Looking for an RT Hibernation "Mentor"

[Oxalis]

Anyone have a particular favorite brand or model of fridge for hibernation? I was just thinking this one, from our local hardware store:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_591038-47224-FFWC08L1QB_1z0viu5__?productId=50160177&pl=1&Ntt=wine+cooler

What do you think?

 

[Jodie]

I couldn't find temp range info on it. I like the ones that don't go much below 40F, but they need to go below 45F.

 

[Oxalis]

I couldn't find temp range info on it. I like the ones that don't go much below 40F, but they need to go below 45F.

Thank you! That's extremely helpful!!

 

[Oxalis]

@Jodie, also what brands do you recommend? I saw one called "EdgeStar" that looked pretty fancy.

 

[Jodie]

I haven't bought one yet. I have looked at a bunch n my husband has done a bunch of research, but no commitment yet. I like to read reviews on line to decide on a brand. The beverage cooler is what we have decided to go with we think. They are almost the same as the wine coolers, but shelves are better and they get a bit colder. I really like that they don't freeze. Removes that worry. The digital read out is really handy too.

 

[Oxalis]

Thanks for the info! I will be studying it this weekend!

 

[Jodie]

My Russians have been off food for almost two weeks, daily soaks. I am going to start lowering the heat this weekend. My fridge is up and running. Temps varying by no more than 2 degrees. For the next week or so I lower their temps every couple of days right? Do I continue soaking them every day, @Tom?
I went with a Fridgidare beverage cooler @Oxalis

 

[Tom]

My Russians have been off food for almost two weeks, daily soaks. I am going to start lowering the heat this weekend. My fridge is up and running. Temps varying by no more than 2 degrees. For the next week or so I lower their temps every couple of days right? Do I continue soaking them every day, @Tom?
I went with a Fridgidare beverage cooler @Oxalis

Lower the heat and the light cycle. There is no rush here. Being mammals we need food all the time. These guys are fine with no food for weeks if need be.

I try to keep the fridge on the warm side 50-55 or so, for when I first put them in. Then over the course of a week or two, I drop the temp down to 40ish for russians.

Then the reverse of all this when I wake them up in spring.

Yes, I would continue soaking every other day or so until you put them down. I soak with cooler than normal water during this process.

There will be times when you feel near panic about all this. They will be fine. They will be supercharged come spring time. You will rant about how active and healthy they seem all spring long. After a few years of doing this it will become routine. You will learn your own little tips and tricks and streamline your own process. I rather enjoy all of it. The whole process is part of my enjoyment of some of my tortoises. In fact I relax a lot more with the temperate species once they are hibernating than I do all my tropical tortoises that remain up all winter. If the power goes out while I'm asleep, all the hibernators will be fine. The tropical ones could freeze to death on a cold winter night without their heaters.

Anyhow… I'm rambling now. Long day of driving for me…

 

[Jodie]

Thanks. It is very stressful, but I am looking forward to having them safe for the winter.

 

[Oxalis]

My Russians have been off food for almost two weeks, daily soaks. I am going to start lowering the heat this weekend. My fridge is up and running. Temps varying by no more than 2 degrees. For the next week or so I lower their temps every couple of days right? Do I continue soaking them every day, @Tom?
I went with a Fridgidare beverage cooler @Oxalis

Thanks for responding!! I've been a busy tortoise mommy and need to catch up on hibernation preparation. Luckily, my man has Amazon Prime, in case we need a cooler here pronto! We'll be looking at some products tonight in case a local store has the one we like (then we can shop for it tomorrow). Is it important to soak my adult Russian every day before he starts hibernating?

 

[Jodie]

Is it important to soak my adult Russian every day before he starts hibernating?[/QUOTE]
Everything I have read says yes, very. I have been soaking almost daily for over 2 weeks and no food. Their guts need to be empty, but they need to be well hydrated.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for responding!! I've been a busy tortoise mommy and need to catch up on hibernation preparation. Luckily, my man has Amazon Prime, in case we need a cooler here pronto! We'll be looking at some products tonight in case a local store has the one we like (then we can shop for it tomorrow). Is it important to soak my adult Russian every day before he starts hibernating?

I soak my older ones every other day during the cooling process. I soak babies every day before hibernation.

Yes. I hibernate babies too. I see no reason not too, and I've never had a problem with it. They hibernate in the wild too.

 

[Oxalis]

Lower the heat and the light cycle. There is no rush here. Being mammals we need food all the time. These guys are fine with no food for weeks if need be.

I try to keep the fridge on the warm side 50-55 or so, for when I first put them in. Then over the course of a week or two, I drop the temp down to 40ish for russians.

Then the reverse of all this when I wake them up in spring.

Yes, I would continue soaking every other day or so until you put them down. I soak with cooler than normal water during this process.

There will be times when you feel near panic about all this. They will be fine. They will be supercharged come spring time. You will rant about how active and healthy they seem all spring long. After a few years of doing this it will become routine. You will learn your own little tips and tricks and streamline your own process. I rather enjoy all of it. The whole process is part of my enjoyment of some of my tortoises. In fact I relax a lot more with the temperate species once they are hibernating than I do all my tropical tortoises that remain up all winter. If the power goes out while I'm asleep, all the hibernators will be fine. The tropical ones could freeze to death on a cold winter night without their heaters.

Anyhow… I'm rambling now. Long day of driving for me…

I like your description of the gradual change. I've stopped feeding Steve as of this past Monday (11/16), which would really stink for him if he participated in Thanksgiving. ;D He seemed really angry about yesterday though. He tried to bite my fingers the very second I came near!

 

[Oxalis]

I'm not at home now and I haven't opened the box yet, but last night we got an 8-bottle wine cooler, probably this one because it was $99: http://www.lowes.com/pd_591038-4722...?productId=50160177&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1

While the horrible website doesn't tell you the temperature range, I do remember the lowest written on the box is 46°F. So I'm glad I have a model that (obviously) doesn't freeze, and has a window on the door so I can see inside (it just gives me a level of comfort as a tort mommy!). We're going to play around with it tonight and this weekend. I have to buy more thermometers and another hygrometer, which will probably be on Amazon if Meijer (where we'll be picking up groceries tonight) doesn't have a suitable meat thermometer, which I hear is quite accurate (didn't consider that initially). So more updates to follow...

 

[Oxalis]

@Tom, I read on Tortoise Trust that the ideal hibernation temperature is 5°C or 41°F. This seems low to me. My boyfriend said he read here on the forum that 50°F was the lowest at which a Russian should be hibernated. I hate to sound nit-picky, but I know how crucial the temp can be for these little guys! Do you think my wine cooler w/ its minimum of 46°F will be sufficient?

 

[Tom]

@Tom, I read on Tortoise Trust that the ideal hibernation temperature is 5°C or 41°F. This seems low to me. My boyfriend said he read here on the forum that 50°F was the lowest at which a Russian should be hibernated. I hate to sound nit-picky, but I know how crucial the temp can be for these little guys! Do you think my wine cooler w/ its minimum of 46°F will be sufficient?

50-55 seems to work well for Desert Tortoises. I think its too warm for russians, as evidenced by relatively high activity levels at 50 degrees in their hibernacula. I hibernate my russians right around 40 degrees. 46 is pretty close to ideal, and I think it will work as long as its steady and you keep the area quiet and dark.

The concern about it being too warm is that they burn through their fat and energy reserves too quickly to last the whole time. I don't know how long you planned to hibernate, but if 46 is as low as you can go, maybe you should consider cutting hibernation short by two or three weeks?

I usually go 12-14 weeks depending on the weather. At 40 degrees F, some people go as long as 16 weeks.

 

[Oxalis]

The concern about it being too warm is that they burn through their fat and energy reserves too quickly to last the whole time. I don't know how long you planned to hibernate, but if 46 is as low as you can go, maybe you should consider cutting hibernation short by two or three weeks?

I usually go 12-14 weeks depending on the weather. At 40 degrees F, some people go as long as 16 weeks.

Definitely, that's more like good news to me since I'll miss him while he's hibernating! Seeing him 2 or 3 weeks sooner sounds great! Do you think 6-8 weeks of hibernating is sufficient?

The wine cooler (or THU, "tortoise hibernation unit," as I call it) will also be in his bedroom where it will be dark and quiet, so there shouldn't be any concerns there.

 

[Tom]

Definitely, that's more like good news to me since I'll miss him while he's hibernating! Seeing him 2 or 3 weeks sooner sounds great! Do you think 6-8 weeks of hibernating is sufficient?

The wine cooler (or THU, "tortoise hibernation unit," as I call it) will also be in his bedroom where it will be dark and quiet, so there shouldn't be any concerns there.

Yes. I think 6-8 weeks will get the job done, but this is solely my opinion, based only on my "feelings". I've not done experiments or seen any studies from any one who has, on whether 6 weeks is enough, or if 16 weeks is too many, for example. I know that 6-8 weeks for babies has worked well in the past for me, and that 10-14 weeks for adults has worked well for me.

@Will is a mental giant in the research and smarts arenas. Will, have you got any insight into hibernation duration that might benefit us here?

@jaizei , have you got any scientific reference material worth linking?

 

[Oxalis]

Thanks, Tom! I finally think my little Stevie is feeling the magic hibernation vibes... His activity levels are definitely much lower. Tonight he'll get another soak and we'll raise his lamps a little. I think the snow has helped to put him in the festival spirit. XD Are yours all asleep now, @Jodie?

 

[Jodie]

Yes. I put them in Sunday night at 55F. Will start lowering it tonight. Not noticing much movement. Panic is a really good definition of how I felt putting them in there. Am confident I did everything right, so hoping for the best. It is tough to leave them alone, like I know I should. Really want to check on them, and know they are ok. I satisfy myself by obsessively checking the temp. It is holding steady.