What temperature triggers Hibernation?

[stevenf625]

Have been keeping Rhialto outdoors for the moment as, here in North Carolina, day temps have been in the high 80's and nights have been in the mid 70's.
The plan has always been to move him indoors when it gets colder to avoid hybernation, but I need clarification as to when this should be done.
In a few weeks, night time temps will be dropping into the 50's (yet it may still be toasty during the day).
What temperature and duration of low temperature triggers hybernation?

Dalmation Tortoise, CB 2011

 

[JoesMum]

Tortoises will hibernate when the temperature is constantly below 10C/ 50F

Above that temperature they become very lethargic.

It sounds like your tort is ready to wind down. However, this shouldn't go on for more than a fortnight.


Monitoring weight throughout the wind down and hibernation is essential.

This is how I keep my Greek going until the time is right
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/

 

[Yvonne G]

It's a combination of the shorter days and cooler nights.

 

[Tom]

Have been keeping Rhialto outdoors for the moment as, here in North Carolina, day temps have been in the high 80's and nights have been in the mid 70's.
The plan has always been to move him indoors when it gets colder to avoid hybernation, but I need clarification as to when this should be done.
In a few weeks, night time temps will be dropping into the 50's (yet it may still be toasty during the day).
What temperature and duration of low temperature triggers hybernation?

Hibernation is not an event brought on by a certain number on the thermometer. It is a process that is part of an annual cycle. A combination of things get it under way. Temperatures are one factor, but shortening days are another. I had a group of Argentine Tegus that I got from Bert Langerwerf. He told me that they would go down mid-September. I told him its still in the 90's and sometimes 100+ into October here. He said it didn't matter. I thought he was crazy. Guess what happened every year about September 15th, regardless of the temperatures…

I prefer to hibernate my temperate species. If you don't want to do that then I would start bringing your tortoise inside at night and leaving the lights on for a while after dark. Try to make the days 13-14 hours. Have your timer click on a little before sunrise, then put them outside in their outdoor enclosure if the day is warm and sunny. Then put them away in the evening when the sun is still up and have your lights stay on for a little while after dark.

 

[ascott]

Have been keeping Rhialto outdoors for the moment as, here in North Carolina, day temps have been in the high 80's and nights have been in the mid 70's.
The plan has always been to move him indoors when it gets colder to avoid hybernation, but I need clarification as to when this should be done.
In a few weeks, night time temps will be dropping into the 50's (yet it may still be toasty during the day).
What temperature and duration of low temperature triggers hybernation?

Dalmation Tortoise, CB 2011

I to am a firm bekiever that there is so much more going on that creates the perfect time bell for brumation. We simple humans are only seeing the outward obvious trends that we can attempt to follow...as Tom outlined with the Tegu..there re then obviously things "in the works" over and beyond simple temp and light..

Two CDTs here have outsmarted me the last year because they dropped early..the weather is perfect during the day..the night temps were on the border of turning cool and he dropped into his burrow and there he stayed..luckily for him winter only brought a few downpours last year..

This morning the air is a different feeling and it prompted me to look at NOAA and I see what looks like the throws of a perfect lay up for a wind down..so Sunday I am going to cover burrows... I supoort brumation here for the CDTs and like to do it indoors in a dry cool box for each...

If you are going to try to fool your tortoise I would no longer support night outdoor time..and I would also begin shortening his out door time and replace with indoor artificial space time. Keep in mind though, some individual animals have zero control when nature collects her sleeping beauties for winter..you may have one that will require additional attention simply to keep somewhst functioning...

 

[stevenf625]

He has been going to sleep around 5:30 pm even though its still light out for another 90 minutes - is this a clue he's winding down.
usually not up and walking till 930 am

 

[Markw84]

I have found photoperiod is the most important trigger for hibernation / brumation. You can keep a lot of temperate chelonians active and eating in cold weather if the light is correct, but even in very warm weather, they will normally become lethargic and go off food if the photo period drops below 12. But we have to keep in mind, light is different for them. They see a lot of the UVA spectrum we do not, and UV is dramatically affected by the height of the sun in the sky. Once we pass equinox, the UV is not very strong even mid day, and by mid afternoon it is like early evening would be in the summer.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Please post pics of your tort as well as his enclosure.

 

[Tom]

I have found photoperiod is the most important trigger for hibernation / brumation. You can keep a lot of temperate chelonians active and eating in cold weather if the light is correct, but even in very warm weather, they will normally become lethargic and go off food if the photo period drops below 12. But we have to keep in mind, light is different for them. They see a lot of the UVA spectrum we do not, and UV is dramatically affected by the height of the sun in the sky. Once we pass equinox, the UV is not very strong even mid day, and by mid afternoon it is like early evening would be in the summer.

Hmmm....

So would you say that bright "full spectrum" lighting and a good UV source is a more effective way to keep them up?

 

[Markw84]

Hmmm....

So would you say that bright "full spectrum" lighting and a good UV source is a more effective way to keep them up?

Yup! Mimic summer. That's what I found works best for my spotted turtles as I don't let them brumate their first two years.

 

[Gillian M]

Hmmm....

So would you say that bright "full spectrum" lighting and a good UV source is a more effective way to keep them up?

I believe it makes sense, although I am not a tort expert.

 

[stevenf625]

Follow up Question, I'll post this separately if no one seems to see it.

Can artificial lighting stop a tortoise from going into hybernation when the tortoise is outside and can see the sky?

Rhialto (Dalmation CB2011) is located in an open top deck box within a screened in porch where he gets direct sunlight for a portion of the day.
He has stopped eating and appears to be winding down for hibernation.
If I set up a mercury vapor bulb to shine into his box for all or part of the day will that halt the hybernation process or will he still proceed to hybernate because despite the lamp he can sense the change in natural light and knows the days are getting short?

Temperatures
day 80 - 88F
night 65 - 75 F

 

[Yvonne G]

Sometimes it's just very, very hard to keep a tortoise that wants to hibernate awake. If keeping his lights on for 14 hours a day doesn't do the trick then you may have to allow him a 2 week mini hibernation for him to get it out of his system.

 

[stevenf625]

Sometimes it's just very, very hard to keep a tortoise that wants to hibernate awake. If keeping his lights on for 14 hours a day doesn't do the trick then you may have to allow him a 2 week mini hibernation for him to get it out of his system.

my question is mainly - if I use artificial light to try to stop hybernation should I take the tortoise inside so there is no more natural light?

I don't want to hybernate because I think his weight is low.

 

[Yvonne G]

You're going to have to set him up indoors anyway when the weather cools, so might as well do it now.

 

[ascott]

my question is mainly - if I use artificial light to try to stop hybernation should I take the tortoise inside so there is no more natural light?

I don't want to hybernate because I think his weight is low.

Yes..should be indoors.all efforts may still fail..I mean some people fall asleep mid sntence or while driving down the freeway...if the tortoise is driven to sleep it has little choice...so if the tort is underweight then it will be your job to keep the tortoise active and you may also find that offering yummy foods will also spark appetite...be sure to also plan for night warmth (ceramic heat emitter, black night heat bulb, heating rope) to assure no temp drops...but do be sure to offset the increased light/heat with daily long warm water soaks..not too warm but not cold...