- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 66
Here is what I ended up doing to hibernate Koopa, my hermann, I'm posting pictures hoping it can help other members who are curious about hibernation in a basement. It's my first one so I can't help being a bit worried. I listen to weather reports all the time for temperatures.
The tortoise was put in a small plastique box, filled with dirt. this plastic box is put in a slightly bigger cardboard box, with unprinted thick paper between the two.
The box is kept closed with a wire, the flaps leave a small open slot so air can go in and out.
The box, a thermometer, a hygrometer are put in a small compartiment of a furniture in my basement.
Temperature in my basement never fell under 3°C even after 3 consecutive days of temperature between -15°C and -5°C recently. The temperature never dropped for more than 1 degree in 24 hours.
You may have noticed a bottle of nutela filled with water in the compartment with the box. I fill it with hot water when it gets too cold, this bumps the temperature up from 3 to 5 or 6°C. That's only for 3-4 hours tough. I also suppose it can slow down temperature change if the water is left at ambient temperature. I may add more of them in there.
Koopa is now hibernating since 15 days, today I opened the box. She was alive (retracting limbs if touched). The dirt is moist but not wet (hygrometer is above 90%). I dug a bit the dirt before placing her, but I noticed she also dug a bit deeper since then. She is still the same weight as when I put her there (45g), no poop nor anything. I hope everything will remain like that for 10 more weeks and will keep checking the temperature daily
The tortoise was put in a small plastique box, filled with dirt. this plastic box is put in a slightly bigger cardboard box, with unprinted thick paper between the two.
The box is kept closed with a wire, the flaps leave a small open slot so air can go in and out.
The box, a thermometer, a hygrometer are put in a small compartiment of a furniture in my basement.
Temperature in my basement never fell under 3°C even after 3 consecutive days of temperature between -15°C and -5°C recently. The temperature never dropped for more than 1 degree in 24 hours.
You may have noticed a bottle of nutela filled with water in the compartment with the box. I fill it with hot water when it gets too cold, this bumps the temperature up from 3 to 5 or 6°C. That's only for 3-4 hours tough. I also suppose it can slow down temperature change if the water is left at ambient temperature. I may add more of them in there.
Koopa is now hibernating since 15 days, today I opened the box. She was alive (retracting limbs if touched). The dirt is moist but not wet (hygrometer is above 90%). I dug a bit the dirt before placing her, but I noticed she also dug a bit deeper since then. She is still the same weight as when I put her there (45g), no poop nor anything. I hope everything will remain like that for 10 more weeks and will keep checking the temperature daily
