Hibernating tortoise!!

[Pnaty97]

Hi all, we inherited a 5 year old male tortoise at the beginning of the year.
He came with a table but it was too small for him so I built him an outdoor area as he liked to hassle my Guinea pigs.

He has a temperature controlled house and a 2.4 m2 area to explore.
Fast forward to Oct and he stopped eating his usual amount and then dug himself into the earth next to his house under a half flower pot I have for him to use in the day.

I’m not sure what I should do with him now as I don’t want to disturb him but am worried he’ll get too cold there once the weather turns.

He is under cover and I’ve put some hay in and over the pot for now.

It’s been about 2 weeks now so any advice would be great.
Thanks.

[Nina]

Hi and welcome to The Tortoise Table.

This is a difficult one. Can I ask what species your tortoise is (some species hibernate and some don't)? I'm presuming that he is a hibernating species, as they are much more common, and that he has dug himself down to hibernate. The cold probably isn't a problem, as if it gets colder he will just dig down deeper. Excessive wet can be a problem -- is your outdoor area liable to flooding?

Many people used to let their tortoises hibernate in their gardens with quite a good success rate, but nowadays we don't really advise it because of predators. I know of two tortoises who had to have legs amputated because rats dug down to where the tortoise was buried and nibbled on a leg, causing horrific injuries, and there are stories of foxes doing the same thing. For this reason most people now choose to either hibernate their tortoises in a well insulated box, placed in a brick-built building (not a wooden shed because it's not well enough insulated to prevent below zero temperatures to eventually get to the tortoise inside the box and freeze soft tissues), or fridge hibernate, which is the most popular method now, because the temperature of a fridge is usually around 5C, which is the ideal temperature for hibernation.

So if you are sure that your tortoise is in the peak of health, and that he went without any food for at least two weeks (they must not have any food in their stomachs when they go into hibernation), then you could transfer him to a box or a fridge for hibernation, and I can send you links to very good instructions on how to do that. Or if you think that is not an option and don't want to leave him in the ground then you could dig him up and bring him indoors into a heated accommodation this winter and do a proper winding down and hibernation next year.

I know this is a difficult decision, so please do come back with any questions you might have.

Nina

[Pnaty97]

Hi Nina, thank you for such a detailed response it’s much appreciated.
Pretty sure he’s a Horsman tortoise.

His area is protected from the weather but as we live next to a farm we do suffer with rats.
I think I may collect him and put him somewhere cool but where I can keep an eye on him.

Pretty sure he has an empty stomach as his food was just being left.

Thanks again and the links would be most welcome.
Peter.

[Pnaty97]

He here is, exploring!

[Nina]

Hi Peter,

I think you might have conflated two species There is one species called Hermann's tortoise and another species called Horsfield, but not one called Horsman. Thanks so much for the photo -- he (or she) is a handsome little Horsfield tortoise and here is a link to a good care sheet for Horsfields: https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... 014New.pdf

It sounds like you've created a really nice outdoor area for him, but I think you are right to put him somewhere cool that is protected from predators. It actually needs to be fairly cold, because if the temperature reaches 10C then they start using up body fat, so ideally you want a temperature of between about 2C and 8C. Also, he should really go into hibernation with an empty stomach (which he seems to have) and a full bladder, so that he doesn't dehydrate in hibernation. If you could manage to give him a bath in tepid to cool water (for 10 - 15 minutes, in a container he can't see out of, like an old washing up bowl) before you put him into hibernation then he might take on a bit of water. If he does have a wee in hibernation then you will need to wake him up.

Do weigh him before you put him into hibernation, and I would recommend hibernating him for no more than about 10 - 12 weeks (although if he loses less than about 3% -4% of his body weight in 12 weeks then you could leave him in for a week or two longer. So because he has gone into hibernation now, that would mean waking him up at the end of January/beginning of February and he will have to have an indoor heated area to go to.

Here is a link to a general article on hibernation, which has some detail as well:
https://www.tortoisetrust.com/post/safe ... r-tortoise

Here are specific directions for preparing for hibernation (which he has sort of done himself, so it is for information). The reason why they need to be deprived of food for between 2 - 4 weeks, depending on weight is because any food left in his stomach can rot and produce noxious gases, but that last bath I mentioned above might also help to move along any food that is left in his system. https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... cedure.pdf
Note that the four week period for winding down is meant for larger tortoises and if your tortoises is smaller then you can divide the four 'weeks' into four units of fewer days (for example, where each 'week' is only 5 days or 6 days)

Here is a guide to box hibernation: https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... OV2016.pdf

Here is a guide for fridge hibernation (which given recent fluctuations in temperature outdoors can be safer): https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... Sept16.pdf

And here is a guide to waking from hibernation: https://www.tortoise-protection-group.o ... 080608.pdf

I'm sorry that this post is so long, but I hope there is some information that you will find useful.

Do let us know how you get on and fingers crossed that all goes smoothly.

Nina

[Pnaty97]

Thanks Nina
Horsman lol!! I just invented a new breed
The rely is great and very helpful thank you.
I’ll get on with the process and fingers crossed all will work out.

Best regards,
Peter.

[Pnaty97]

Update!
Hi Nina, thought I’d let you know I woke Oogway up a little while ago as per your helpful guide and he’s back on form exploring his enclosure in the sun.

Thanks again for your help.

[Pnaty97]

[attachment=0]IMG_7769.jpeg[/attachment]

[Nina]

Hi Peter,

Thanks so much for the update, and I'm really pleased to hear that Oogway had a good hibernation (whew -- that's always a relief to hear)! How lovely to see him exploring in the sunshine. I'm assuming he has a good heated area too, as it's still to cold for them to be out for more than a short time (in cold temperatures he might be tempted to go back into hibernation, and you don't want that at this stage).

What I do with mine when the wake is if it's sunny I put them out for a bit and feel their shells every now and then, and when the shells no longer feel warm, I bring them in for a quick warm-up under the lamp and then they can go out for a bit again.
Don't forget they need a temperature in the mid 20s centigrade just to be able to digest their food.

Mine are due to come out of hibernation in a week or two, and I'm hoping that we get some of that sunshine that you've obviously got today. Thanks again so much for the photo -- really made my day.

Nina

[Pnaty97]

Hi Nina, in his house he’s got a timed temperature controlled heat lamp so he’s in and out of that free range during the day and puts himself to bed at night and I shut his door so no predators can get him
Been lovely in Somerset for the last couple of days and the weekend looks good too!

[Nina]

Gosh, it sounds like the perfect set-up, and I wish I had electrics in my outdoor enclosure! We've got brilliant sunshine here this morning but last night a heavy frost.
I think it's a good precaution to shut his door at night. I either shut the door to Doris and Dolly's little hutch or bring them in at night, as there are rats and foxes everywhere these days.

I hope that the sun continues to shine on you and Oogway!

Cheers,
Nina

[Goddard]

If he’s outside and temps are dropping, it might be safer to bring him in and do a proper fridge hibernation or keep him awake indoors under heat and UV. Just letting him stay buried outside without controlled temps can be risky if it gets too cold or damp.