What to do? (waking up from hibernation)

[65redroses]

My two desert torts have been hibernating since before Christmas. They are in a box with shredded paper in a cool dark place. How do they know when to wake up? Do I wait for them to do it on there own? I'm confused of what I should do. Some say wake them up by soaking them, other say warm them up first, others say they will start stirring on there own. What do others do. Need advice. Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: What to do?

They wake up when the temperature gets up past 50F degrees and stays there. In my opinion, you should either move their boxes out where there's more of a temperature fluctuation, or leave them alone.

 

[ascott]

The torts are young right?

 

[65redroses]

The torts are young right?

Yes they are, maybe 3

 

[ascott]

"If it were me", I would slide their boxes out into part of the same room they are in now and remove any top/cover so that light can be seen, then leave them there for like an hour

---go back and check on them, if they have moved any, I would then move the box(es) to the next warmest room---leave them there for like an hour

---go back and check on them----if they are still interested D) in what the heck you are doing----I would then bring them to a porch/patio where they will feel the warm air/smell the fresh outdoors and let part of their box allow sunlight to reach in---leave them there for like 20 minutes

---go back and see what they are doing----if they are still interested, then prepare each a warm water soak (I would allow individual soaking containers--no shared water, they are too old for that) and allow the soaking container to also have direct sun light into part of it, as well as shade...then gently place them in the water (I would make the water a warm water soak--but more on the cool side of warm than the hot side of warm) and leave them there for at least 20 minutes

---go back and look closely at their little heads (does it appear to have the water line showing they have sunk their heads?--if yes, awesome, if not yet--leave em for another 20 - 30 minutes)...go back and look again---continue this process until they drink (this can take a while, so keep the water warm--also make sure it does not get too hot since you are allowing sunlight to enter the soaking container--this is dependent on where you are in the world and the temp)....they will eventually drink...

Once they drink---turn em loose in their yards, I would initially place them where they are in the sun (but with shade within eyesight of their view) and let them be...if you have sufficient night temps and you normally leave them out all tortoise season and they have outdoor night housing, then I would do that...if not, then be sure to bring them indoors before the night cold sets in...

Again, this is what I would do...

 

[65redroses]

"If it were me", I would slide their boxes out into part of the same room they are in now and remove any top/cover so that light can be seen, then leave them there for like an hour

---go back and check on them, if they have moved any, I would then move the box(es) to the next warmest room---leave them there for like an hour

---go back and check on them----if they are still interested D) in what the heck you are doing----I would then bring them to a porch/patio where they will feel the warm air/smell the fresh outdoors and let part of their box allow sunlight to reach in---leave them there for like 20 minutes

---go back and see what they are doing----if they are still interested, then prepare each a warm water soak (I would allow individual soaking containers--no shared water, they are too old for that) and allow the soaking container to also have direct sun light into part of it, as well as shade...then gently place them in the water (I would make the water a warm water soak--but more on the cool side of warm than the hot side of warm) and leave them there for at least 20 minutes

---go back and look closely at their little heads (does it appear to have the water line showing they have sunk their heads?--if yes, awesome, if not yet--leave em for another 20 - 30 minutes)...go back and look again---continue this process until they drink (this can take a while, so keep the water warm--also make sure it does not get too hot since you are allowing sunlight to enter the soaking container--this is dependent on where you are in the world and the temp)....they will eventually drink...

Once they drink---turn em loose in their yards, I would initially place them where they are in the sun (but with shade within eyesight of their view) and let them be...if you have sufficient night temps and you normally leave them out all tortoise season and they have outdoor night housing, then I would do that...if not, then be sure to bring them indoors before the night cold sets in...

Again, this is what I would do...

 

[65redroses]

Is it ok to plant some Bermuda grass in a CDTs enclosure?

 

[ascott]

Absolutely