My russian doesn't want to hybernate

CeceR

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Joined
Nov 20, 2016
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3
Hello, I hope someone can give me some advice

We have had Cocoa, a russian tort we got at a known pet store, for 3 years, hubby got it for our daughter but of course the mamma (me) ends up taking care and worries for.

He, I found out it was a he when we thought for sure it was a she, after he flashed at me like a year ago ;P so I believe he is young but not a "baby" anymore, around 5-6in

Anyway last 2y we have kept him inside on the winter, he spends rest of year out, we are in AZ, so that means most of the year, he loves it outside, he is very picky to eat and even tho I buy seeds to graze specially for him I haven't seen him interested on that. He usually waits for me to feed him greens and when I have time I feed him by hand cactus pads, he loves that

So this past summer I let him like more free, like not to worry about him too much, let him sleep outside even on rainy nights (not many here in AZ) but still, making him comfortable to make a burrow or burrows anywhere he wanted to prepare him to hibernate, I really want him to stay out so I don't have to worry about him if we go out of town for holidays.

So he was doing ok, I noticed he stop eating the normal, less and less and I thought good, he is getting ready. So this past week is still warm and I see him very active in the backyard, then gets cooler because a cold fronts passes and he is out, still wandering, I offered him to come inside and he didn't think it twice (I call him and he comes to my hand to pick him up) I even tried to fool him by taking him back and I put a mat (in the door) to see if he wanted to climb inside and he did, I put him in his old indoors pen and he just looked around a little then he went inside his burrow and started digging, I gave him a warm bath and he didn't poop like normal, it was almost nothing so I thought again, he really is close to ready, he walk around the kitchen and after a while I took him out. Yesterday same thing, except the bath, offered him food and took 1 bite and left. So today is cold and I look out and he is there, in the cloudy day, walking slow, I go out and he is cold as a popcycle, I just couldn't take it anymore and brought him inside, turned on his pen's light and heater and he went inside his cave, I hear him digging once in a while, (pen is made out of wood) like if he is getting comfortable.

I really don't want him inside, I wanted him to hibernate this year, I thought it was ok for him cause he loves it outside, but looks like he doesn't want, I just don't want him to get sick if he is going to be walking in the cold, like what's going on? Our friend in the neighborehood has a dessert tort and he has been hybernating all month already, he wakes up some times to take a drink but goes back to the corner of their patio to hibernate.

I'm not sure what to do, he is very spoiled. Should I just keep him inside and forget about the hibernation? Or is it that here doesn't get too cold yet for him to hibernate? nights are cold now but days still in the 70-80s once the sun is out usually everyday

Any input is very appreciated

Thank you!
CC
 

dmmj

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it's not cold enough for him to hibernate, the Russian tortoise comes from an area of the mountains in Afghanistan were it gets very very cold probably nowhere near where it gets in Arizona unless you hibernate artificially he's probably not going to go down or at least not for very long.
 

Yvonne G

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I would quit offering him the light/heat. Just leave him outside. He'll get the idea eventually.
 

CeceR

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Nov 20, 2016
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That's one of the things I imagined, that is not cold enough for him but I'm afraid to let him outside. Do you think is ok for him to stay cold in the nights or is too mean from me, that I should just keep him warm inside like previous winters?

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!
 
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