I plan to fridge hibernate our Russian this winter. My vet isn't a proponent of hibernating them in our very mild climate. He's not opposed, just feels they do fine with a night box or similar. I'll be hibernating her somewhat for my ease of mind; I don't want to be hunting her down in the dark every night to make sure she's safe in her box!
What I'm pondering right now is the period before and after hibernation. I know others isolate their tortoises in indoor or other pens where they can control food and temperature as the tortoises slow down.
We don't have any place cool to do this. Does anyone let their outdoor tortoise acclimate outside, without isolating them first? She dug under and hibernated in our yard last year shortly after we found her, so I know she'll do it if left to her own devices. I can decrease the heat in her night box*, increase soaks, and stop feeding but she is in our yard and currently does some foraging. So I don't know that I can guarantee she's emptied her gut. I'd rather leave her out if I can't be sure she'll be safe to hibernate.
Opinions?
*She's currently in a burrow she dug but we deepened and stabilized. It's where she hibernated last year, so acclimating her totally outdoors while the weather cools down is another option than decreasing the heat in her night box.
What I'm pondering right now is the period before and after hibernation. I know others isolate their tortoises in indoor or other pens where they can control food and temperature as the tortoises slow down.
We don't have any place cool to do this. Does anyone let their outdoor tortoise acclimate outside, without isolating them first? She dug under and hibernated in our yard last year shortly after we found her, so I know she'll do it if left to her own devices. I can decrease the heat in her night box*, increase soaks, and stop feeding but she is in our yard and currently does some foraging. So I don't know that I can guarantee she's emptied her gut. I'd rather leave her out if I can't be sure she'll be safe to hibernate.
Opinions?
*She's currently in a burrow she dug but we deepened and stabilized. It's where she hibernated last year, so acclimating her totally outdoors while the weather cools down is another option than decreasing the heat in her night box.