Tortoise hibernation

[Greg Earnest]

When does a tortoise usually start hibernating? Mine seems like he's trying to start. He won't eat pee or poop won't stop sleeping, but I wake him up now and then cause this is my first winter with him so I am worried, when I wake him up I soak him and he eats a little but straight back to sleep, any info?

 

[Yvonne G]

Desert tortoise, right? If you want him to hibernate why are you offering him food? They are supposed to stop eating a couple weeks prior to going to sleep in order to clean out their digestive tract. You are keeping your tortoise in limbo - not warm enough to be awake, and not cold enough to hibernate. Stop offering food. Stop waking him up. Raise the light so it's not as hot at floor level. Shorten his light time to about 8 hours instead of 12-14. And if he stays in his shelter, leave him alone. Then after a couple weeks, box him up in shredded newspaper and place the box in a cool, dark spot, making sure it stays below 50F and above 40F. 45F would be ideal.

 

[Greg Earnest]

Desert tortoise, right? If you want him to hibernate why are you offering him food? They are supposed to stop eating a couple weeks prior to going to sleep in order to clean out their digestive tract. You are keeping your tortoise in limbo - not warm enough to be awake, and not cold enough to hibernate. Stop offering food. Stop waking him up. Raise the light so it's not as hot at floor level. Shorten his light time to about 8 hours instead of 12-14. And if he stays in his shelter, leave him alone. Then after a couple weeks, box him up in shredded newspaper and place the box in a cool, dark spot, making sure it stays below 50F and above 40F. 45F would be ideal.

Thank you! I just get worried, because I didn't know the time frame of when they're supposed to hibernate, being the first time in alittle on edge, thank you for the info. When do you suggest waking up? Or do I just keep checking him until I see him wake up, thank you again for all the info! Very helpful I had no idea

 

[Yvonne G]

You'll hear him scratching around in the box when he's ready to get up.