I have a fantasic Horsfield tortoise given to me as a birthday present from my children in March. He is two years old and about 5 weeks ago he stopped feeding and until last week he was moving around his tortoise table.for about a week now he has tended to stay in his box part of his table and hasn't ventured out. He moves position slightly each day but I am not quite sure what to do about hibernating as he hasn't been bathed on a daily basis as he has always been asleep and (probably wrongly) I didn't wake him to bathe him. Should I start to hibernate him for a few weeks or should I use the waking techniques to get him eating again and not hibernate him this year? Or should I leave him as he is for a few more weeks although he can't be hibernating himself because it is too warm in the house. Any advice would be welcome.

Hi,

Any feeding now won't make any difference as it's too late in the year. Tortoises gain their bodyfats over the whole year; it's a slow gradual process.

Has he not eaten at all for 5 weeks and not been bathed at all?

Best Regards
Darren

Hello Darren,

Thanks for replying. He has not eaten anything for four weeks, gradually reducing before that. He has had a bathe at weekends when he was still active but not for about two weeks now. He is hasn't been out of the box area of the table for about 10 days (unfortunately no-one is in at the moment during the day) but his weekend behaviour is indicative of what he is doing I think).

Hi,

I would bathe him for the next couple of days, keeping an eye on his urates to ensure they are OK, not gritty at all.

May I ask what method you are going to use for hinbernation?

Hi again Darren,

Ok  will do that. Its ok to do it even if he's not moving about now?

I was going to hibernate him in a box in a cool utility room but it isn't cold enough yet. I am concerned about predators if he is outside. I have seen another way for juveniles in the Tortoise Trust site which is providing a large earth tray in a cool room for him to burrow into and wondered if  I should do that but I don't know because of the temperature. ON the other hand it seems that he is pretty much in hibernating mode now so I'm not sure.

Thamks again - sorry about typing - don't know what key I pressed!

Hiya,

Unfortunately, he won't be able to go not eating indefinitely whilst waiting for the hibernation area to become cool enough for him to hibernate. If he's not eaten for 5 weeks he is ready to be placed into a hibernation environment as soon as he is hydrated. What temperature is the room you are looking to put him in please?

Best Regards
Darren

Hello Darren,

Yes I agree I can't keep waiting. The room has been about 15 degrees. I could put him in the fridge in a box if that seems to be the best option - whatever is best for him really.

Is the bathing in warm water likely to wake him up and mess up his metabolism?

Thank you again

Best Wishes,

Lynn

Hi Lynn,

What was his weight prior to wind down & currently please?

Fridge hibernation is much better due to the ideal temperatures achieved - but you'd need to check out the fridge properly to ensure the temperatures are OK.