Schedule your appointment today. Desert Tortoise Quick Hibernation Guidelines. Here are some pointers to when your desert tortoise start to hibernate: Desert Tortoises begin to hibernate in late September and October. As soon as ground temperatures drop to 60 degrees this is appropriate Your tortoises should be examined by our veterinarians and have bloodwork and an x-ray taken before hibernation Your tortoise will slow down their activity in late August and September.
The temperature must stay between degrees. Check your tortoise weight monthly using a gram scale. For a gram tortoise, 5 grams weight loss is a problem The tortoise should not urinate. If it does, then slowly warm them to room temp and soak in shallow water room temp for minutes If hibernating indoors use an insulated box lined with care fresh, shredded paper or newspaper.
If you have problems, please call us at Helpful Articles. Canine Parvovirus. Dental Hygiene and Oral Care. Equine: Castration. Picking Your Perfect Cat. Feline Distemper. Avian Vet Care. Finding a Reputable Breeder. Equine: Dentistry. Why cats like to relax and sleep up high.
Equine: Endoscopy. Exotic Animal Medicine. Homeopathy for Animals. Usually starting in late September or early October, as the nights start to cool into the 60s, you will notice your outdoor tortoise becoming less active.
At this time stop feeding your tortoise any supplemental produce i. Kale, Lettuces, Collard Greens, etc. Undigested foods left in the digestive track will not be digested during hibernation and will rot. During this time it is important to soak your tortoise once monthly in a shallow container. This will help them to build up water reserves and stimulate them to empty their bladder and bowels. As the temperatures continue to drop it will stimulate your tortoise to seek a hibernaculum , an appropriate shelter in which to hibernate.
You can provide one by creating a constructing an artificial burrow to insulate the tortoise from the cold and protect them from getting wet.
Adding hay or straw into the burrow can further increase the insulation. Click here for a diagram on building an artificial burrow for your tortoise. Most tortoises will hibernate once ground temperatures remain below 60 degrees.
It is important to make sure ground temperatures do not exceed 60 degrees for an extended period of time, as these warmer temperatures will cause your tortoise to burn through its fat reserves too quickly. Ground temperatures below 39 degrees are also dangerous and can result in tissue and eye damage and death. If ground temperatures exceed 60 degrees for an extended period or drop below 39 degrees you should bring your tortoise indoors forgoing hibernation, relocate them to a more appropriate area of the yard, move them into an insulated box in a cool area of the house or garage see below , or hibernate them artificially in a refrigerator see below.
It is very important to check your tortoise occasionally, at least once a month, to make sure hibernation is going well. Tortoises should be brought out of hibernation immediately and be examined by a veterinarian if they are losing too much weight, show any signs of illness, are found attempting to bask on cold days, or remain active within their burrow. While checking your tortoise it is also important to make sure they have not urinated.
If you notice your tortoise has urinated they will need to be rehydrated. It is important that a tortoise be plump and in good health before hibernating; otherwise, it may not survive the winter. By the end of the summer, a well fed tortoise will form fat reserves around its shoulders and legs.
It will require room for exercising and regular feedings. Many tortoise keepers believe that it is better to keep hatchling tortoises active for their first one or two winters. Turtles kept indoors in heated enclosures will stay active all year, although they may eat less in the winter.
Turtles kept outdoors in Southern California will become less active and will stop feeding during the coldest part of the winter. Some may leave the water and burrow into piles of leaves and vegetation. Others will settle down in leaves, mud and other detritus at the bottom of the pool. Most turtles native to the USA can pass the winter quite safely in this fashion. In the fall, as the days become shorter, box turtles will begin to eat less, bask less, and appear sluggish. Some will bury themselves under roots of plants or dig down into the dirt.
To aid in the protection of the animal, dry leaves and dry grass clippings may be put over the buried turtle. Some keepers prefer to provide a suitable area for hibernation such as a dog kennel with a floor of loose soil or dry leaves. In either case, the turtle should be checked periodically. As box turtle do require slight moisture, an occasional rain will cause no harm, but the turtle should be protected from freezing and flooding. Unlike desert tortoises, box turtles should not be allowed to hibernate in a dry box.
They may die from dehydration. Box turtles kept indoors and warm during the winter may not hibernate, but may reduce their food intake for a short period. Some box turtles insist on hibernating. These may be given moist sphagnum moss to burrow into and should be moved into a cooler area such as a closet or unheated room for about weeks or so, but care should be taken to make sure that the substrate remains moist and does not dry out.
0コメント