Questions (Hibernation, etc.)

Sheeelbeee

New Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
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1
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Hi we have a desert tortoise and she is 15 she was given to me last summer and was good but she went into hibernation she seemed to be healthy well we had to move in december and she woke up shortly but went back to sleep didnt urinate or anything but now she has been asleep in the garage and seems to have moved a little but and i not sure how much weight she has lost and im worried her being awake had her spend some of her energy so i am waking her up and giving her warm baths, my question is it gets to be about 80 degrees during the day but still drops a little at night tonight it will be 55 degrees but next week its going to rain and be about 40 degrees should i just bring her in at night time with a basking light and night time warmth to keep her awake shes been asleep for over 4 months and being that i had got her recently i want to ensure she wakes up and gets some food and energy going so she is healthy enough in the coming years, to hibernate.
Thank you
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Jan 9, 2010
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Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi we have a desert tortoise and she is 15 she was given to me last summer and was good but she went into hibernation she seemed to be healthy well we had to move in december and she woke up shortly but went back to sleep didnt urinate or anything but now she has been asleep in the garage and seems to have moved a little but and i not sure how much weight she has lost and im worried her being awake had her spend some of her energy so i am waking her up and giving her warm baths, my question is it gets to be about 80 degrees during the day but still drops a little at night tonight it will be 55 degrees but next week its going to rain and be about 40 degrees should i just bring her in at night time with a basking light and night time warmth to keep her awake shes been asleep for over 4 months and being that i had got her recently i want to ensure she wakes up and gets some food and energy going so she is healthy enough in the coming years, to hibernate.
Thank you
This is the problem with hibernating them without the aid of temperature control. Many of them die in this "limbo". Above ground temperatures are much too warm and inconsistent. You need to set up a large indoor enclosure with proper heat lamps on times until the weather warms up sufficiently for the tortoise to live outside and dig a new burrow before the hot weather arrives.

Care for these is the same as Russian tortoises. Check these out:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
 
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