PICS. Is this going to work Hibernation advice.

[LadyV]

Do I need to put the sides up and fill with paper too? Do I need another box around the bottom box? I've never done it this way....do I need to with hold food? It's certainly cold enough at night...but getting a bit warm in the day.......

 

[wellington]

RE: PICS. Is this going to work

Most shippers that I know of uses an insulated box. The inside is styrofoam lined. Then you want to poke small holes about one or two in a side, towards the middle bottom. Then make sure the tort can't really move well. I would hydrated before shipping. I'm not sure if they should be fed. I think most poop no matter what anyway. See what others say. Also if its cold out where he is going or coming from, there should be a heat pack.

 

[LadyV]

RE: PICS. Is this going to work HIBERNATION, NOT SHIPPING

NO......I an NOT shipping.....this is my baby, I'm trying to set her up for hibernation. I will be gone for two weeks and hubby will be here...but he doesn't know a lot

 

[Utah Lynn]

RE: PICS. Is this going to work

Yvonne can help you. (Emysemys)

 

[dmmj]

RE: PICS. Is this going to work

Don't use paper for hibernation, plain old dirt works best. I am confused as to why you are using two boxes.

 

[LadyV]

Two boxes....more insulation...someone else shredded paper not dirt.....it's so confusing...our first winter here, she got out and hibernated on her own outside......come spring we found her walking up to the house.....maybe
I should let her hibernate outside in her enclosure

 

[dmmj]

When hibernating you don't want insulation. Warmer temps won't allow it to hibernate properly.

 

[ascott]

I don't use paper for brumation for the CDTs here, here is what I do ( I do this because it works well for all involved and it works for our housing and set up );

No supplemental food offerings after the middle of October.
Allow them to be outdoors all day and night for as long as possible before temps are no longer over 70 days and begin to be in mid 40's-50 at night (as long as they have a dry place to retreat during the nights) consistently. I may soak them once or twice during this time to assure myself that they have consumed some water just before their rest...

The hibernacle/"box";

Tall rubbermaid tub (brown, )no top used here (but you can-- if you be sure to put several air holes--several)

I place a folded towel on concrete ground (in a dark, cool closet that I can shut for the entire brumation period--the closet is located in attached converted garage that I shut all vents off to which allows the room to get very cold) then place each tub on its own spot--so any individual tort wiggling will not wake the others...

Then I place 100% cotton towels or old cotton t shirts (folded several times over for a soft spot, also allows if the tort wants to dig about a bit and get comfy--which the guys here will initially do)into each tub...

Then I place a tort in each of its own tub (they will always use their own tub and never do I allow a tort in a tub that is not its own tub, ever.)

Then I will leave them be for a week (although I do peek in at night in the dark with my ever so faint trusty night light to inspect them to assure that they have settled at about day 3)

Then about every two to three weeks I will give the back foot a tickle to assure I hear their clear breath...and will do this every so often as well as a visual check of their heads/eyes/legs to assure no issues arising...

This is just what I do, you of course will do your own set up and in your own location that is suitable....

Some folks use the box in a box hibernacle---I just have never liked the idea of shutting them into a box and capping it...just weirds me out--AGAIN...this is just my personal opinion and there are times absolutely that capping I am sure is warranted....luckily just not here

 

[Nay]

How I used to do my Russians is soak them a few times a week for 3 weeks to make sure they are"empty', No food, oh sounds so bad! Then I have a cardboard box filled with dirt. I would place them both inside and after the first night making sure they were buried deep. I would place them under my bed. (Yes our room is pretty cold) In about March we would hear the scratching, and voila!! I swear the first time was awful,,not being sure, and I certainly was alot more picky in how I did it. But it got was easier!! and we would actually forget about them untill we heard that noise..
Good Luck, it is not easy the first time. Now I have Ornates that I actually leave out,and my RF's who stay up all year,, more fun.

 

[lynnedit]

Two boxes....more insulation...someone else shredded paper not dirt.....it's so confusing...our first winter here, she got out and hibernated on her own outside......come spring we found her walking up to the house.....maybe
I should let her hibernate outside in her enclosure

It is confusing! It really depends on the area of the world you live in.
Some do use a double box and shredded paper for garage/cold room/fridge hibernation. You see that on hibernation threads on other sites, especially for those in cold/rainy climates.
In Arizona, outside might be a good option, if you have a protected, relatively dry area and she can get deep enough. Even under tree roots or a large shrub.
Or if you have a shed that you can keep above 40F or so (keep her in box or Rubbermaid with dirt or substrate).
Russians can endure fairly cold temps if they are protected from freezing/wet.
And as Nay mentions, the wind down is important, too, unless they do it naturally outside as the temps go down.

Try to find out what other Russian keepers do in your area, or you can also PM GBtortoise about hibernating Russian torts.

 

[LadyV]

I've had her a few years now...and did differently each time....I have always used the big rubber maid tub with a mixture of dirt and Bed-A-Beast...but never put her outside....since moving here though, we have a very small house as now it is just the two of us....I could put her out in the shed....completely covered, dry and I could check on her regularly

 

[lynnedit]

If you allow her to wind down for a few weeks, and the shed can be maintained safely above freezing, then that would work.

 

[Lucymay]

I use the Big Rubbermaid bins with a mixture of dirt/forest cover and keep them in a back room of the garage. I do put the covers on the bins with lots of holes. I do not feed them for a week or two and soak them a few times to make sure they are 'empty' before putting them in for the winter.

Their usual home is outside so I wait until I see them start burrowing outside and then start the no food/soak. I only hibernate them because of rainy weather... it doesn't get so cold here in So.Cal that they couldn't stay outdoors even in our winter.

Today it is cooler and misty out and I noticed 2 of our torts dug way in, so I have started their pre-hibernation as of now. We're supposed to be back in the 80's next week and on those days I will have them outside during the day.

I hate hibernation time, always checking on them to make sure they're still sleeping!! But they've done well over the last few years so I guess it's what they do.... and we just have to live with it

 

[lynnedit]

Lucymay, when do yours wake up in the Spring? What temp range does the back of your garage stay at November to ?

(you are right, it is the rain that is of concern, not really the cold).

 

[Lucymay]

Lucymay, when do yours wake up in the Spring? What temp range does the back of your garage stay at November to ?

(you are right, it is the rain that is of concern, not really the cold).

Lynn, I don't know the temp in the garage but it stays cool. Our house is built behind a hill and the garage doesn't get any sunlight, it's the lower level... kind of built into the hillside. Even during the hot summer months it's much cooler in the back room. During winter months, maybe 60's??

I think last year they started waking up around mid-late February. I'm almost certain they were up mid-March as I remember some friends being over and going outside to see them. This year I will calendar it so I remember the dates!!