Hello, I'm brand new to the forum, so I seem to have posted in the wrong place initially. 
I was told this was a much better place for my post. Thank you, E!
For an update, I bought a heat emitter, took out my halogen and my uvb and replaced those with a 100 watt powersun UV bulb. I hope these changes will make them more active.
My original post:
HI. I posted this (below) on a different forum and got some good advice, so I thought I'd try here to see if anyone can tell me anything else. I am afraid my torts are trying to hibernate, which is something I do not want. Again, this is my first post (to this site) so I apologize if I don't have it in the right place. Here it goes:
Hello. My name is Liana and this is my first post. I hope I don't mess anything up. I have a question regarding tortoises and hibernation. I am a new tort owner. I bought two Russian torts in August. They were doing great, eating inside and out, but now that cooler weather has hit, they rarely move around and I would like to know if this is normal.
They are in a 50 gallon tupperware container with coconut coir and timothy hay for substrates. I have both a heat lamp and a uvb lamp on them most of the day. I am able to keep their temperature at about 85 degrees, but I am having trouble getting it much over that. Their diet has been a mixture of red/green leaf lettuce, kale, endive, carrots, tortoise pellets (Zoo-med - Grassland), apples, and occasionally collard greens. (I'm sure I left a few greens out, but you get the gist.) I supplement with a cuttlebone left in the habitat and I sprinkle calcium with and phosphorous D3 a couple of times a week. I have not noticed them using the cuttlebone.
I live in Colorado, so there has been a weather change. My main question is, is it normal for them to stay buried for several days at a time? Should I leave them alone or should I dig them out, put them in lukewarm water, and offer food? (They only eat when I dig them out.) If it's safe to leave them, how long can I allow them to go without eating?
I greatly appreciate any help.
I was told this was a much better place for my post. Thank you, E! For an update, I bought a heat emitter, took out my halogen and my uvb and replaced those with a 100 watt powersun UV bulb. I hope these changes will make them more active.
My original post:
HI. I posted this (below) on a different forum and got some good advice, so I thought I'd try here to see if anyone can tell me anything else. I am afraid my torts are trying to hibernate, which is something I do not want. Again, this is my first post (to this site) so I apologize if I don't have it in the right place. Here it goes:
Hello. My name is Liana and this is my first post. I hope I don't mess anything up. I have a question regarding tortoises and hibernation. I am a new tort owner. I bought two Russian torts in August. They were doing great, eating inside and out, but now that cooler weather has hit, they rarely move around and I would like to know if this is normal.
They are in a 50 gallon tupperware container with coconut coir and timothy hay for substrates. I have both a heat lamp and a uvb lamp on them most of the day. I am able to keep their temperature at about 85 degrees, but I am having trouble getting it much over that. Their diet has been a mixture of red/green leaf lettuce, kale, endive, carrots, tortoise pellets (Zoo-med - Grassland), apples, and occasionally collard greens. (I'm sure I left a few greens out, but you get the gist.) I supplement with a cuttlebone left in the habitat and I sprinkle calcium with and phosphorous D3 a couple of times a week. I have not noticed them using the cuttlebone.
I live in Colorado, so there has been a weather change. My main question is, is it normal for them to stay buried for several days at a time? Should I leave them alone or should I dig them out, put them in lukewarm water, and offer food? (They only eat when I dig them out.) If it's safe to leave them, how long can I allow them to go without eating?
I greatly appreciate any help.
