernation.
Hibernation is safe when done right and they are healthy for it. It's natural for them in the wild.
I don't do it because I have no idea if mine has ever been hibernated, he's a rescue. I also don't want the worry. In the wild it's natural for them. Captivity is not the same as the wild. Many do it all the time with no problems. I just don't feel comfortable with it.
To be honest I have seen my mom doing it all the time without any problems but doing it on my own scares me a lot and I don't feel comfortable at all. Is it safe to wake him up again-how do I do it properly without harming him? Doesn't stress that him too much?
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
You have to keep them up and able to warm up to operating temperatures during the day for at least 3 weeks after eating anything to clear the gut. Keeping him cool after eating can kill him. Use the indoor enclosure. Turn all the heat and lights on and get the tortoise up and moving. Soak daily to help it pass the food in the gut.

After getting the tortoise warmed back up and safe, then you can decide if you want to take the steps to brumate him, or try to keep him up and eating all winter.
Thanks for replying and sharing your thoughts.
So you would wake him up again? Doesn't stress that him or could possibly harm him? Is it safer to keep him up when he wakes up again or should be the goal to let him hibernate again?
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
If he ate food then yes wake him. They have to hibernate on an empty gut or yes he could die.
Then follow what Tom said.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thanks for replying and sharing your thoughts.
So you would wake him up again? Doesn't stress that him or could possibly harm him? Is it safer to keep him up when he wakes up again or should be the goal to let him hibernate again?
Your questions:
1. Yes I would. You fed him. They can't brumate with food in the gut. This can be fatal.
2. It might be a little stressful, but dying would probably be worse. It won't harm him.
3. Safer? Its not really a question of safety. Once the correct procedures are followed, its perfectly safe to let him brumate, or to keep him up all winter. Its not a question of safety, its a question of your preference.
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
Your questions:
1. Yes I would. You fed him. They can't brumate with food in the gut. This can be fatal.
2. It might be a little stressful, but dying would probably be worse. It won't harm him.
3. Safer? Its not really a question of safety. Once the correct procedures are followed, its perfectly safe to let him brumate, or to keep him up all winter. Its not a question of safety, its a question of your preference.
I can't describe how much you helped me with your advices-i will follow them and will write again to let you know what happened. Thank you so much
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I can't describe how much you helped me with your advices-i will follow them and will write again to let you know what happened. Thank you so much
You are welcome, but what did you decide?

Ahem... {clears throat, and prepares to use his best Shakespearean voice...}

To brumate, or not to brumate, that is the question...
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
Your questions:
1. Yes I would. You fed him. They can't brumate with food in the gut. This can be fatal.
2. It might be a little stressful, but dying would probably be worse. It won't harm him.
3. Safer? Its not really a question of safety. Once the correct procedures are followed, its perfectly safe to let him brumate, or to keep him up all winter. Its not a question of safety, its a question of your preference.
Thank you so much for your advice-i will follow them and will write again to let you know what happened.
You are welcome, but what did you decide?

Ahem... {clears throat, and prepares to use his best Shakespearean voice...}

To brumate, or not to brumate, that is the question...
I think I'm far too scared to brumate him this year-the weather is way too warm and I don't want him to stress too much. And next winter I will look again when the conditions hopefully changed to the better. We always brumated him over 20+ years and he is used to it and I do believe it's better to not change that habit.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you so much for your advice-i will follow them and will write again to let you know what happened.

I think I'm far too scared to brumate him this year-the weather is way too warm and I don't want him to stress too much. And next winter I will look again when the conditions hopefully changed to the better. We always brumated him over 20+ years and he is used to it and I do believe it's better to not change that habit.
Its not too late. I keep them warm and fed through October, and begin their fast in November. I slowly cut back the heat and light in the last half of November and begin brumation in December. I wake them after 12-14 weeks in March.

I control all the temperatures, so it really doesn't matter what the weather is doing, indoors or out.
 

Manni

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2022
Messages
8
Location (City and/or State)
Dortmund
Your questions:
1. Yes I would. You fed him. They can't brumate with food in the gut. This can be fatal.
2. It might be a little stressful, but dying would probably be worse. It won't harm him.
3. Safer? Its not really a question of safety. Once the correct procedures are followed, its perfectly safe to let him brumate, or to keep him up all winter. Its not a question of safety, its a question of your preference.
Thank you so much for your advice-i will follow them and will write again to let you know what happened.
Its not too late. I keep them warm and fed through October, and begin their fast in November. I slowly cut back the heat and light in the last half of November and begin brumation in December. I wake them after 12-14 weeks in March.

I control all the temperatures, so it really doesn't matter what the weather is doing, indoors or out.
Thank you so much for your help tom-I appreciate it a lot.
Normally he begins brumation at this time of the year and wakes up on march.
Is it safe for him to start brumation and waking up more than once in one winter and than sending him back to it again?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Is it safe for him to start brumation and waking up more than once in one winter and than sending him back to it again?
Yes, IF you empty his gut and go through the whole process before letting him cool back down again.
 

MaNaAk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
1,232
Location (City and/or State)
Southend
Hello Turtle-Friends,

i'm completely new to this forum and hope this belongs here.
I'm searching desperately for an good advice what to do and what not to do.
I have my lovely greek tortoise now for 26 years and he is my oldest friend.
Usually my mother used to take care of him because she has a house with a big and safe garden for him to live at. The last weeks my mothers health went drastically down so she couldn't take care of my tortoise any longer.
We do live in middle Europe and outside we have on daytime 18-23 C° and at nighttime it goes down to 12-19 C° at the moment.
The first time my tortoise dig himself in at the garden was around the 8.October but the Temperature went up and he woke up and did some small eatings but just came out of his house for heating up in the sun. On 17.October or 18.October he dug himself again inside the ground when it was a bit colder than now. To take care of him I took him to my home on 22.October and placed him inside his terrarium with lights off and heats off. He didn't moved and still slept and on 23.October I gave him a short bath to clean him up where he waked up for a little. After that I placed him in his hibernation box inside of my basement like my mom does every year on her basement. I'm now really worried about my little tortoise because it's still really warm for this time of the year and it's getting warmer and on the next week the weather report says the degrees could go up to around 25 C° at my area. I'm really poor and my fridge is broken for more than a half year and i couldn't afford a new one so to put him into my fridge was no really option. But i passed an important exam this week and will get a little money from our state for passing it so i want to buy a new fridge when the money is likely to arrive in the next 10-14 days.

Now to my questions-what can i do to help my tortoise getting properly through the winter?
Should I put him in my fridge when I get the new one? Should I wake him up again till I get the fridge? Do I let him sleep in the basement until he wakes up on his own? Could he starve while sleeping or would he wake up?
This questions may seem stupid but it's the first time for me taking care of him on my own and I don't want my little guy to get hurt. I just realized how much my mother took care of him and how little I know about my own pet. I'm just really worried that his metabolism don't went down enough and that it harms him in any way. I do look for him twice a day and he didn't moved any in his box since I sat him inside of his hibernation box. I read some forum posts but couldn't find any good advices and I can't stop worrying about him.
Please give me some advice-I'm complete alone and don't have anyone else to ask for help.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks a lot for taking the time to read and maybe helping me, I'm thankful for every good advice <3
I have two Greek tortoises Daisy who is 80 isn't hibernating due to health issues is in an enclosure which is 28 degrees during the day and 18 degrees Celsius at night. I am in the UK by the way but I am hibernating Jacky who is 87. She hasn't eaten for about three weeks and had been active in the warmer weather up until almost two years ago both Jacky and Daisy hibernated in my old garden but I shall hibernating her in the spare room. There will be no heating and she is near a window which will be kept open if I am in during the day. She will sleep in the pet carrier.

Good luck

MaNaAk
 

LJL1982

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2022
Messages
318
Location (City and/or State)
UK
I have two Greek tortoises Daisy who is 80 isn't hibernating due to health issues is in an enclosure which is 28 degrees during the day and 18 degrees Celsius at night. I am in the UK by the way but I am hibernating Jacky who is 87. She hasn't eaten for about three weeks and had been active in the warmer weather up until almost two years ago both Jacky and Daisy hibernated in my old garden but I shall hibernating her in the spare room. There will be no heating and she is near a window which will be kept open if I am in during the day. She will sleep in the pet carrier.

Good luck

MaNaAk
How are you keeping your spare room at hibernation temperatures if you don't mind me asking? I struggle to get my spare room down to night temperature.

I would be worried about temperature fluctuations? Have you considered using a fridge? (I've always wondered how a tortoise breathes in a fridge though!!)
 

MaNaAk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
1,232
Location (City and/or State)
Southend
How are you keeping your spare room at hibernation temperatures if you don't mind me asking? I struggle to get my spare room down to night temperature.

I would be worried about temperature fluctuations? Have you considered using a fridge? (I've always wondered how a tortoise breathes in a fridge though!!)
My spare room is away from direct sunlight and I don't really want to put her in a fridge (partly because my fridge isn't big enough).

MaNaAk
 

New Posts

Top