Soaks During A Cold Front

[Gillian M]

Hi everyone. Jordan is being effected by terribly cold weather. Temperature fell to -5 degrees C (about 24.8 degrees F), and we've had snow in many parts of the country.

Oli is brumating/hibernating due to very low temperature, although he's inside. I'd like to ask: am I to wake him up and give him the usual soak or not? I do not want him to dehydrate or start pyramiding, God forbid.

Your suggestions as well as help would be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[wellington]

Did he get brumated properly? Or did he just go from being normal, eating etc to now buried in?
They have to be brumated properly which is about a month long process of not eating and extra hydrating. If they don't get brumated properly they could die as they didn't clean their gut out of food.

 

[Gillian M]

Did he get brumated properly? Or did he just go from being normal, eating etc to now buried in?
They have to be brumated properly which is about a month long process of not eating and extra hydrating. If they don't get brumated properly they could die as they didn't clean their gut out of food.

Honestly speaking, I don't know.

 

[Gillian M]

@Yvonne G

any advice?

 

[Gillian M]

@ZEROPILOT
@Tom

you help would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry, Gillian
I have absolutely no experience with this since I keep a non brumating species and I live in a tropical climate.

 

[Gillian M]

Sorry, Gillian
I have absolutely no experience with this since I keep a non brumating species and I live in a tropical climate.

Don't worry, Ed.
And many thanks your reply.

 

[TammyJ]

@Yvonne G @Tom @zovick

 

[Maro2Bear]

I thought “brumating” tortoises were meant to brumate (and not be disturbed at all) until they emerge from brumation after a designated period of time. Once they emerge, some good daily soakings, increased temps & back to eating. I can’t imagine “waking” a brumating tort every few weeks is good or healthy for them.

How to care for a tortoise after hibernation - ExoticDirect

www.exoticdirect.co.uk

 

[wellington]

I thought “brumating” tortoises were meant to brumate (and not be disturbed at all) until they emerge from brumation after a designated period of time. Once they emerge, some good daily soakings, increased temps & back to eating. I can’t imagine “waking” a brumating tort every few weeks is good or healthy for them.

How to care for a tortoise after hibernation - ExoticDirect

www.exoticdirect.co.uk

You are correct as far as I have ever understood it. I don't know though if this one just went into brumation because of a cold front that came in or if he's been brumation. With the Oap not knowing what was done before he went into brumation, I'm guessing he just did it for the recent cold front. Which in that case, he should be kept up.

 

[Tom]

Hi everyone. Jordan is being effected by terribly cold weather. Temperature fell to -5 degrees C (about 24.8 degrees F), and we've had snow in many parts of the country.

Oli is brumating/hibernating due to very low temperature, although he's inside. I'd like to ask: am I to wake him up and give him the usual soak or not? I do not want him to dehydrate or start pyramiding, God forbid.

Your suggestions as well as help would be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

If he is inside then the outside temperatures should not matter. His enclosure should be set on thermostats and timers, and monitored with thermometers.

If you did not spend a month fasting and soaking him and then gradually reducing the temperatures and light duration, then he is not brumating. He is just too cold. Add heat to get his temperatures up to where they need to be, and then give him a good warm soak.

If you did properly prepare him for brumation and he is "sleeping" the winter away at the correct temperatures, then I would not disturb him for a soak or any other reason.

 

[Gillian M]

If he is inside then the outside temperatures should not matter. His enclosure should be set on thermostats and timers, and monitored with thermometers.

If you did not spend a month fasting and soaking him and then gradually reducing the temperatures and light duration, then he is not brumating. He is just too cold. Add heat to get his temperatures up to where they need to be, and then give him a good warm soak.

If you did properly prepare him for brumation and he is "sleeping" the winter away at the correct temperatures, then I would not disturb him for a soak or any other reason.

Many thanks your help, Tom.
Appreciate it.

 

[Tom]

Many thanks your help, Tom.
Appreciate it.

You are welcome.

Have you seen this thread? There might be some useful info in this one for you, and its kind of new:

Tom's Brumation Thread

Every fall we get bombarded here on the forum with all sorts of questions and problems regarding hibernation and tortoises "slowing down" for winter. The purpose of this thread is to talk about all aspects of this subject, to dispel some of the myths and mysteries, and give a "how to" list of...

tortoiseforum.org