Jared's Hibernation

[Alireza]

Hello.
I took Jared for check up to the vet today.the Dr told me that he is OK but he needs to go to hibernation.I have already prepared everything that he told me...but I am still worry about him...can you just give me more information about hibernation in a greek like Jared(13 years old)?

 

[Yvonne G]

How long have you had the tortoise? If this is the first winter with you, it would be a good idea to not allow him to hibernate. Does he live outside?

Yvonne

 

[Alireza]

I have had him for about 4 months.this is the first winter.he lives indoor.
how can I stop him from hibernating?does it hurt him?

 

[Yvonne G]

No, its not harmful at all. They only hibernate because they live outside where there is no warmth for them during the winter months. So if you provide the long summer days (lights on for 12 to 14 hours) and warm nights, (not below 65) they will have no idea that they are supposed to be sleeping.

Yvonne

 

[Alireza]

Thanks.this would be better.

 

[Crazy1]

Alireza I have Greeks and mine are the type that do not hibernate. ( Plus I would not hibernate a tort that I had just gotten I want to make sure they are not ill. So they are inside in their warm tort table with the uvb bulbs loving life and being spoiled.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Many vets are not tort experts. Unless you know yours is, please take what they say with a grain of salt. Many vets have old and outdated information such as all torts must be hibernated, they need protein, you should put them in aquariums with pellets, etc. It's my personal opinion that it's up to the owner if the tort should be allowed to hibernate. Many times it is safer to not hibernate them due to health, it being a new tort, or owner inexperience. I think about the worst that can happen when overwintering them is they get the blues (mopey, sleeps a lot, doesn't want to eat, caused by them still sensing the winter slowdown even with lights on inside), but the worst that can happen with hibernating is that they die. I don't want to take that risk with my tort so I've chosen to not hibernate him.

 

[GBtortoises]

In captivity, there is no reason that a tortoise "needs to go into hibernation". A vet really shouldn't be giving information out like that, obviously not knowing themselves. As stated above, tortoises that hibernate in nature have evolved to do so because of the climate they live in, period. Some claim that it gives them a winter "rest". It's not like taking a nap! While they are essentially immobile and their body functions slow to pace of just survival mode, there is alot going on, albeit at a very slow, methodical pace that gets them through the cold months. While hibernation is essential in the wild, it is not in captivity. It has some benefits such as triggering a better response to mate in the spring but things can also go wrong in hibernation too and the tortoise needs to be well prepared and conditioned to hibernate in the first place, closely monitored during hibernation and awakened and monitored for some time after hibernation when they are at their weakest state.
One way to avoid a change in habit during the winter months when the outside light duration, temperatures and humidity level changes is to keep the tortoise housed away from any exposure to natural light duration, keep the room or at least the enclosure at summer temperatures, keep the humidity up and keep them well hydrated and fed. Having done the previous each fall through spring, the only changes in behavior that I have seen with my tortoises that I do overwinter is their initial restlessness. This comes from being moved into much smaller indoor enclosures from vastly larger outdoor enclosures. Eventually they seem to settle in again and act normal. Some of the females will even often nest again. Mine eat and act as they do outdoors for the most part.
I would definitely not think about hibernating a tortoise that you've only had for four months. I always overwinter any tortoises, regardless of species, age or size at least one full cycle of seasons before making the decision whether or not to hibernate them the following fall. I base it on the tortoises activity level, weight, habits and how well acclimated I believe it has become throughout the previous year. I simply don't believe in rushing the process and if there is no reason to hibernate in the first place it's probably going to be safer for the tortoise in the long run.

 

[Alireza]

thank you very much for your useful information,GBtortoise!