Yes. Bought them in 4packs at Walmart. I think I'll need something bigger next year.
Should I allow my tortoise to sleep as he pleases?
- Thread starter macyfidlerr
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Yes. Bought them in 4packs at Walmart. I think I'll need something bigger next year.
Thanks, now you just took away my excuse not to get more Russians. Or tortoises in general. Thanks a lot. I'm sorry for butting in on this thread but maybe someone else has the same question. What about a power outage? I don't have a generator, what if the power goes out for a day or two or even longer? Would she be OK as long as I don't open up the fridge and let warm air in? Is it dangerous for the temperature to very like that?
A little bit of variation won't hurt anything.
Do you take them out to weigh them or check on them at all during hibernation?
I do not. Some people do and it seems to be okay for them, but I prefer to not disturb them.
Ok, thanks...2more questions...do you hibernate your tortoises that are under 1 year of age?
When you first stop feeding are the tortoises looking for food, do you worry they will begin eating other things like the substrate b/c there is no food available? I have spider plants and an aloe plant that my tortoise has never touched. I'm assuming I would need to remove all plants...how about a cuddle bone?
I hibernate them all from the time they hatch. If they hatch in fall, then they hibernate that winter. I will keep them inside and feed them well prior to hibernation, and I keep their first hibernation short (6-8 weeks), but I do hibernate them and its never been a problem. The only exception is if a particular breeder asks me not to as a condition of sale. I hate keeping them up, but I will do it if a breeder really wants me to with their babies.
I remove everything edible. No cuttlebone, no plants, no leftover food scraps, no feces, etc… Mine have never tried to eat their substrate, and the daily soaking ensures that they are not pooping in their enclosures and turning around and eating it. Also, mine frequently stop eating on their own around this time anyway. I suspect that I I were to put out a plate of food during this fasting time, they wouldn't eat it anyway. They know what time it is.
Thank you very much. I didn't try it this year...chickened out, but now wish I had. My tortoise burrows down every day, I soak it, it eats and goes back to burrow...your info is great, next year I am definitely going to try. Thanks for the help.
Madi
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I don't hibernate my tortoise either. I wake him up in the morning when I feed him and then let him do as he pleases throughout the day.
Keep the enclosure nice and bright and also warm. Keep the lights on for 14 hours a day. I have not yet hibernated my Russian, probably will next year. But I have not had a problem with her wanting to sleep all day. She's up every morning sitting in her feed bowl waiting for me to feed her.
Do you house all your Russians separately? I have a pair that's been together for 11 years, incubating several eggs now, just trying to plan ahead for multiples.
I keep mine as a group. I have a 3.6 group in a 25 foot by 25 foot garden enclosure. Pairs don't usually do well. Even groups you have to watch for aggression.
Do they really get along without problems in such a small enclosure? I think I would not have the guts to try this.
You consider 625 square feet small? I usually have a heck of a time finding them. It is heavily planted, so I have not had any problems.
That's about 55 square meters, right? In German literature the usually recommended minimum size for testudo is 10 square meters per tortoise (20 for a single one) and since Russians tend to be more aggressive it's better to give them even more space...
So yes, I would consider it rather small for 9 tortoises, but I guess it's sufficient if your group gets along.
