Juvenile Hibernation

The differing hibernation techniques for a tortoise from 0 - 4 years

Whether or not to hibernate juveniles in their first year is up to the new owner. Some people insist that hibernation should occur no matter how young the tortoise and others prefer not to hibernate them until they are at least 3 or 4 years of age. I take the view that it depends much upon the confidence and ability of the individual keeper and the fact that individual species should have the opportunity to simulate their natural instincts and begin the process with input, if required, from their owner.

  • Never hibernate a sick tortoise.
  • Always make sure that your tortoise has a fasting period prior to hibernation, (the fasting period varies with age).
  • Remember that the temperature needs to be cool for hibernation, not warm, (do not use an airing cupboard).

Please note that this is meant only as a guide offering ideas to hibernation, you may have your own process which works for you and your tortoise. Every tortoise has different needs.

Refrigerated Hibernation

  1. Prepare your kitchen fridge. Place a thermometer inside and alter the temperature to 5°C. The ideal temperature for a hibernating tortoise should remain above 2°C and below 10°C.
  2. On ......... November begin to decrease the UV lamp and heat offered to your tortoise. Food intake will start to decrease and as a result, the tortoise will slow down.
  3. On ......... November turn off the UV lamp and any source of heat completely. A fasting period is now essential. Do not feed for 5 - 14 days, (never lonfer than 14 days for a young tortoise (1 - 5 years)). Hibernation should never occur whilst the tortoise has undigested food in the gut.
  4. Bathe the tortoise daily during step 3 and offer water to drink to prevent dehydration. This will also allow the gut to empty completely which is essential for a safe hibernation.
  5. You will need a transparent plastic tub with a lid. Drill holes in the lid and fill with substrate - hay or shredded paper is ideal. Place the tortoise in the tub and close the lid. Place on the middle shelf of your fridge, (if placing on a glass shelf, fold a small towel onto the shelf and place the box on top). Prevent the box from touching the back of the fridge at all times. Regular ventilation is needed to avoid build up of carbon dioxide so open the fridge door daily.
  6. Note the date that your tortoise went into hibernation on a calendar and write down the waking time, which is when you will take it out of hibernation. This will be approximately 6 weeks later.
  7. Check your tortoise daily by gently touching the leg, it should move very slightly. Never disturb the tortoise or wake it up during hibernation. If the tortoise is wide awake, take it out and keep it awake as normal. This will be the end of the hibernation period, even if it wakes after only a short time.
  8. On the waking date, take your tortoise out of the fridge, remove it from the tub and put it somewhere at room temperature. Your tortoise will wake up naturally and eventually its body temperature will increase. Bathing and feeding should now begin.
  9. Offer food and drink and place your tortoise in its usual home with the UV lamp switched on all day for the first week or so to encourage feeding. If the tortoise still seems slow, try lowering the lamp and keeping it warm.
  10. Repeat next year.

A few key Do's and Don'ts

  • Bathe your tortoise daily to completely empty the gut from food and flush out all faeces. Ammonia from tortoises excreting during hibernation can have devastating effects and even cause death.
  • Tortoises are cold blooded and therefore require heat to digest food and function properly. When autumn arrives the tortoise would naturally slow down due to the drop in temperature, therefore they lose appetite and burrow until spring to avoid the chill.
  • Countries with a hot climate all year round will provide tortoises with enough energy to stay awake all year round. e.g. Leopard, Sulcata, Redfoot and many other tropical species. Therefore these species should not be hibernated in captivity.
  • We begin to cut down the UV light to simulate the process that would happen in the wild. Days become shorter and cooler, therefore the tortoise starts preparing itself for the hibernation period without too much of a shock.
  • Why the fridge? This provides very young tortoises with a constant temperature controlled environment. Our winters are becoming increasingly mild, therefore the likelyhood of a tortoise waking up in the garage without the owner knowing is high. A tortoise can only hibernate once during this process, restless sleep can result in the tortoise not waking up a second time around.
  • Devastating long term effects can occur in tortoises which are not hibernated in captivity but would normally hibernate in the wild.

  

Tortoise Hibernation  -  The Shop