Please help. My 2 spur thighed tortoises have been hibernating using the fridge method, I have been checking the temperature twice a day but when I checked this morning the temp had gone down to -6!! I immediately removed them & they are now temporarily in the loft where the temperature is 4 degrees. I am SO worried about frost damage and would like some advice please. Shall I take them out of hibernation now?

Yes, you must take them out of hibernation immediately. Actually the loft is as bad as if it freezes outdoors, it likely will in there too. Did you check for signs of life? Where was the fridge? You need to put them in a cool room to come around and then give them a warm bath, once they have woken. If they have survived these temps, you need to look for signs of blindness as the lens of the eye is the first to freeze.

Never use a fridge in a shed as the fridge is not capable of raising temps if the outdoor temps are low.

Good luck, do let us know how things are.

Sue

www.tortsmad.com

Any news on these little ones?

Any news on these little ones?

Any news on these little ones?

Hi Sue,
Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I immediately took Dolly & Daisy out of hibernation, let them wake and bathed them as you advised. I am very pleased and very relieved to report that today they have been strutting around the house and certainly appear to have suffered no damage. They have eaten only a tiny amount of Kale and a bite of cucumber but I will tempt them again tomorrow. I cannot stress enough how important it is to check fridge thermometers regularly and next year I will be purchasing one with an alarm. I have been very lucky and again thank you for your reply and advise. What a great organisation and site x