I got mini last summer slightly under a year then - in her outdoor enclosure last warm day last year and hibernated looked dug out heatlamps out couldnt find her - october/november time. has just come back!!!!! in a bath atm whaddoido??????
quickquickquick
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Hopefully he will take a long drink, then I would start warming him up and see if he will eat a little.
kimber_lee_314 said:
put her in a bath till she was a bit more active, currently warming up under the heat lamp. I had completely lost hope of seeing her again so am rather frazzled now! this is fantastic! i thought asking you lovely people would be better than going over a 'waking up' article again. one of her eyes is a bit closed but no other signs of injury and I'm worried as she was so little and hibernated for so long - vet soon i think! frazzled!!!! any support gratefully accepted!
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I would first let her warm up to normal activity temperatures 70+ degrees, which will take a couple of hours at least, then water him. To ensure that you see him drinking and encourage him to drink, I would place him in a container of very shallow (1/2" deep) tempid water. They will usually consume a large amout of water intially and often expel what little reserve that they had left. Once the tortoise become normally active then offer food but don't overload her digestive system. The food should be rough greens, no vitamins or vegetables. Their digestive system needs to be "re-engergized" with basic fiber for proper digestion. I would also water daily for the first week or so.
Size or age has nothing to do with hibernation. In the wild they all hibernate the same period of time. A newborn tortoise has to stay under just as long as a full grown adult.
I guess I don't understand why you would run to a vet just because a small tortoise has come out of hibernation naturally.
Size or age has nothing to do with hibernation. In the wild they all hibernate the same period of time. A newborn tortoise has to stay under just as long as a full grown adult.
I guess I don't understand why you would run to a vet just because a small tortoise has come out of hibernation naturally.
as i said, very frazzled. rethinking the vet thing, will see how she does. just concerned i guess- she was always the small one but now the size different between her and her roommate (a few months older and not hibernated) is more apparent she seem so weak and tiny - really living up to her name 'mini'! she has greens and some mashed banana (not part of her every day diet but if she has a low blood sugar it cant hurt?) on offer, as well as water. I havent yet seen her drink but slowly becoming more active - will try a bath again (I do the same as you GB) in a few hours. the heat lamp is on but not the UVB as i dont want to shock her.
just so happy she is back! i tried every thing to find her before and really had lost hope!
apologies for poor spelling/grammer
just so happy she is back! i tried every thing to find her before and really had lost hope!
apologies for poor spelling/grammer
I agree - a vet visit probably isn't necessary at this point. Keep an eye on her for a week or so. if she doesn't start eating within a week or so, or her eye doesn't open normally, then I would go to the vet. I'm very happy for you! I remember "losing" a box turtle many years ago, just to find her walking around the yard in the spring. It was like found treasure! 
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Taking a tortoise out of their familiar element and being poked and proded under bright lights is far more stressful to them than waking up out of hibernation.
I'm not anti-vet (okay, a little bit), but I am anti-vet when there is no apparent reason.
I'm not anti-vet (okay, a little bit), but I am anti-vet when there is no apparent reason.
kimber_lee_314 said:I agree - a vet visit probably isn't necessary at this point. Keep an eye on her for a week or so. if she doesn't start eating within a week or so, or her eye doesn't open normally, then I would go to the vet. I'm very happy for you! I remember "losing" a box turtle many years ago, just to find her walking around the yard in the spring. It was like found treasure!
My main concern is that I live in the UK and there was a lot of ground frost this year, and while she certainly must have got under it (no wonder i couldn't find her digging!) I'm worried her eye injury may be frost related. It is swollen, discharge-y and mostly closed. Yes hibernation is natural it is not her natural climate. No eating as yet but my other hermann Tallis is taking full advantage of the banana - a rare treat! T also has decided to do some digging in the indoor enclosure which she rarely does, how odd. She certainly can't feel threatened being the bigger of the 2.
GBtortoises said:
GB - vet was in response to her eye, not her waking up! am keeping lights to a minimum right now as I said, but feel the heat lamp is pretty important
I'm worried her eye injury may be frost related. It is swollen, discharge-y and mostly closed.
Oh I see. I can understand your desire to want to see a vet about this. Did soaking in the warm water help it any? Do you have any terramycin?
Oh I see. I can understand your desire to want to see a vet about this. Did soaking in the warm water help it any? Do you have any terramycin?
You can buy the antibiotic eye ointment online. It works wonders, even on eyeballs that have been effected by frost.
Do a web search. I'm in the U.S. so my searches don't show U.K. mfg'rs. But I did find this one:
http://www.norbrook.co.uk/Products/...Key/423/CatKey/1/Section/Veterinary_Products/
Do a web search. I'm in the U.S. so my searches don't show U.K. mfg'rs. But I did find this one:
http://www.norbrook.co.uk/Products/...Key/423/CatKey/1/Section/Veterinary_Products/
kimber_lee_314 said:
The water opened it up a little, it was entirely closed before, but she is favouring her other eye. Will give her another bath in a little bit, but I don't want to move her around too much. I'm not sure what terramycin is - are you from the US? Usually we don't get the same products here but there is generally a UK equivalent. I think I will take her to the vet in a few days if it hasn't opened up anymore. So far I haven't touched it but am tempted to try wiping it with cotton wool - would you recommend this?
You can take any advice from Yvonne to the bank--if you can't figure out the English version of antibiotic ointment, PM Stells (Kelly)--she will probably know.
Congratulations on Mini's reappearance. Enjoy that smalll victory for all it's worth!
Congratulations on Mini's reappearance. Enjoy that smalll victory for all it's worth!
helensky said:
Yes, you can gently wipe it a little. You can use a wet cotton ball (if that's what you mean by cotton wool.) Terramycin is an eye ointment that you can buy without a prescription. I don't know what it's called there - but I would try the link provided in the other post.
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DO NOT FEED BANANAS or any other fruit to a Mediterranean tortoise right out of hibernation!
They absolutely cannot tolerate a high concentration of sugar in a digestive system that is just re-establishing itself right out of hibernation! This is just asking for trouble! There's really no reason to feed them fruit at all but an occasional piece isn't going to hurt once the tortoise is at full strength and activity levels. Their digestive systems are not built for sugar absorbtion.
Foods high in fiber and without sugars should be the only foods fed for at least a couple of weeks. Along with plenty of water, calcium carbonate and plenty of sunshine (or simulated sunshine) and warmth.
As far as the eye, it sounds more like an infection rather than frost damage. Especially if the tip of the nose is not affected. The nose will normally become damaged by frost before the eyes and the damage will be obvious. Frost damage to the eye probably isn't going to swollen but the eyeball itself would be exposed, white or yellowish in color. But it's difficult to know without a photo.
I have Eastern Hermann's (and Russian) tortoises that hibernate outdoors every year, some for over 20 years, they also are out of their natural habitat. I live in New York State where winters are very long and very cold, especially at 1,850 feet above sea level where I live. Where they are hibernating has little to do with it, how they are hibernating (their conditions) have much more to do with it. I realize that your tortoise hibernated outdoors not really by your choice, but they can easily do it. Again, as I've stated before, I do not condone or recommend that people in northern climates allow their tortoises to hibernate naturally outdoors. But my point is that they are much more adaptable and hardy than some would like to believe. Honestly, except for a possible eye infection or other eye problem your tortoise sounds fine and very normal for a Hermann's tortoisescoming out of hibernation.
Those of mine that are outdoors are still under two feet of snow!
They absolutely cannot tolerate a high concentration of sugar in a digestive system that is just re-establishing itself right out of hibernation! This is just asking for trouble! There's really no reason to feed them fruit at all but an occasional piece isn't going to hurt once the tortoise is at full strength and activity levels. Their digestive systems are not built for sugar absorbtion.
Foods high in fiber and without sugars should be the only foods fed for at least a couple of weeks. Along with plenty of water, calcium carbonate and plenty of sunshine (or simulated sunshine) and warmth.
As far as the eye, it sounds more like an infection rather than frost damage. Especially if the tip of the nose is not affected. The nose will normally become damaged by frost before the eyes and the damage will be obvious. Frost damage to the eye probably isn't going to swollen but the eyeball itself would be exposed, white or yellowish in color. But it's difficult to know without a photo.
I have Eastern Hermann's (and Russian) tortoises that hibernate outdoors every year, some for over 20 years, they also are out of their natural habitat. I live in New York State where winters are very long and very cold, especially at 1,850 feet above sea level where I live. Where they are hibernating has little to do with it, how they are hibernating (their conditions) have much more to do with it. I realize that your tortoise hibernated outdoors not really by your choice, but they can easily do it. Again, as I've stated before, I do not condone or recommend that people in northern climates allow their tortoises to hibernate naturally outdoors. But my point is that they are much more adaptable and hardy than some would like to believe. Honestly, except for a possible eye infection or other eye problem your tortoise sounds fine and very normal for a Hermann's tortoisescoming out of hibernation.
Those of mine that are outdoors are still under two feet of snow!
All banana has been removed! Mini had a little nibble of leaf but nothing else so far, T was enthusiastic with her first taste of banana but is fighting fit so not worried about that! Point taken!
Thank you everyone for all this advice! Will let you know how she does.
Thank you everyone for all this advice! Will let you know how she does.
Hi, thought I'd give you an update!
She's a little more active today and has been drinking a little in her bath but not all too much, so I'm giving her a bath in the morning and the evening to encourage it. I don't think she's eaten yet which I'm less concerned about. Haven't yet been able to give her eye a wipe as she put her head away when I tried (any advice?) and while it is still a little swollen there doesn't seem to be any new discharge from it, and it is much more open today
She's a little more active today and has been drinking a little in her bath but not all too much, so I'm giving her a bath in the morning and the evening to encourage it. I don't think she's eaten yet which I'm less concerned about. Haven't yet been able to give her eye a wipe as she put her head away when I tried (any advice?) and while it is still a little swollen there doesn't seem to be any new discharge from it, and it is much more open today
Good to hear she's coming along. Are you keeping her warm enough? You can pull her head out and hold it while you wipe her eye (a two man job at my house.) She won't like it, but at least you can get a good look at it and apply some antibiotic ointment.
Yes, definitely warm enough, she has a hot spot and can thermoregulate in and out of it. She is drinking and eating well now, and is very active . I tried to follow your advice kimberlee but she has (understandably, considering she's been in the ground for four months) got pretty edgy when being handled, so I haven't yet been able hold her head to wipe the eye (which is still a little smaller than the other) as she's too damn fast for me! I tried this technique with my other hermann who didn't hibernate and she's perfectly fine with it.
I must say though - a hermann who's got the hump can look so wonderfully condescending. Love it
. I tried to follow your advice kimberlee but she has (understandably, considering she's been in the ground for four months) got pretty edgy when being handled, so I haven't yet been able hold her head to wipe the eye (which is still a little smaller than the other) as she's too damn fast for me! I tried this technique with my other hermann who didn't hibernate and she's perfectly fine with it. I must say though - a hermann who's got the hump can look so wonderfully condescending. Love it
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