In this thread, @Tom mentioned seeking out a "mentor" who has experience in successfully hibernating Russian tortoises. So I am looking for you! Or any ideas of potential helpful peeps... Thanks!
A little background:
My boyfriend and I are interested in hibernating Steve, our male Russian who's somewhere between 10 and 25 yrs of age (the vet had to guess; I received Steve from an acquaintance). The vet said he's in very good health and has recently grown a lot. We live in Michigan so our winters can be harsh; although I'm not cruel -- Steve will be indoors during the colder months!!! Along with his 96 sq. ft. garden enclosure in our backyard, he has his own bedroom with a 4' x 4' tortoise table, so he's pretty spoiled. I'm thinking November is a good time to at least start him slowing down for sleepy time, as he is usually getting less active around this time of the year (I've had him since Nov. 2009). I'm mostly looking for help with hibernation setup, temp/humidity monitoring, lighting issues, that sort of thing. Of course, any info would be extremely helpful! I have read through some of the hibernation pages on the Tortoise Trust website, but I would feel more comfortable knowing some members I can go to for help and hearing from members who are confident in their tortoise hibernation abilities! Thanks in advance!
A little background:
My boyfriend and I are interested in hibernating Steve, our male Russian who's somewhere between 10 and 25 yrs of age (the vet had to guess; I received Steve from an acquaintance). The vet said he's in very good health and has recently grown a lot. We live in Michigan so our winters can be harsh; although I'm not cruel -- Steve will be indoors during the colder months!!! Along with his 96 sq. ft. garden enclosure in our backyard, he has his own bedroom with a 4' x 4' tortoise table, so he's pretty spoiled. I'm thinking November is a good time to at least start him slowing down for sleepy time, as he is usually getting less active around this time of the year (I've had him since Nov. 2009). I'm mostly looking for help with hibernation setup, temp/humidity monitoring, lighting issues, that sort of thing. Of course, any info would be extremely helpful! I have read through some of the hibernation pages on the Tortoise Trust website, but I would feel more comfortable knowing some members I can go to for help and hearing from members who are confident in their tortoise hibernation abilities! Thanks in advance!