I have just inherited a tortoise , am very worried that I do not know enough to look after him. He stopped eating and drinking four weeks ago but has not shown any signs of hibernating. I am concerned that he may be dehydrated and not well enough to go into hibernation. Any advice at all would be very much appreciated.

Do you have him under a heat lamp? I gained a rescue tort on new years eve, it took a while to settle him but now he is doing really well. Just read up on this site as it is very good. Im sure he will settle in soon enough. If you keep the heat up he will start to eat again hopefully. Do you have any history on him, what breed is he?

forgot to mention, give him a bath everyday, he should start to drink then. Make sure it is nice and tepid tho.

Thankyou for your advice. He is not under a lamp as he was supposed to be hibernating! He had stopped eating and drinking so we were waiting for him to go to sleep. I am worried now that if he does go to sleep he will not be strong enough to last the wnter.

I would put him under a lamp and get him back eating and drinking. He could miss hybernation this year to make sure he is strong enough for next winter, Our marginated was up all winter and had a damn fine summer, he is just about acting like a normal tortoise again, so he will hybernate next year.

Brilliant. That sounds like a good idea as I can keep a close eye on him through the winter. Thankyou for your help.