Wondering if my Greek species is rare?

[Tim/Robin]

Your tortoises are active all year and still produce?How long you been breeding them?Have you seen any changes in them by not hibernateing them?Some say if you don't hibernate them it causes health issues and shorter life others say it doesn't effect them at all what's your take on it?

I have posted my opinion on hibernation on other posts, but I will gladly answer your question here. Yes my tortoises are active all year and yes they produce just fine. Some slow down on their own, but their environment does not change. I am not a believer that any health issues will arise from not hibernating them. I certainly have seen none. Health issues certainly can arise from not caring for them properly. Will it shorten their life, I doubt it. But how would one ever know that?
My opinion is that a tortoise hibernates/brumates out of pure necesity to survive unfavorable conditions. Think about it, when does a tortoise hibernate? What are the conditions like? Would they survive those conditions if they did not? I do not see any benefit or reason to subject a captive tortoise to this unfavorable condition.

 

[james1974]

I have posted my opinion on hibernation on other posts, but I will gladly answer your question here. Yes my tortoises are active all year and yes they produce just fine. Some slow down on their own, but their environment does not change. I am not a believer that any health issues will arise from not hibernating them. I certainly have seen none. Health issues certainly can arise from not caring for them properly. Will it shorten their life, I doubt it. But how would one ever know that?
My opinion is that a tortoise hibernates/brumates out of pure necesity to survive unfavorable conditions. Think about it, when does a tortoise hibernate? What are the conditions like? Would they survive those conditions if they did not? I do not see any benefit or reason to subject a captive tortoise to this unfavorable condition.

Makes good since my vet told me i didn't need too hibernate them.He said if they slow down to start to hibernate you can trick them with the lighting and the heat then they never know the difference they just think its spring already.Yeah i too think captive tortoises should not be hibernated but in the tortoise world it's still 50/50 i think.I appreciate your time to express your experience and opinion Tim/Robin thanks James

 

[Chinque]

Can you post a pic so we can see it?

 

[Tim/Robin]

Another sibling Colatoise.....

 

[colatoise]

Another sibling Colatoise.....

I love seeing these!! Mine is 3.5 inches now. Guessing he would be 1 yr old now?