Re: hibernating russian

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Posted by Eric T. on August 21, 2000 at 21:18:30:

In Reply to: hibernating russian posted by becky on August 21, 2000 at 16:47:00:

:Wet cold weather isn't good for russian tortoises! Okay... I don't hibernate mine and I belong to the school of thought that hibernation isn't necessary and may pose a health risk. But my friends hibernate theirs every year and I trust their skill as tortoise keepers.
Here's what they do.
Stop feeding the tortoise sometime in mid October or when the tortoise starts slowing down- you want the stomach to be empty so nothing in there spoils or ferments. Soak the tortoise more often at this time to make sure it is well hydrated. Let the enclosure cool down-- no basking lights, no heat turn any light off in the evening to simulate shorter days. Then with some hay in hand put your Russian tortoise in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. Use the hay as bedding and cover. And check every few weeks to make sure that the tortoise is okay. Sometime in March take him out and let him wake up.
The first time my friends told me their method I thought that they were joking, but no... they were serious and it seems to work well.

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: :Wet cold weather isn't good for russian tortoises! Okay... I don't hibernate mine and I belong to the school of thought that hibernation isn't necessary and may pose a health risk. But my friends hibernate theirs every year and I trust their skill as tortoise keepers. : Here's what they do. : Stop feeding the tortoise sometime in mid October or when the tortoise starts slowing down- you want the stomach to be empty so nothing in there spoils or ferments. Soak the tortoise more often at this time to make sure it is well hydrated. Let the enclosure cool down-- no basking lights, no heat turn any light off in the evening to simulate shorter days. Then with some hay in hand put your Russian tortoise in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. Use the hay as bedding and cover. And check every few weeks to make sure that the tortoise is okay. Sometime in March take him out and let him wake up. : The first time my friends told me their method I thought that they were joking, but no... they were serious and it seems to work well.

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