Could somebody please help

I have a 4 yr old Herman tortoise called Yoda which I've prepared for Hibination which he's been fine all the way through and I've just gone to place him into his fridge and I've noticed he's had a wee with white in it!!!!

I'm really worried now and have no idea where to go from here as he should have a full bladder to go in the fridge.

Please could u help :-)

Hi
Don't worry and well done for noticing. My advice is not to put him in the fridge, give him another couple of days, put him in a very tepid bath for those two days to replace that fluid. If you have put him in the fridge then you will have to continue, but I would hibernate for 2-3 wks only, at least you have given his body the idea of shutting down. Don't feel too disappointed I think you have done well, this happened to me last year on hibernating my little one for the first time, she is in the fridge now but I am keeping a close eye on her, as she wee'd in hibernation last year, the temps were perfect so it wasn't that, maybe their little systems react to the first time it starts to shut down!
HTH
Jane

Thanks for the advice Jane was really worried.

The only thing I ask is will it be ok for me to bathe him for a few days as he is in my down stairs toilet in a box and his eyes are closed and he's slowed right down now. Would it be ok to wake him and will he go back although I know he's not in Hibination as in the fridge.

Hi
That is good that he isn't in the fridge, means you can probably have a longer hibernation and you will feel more relaxed. You don't have to wake him, just take him out of the hibernation box and put him in the bath, do that for a couple of days, and then start to bring him down again, hopefully he won't wee again and then can go in the fridge. Just make sure that the temps are below 10c and coming down or else he will still be active at 10c and above. How long have you been winding him down?

Jane

Hi Jane

Started him on the 16th of nov am so happy I can try again for him thank u so much for all your help.
I will bathe him when I get home for the next few days.

Would it be ok to keep u updated?

Hi
So he has had his 3 weeks wind downdown which is good. I would only bath for a couple of days and then drop the temps right down. Yes please would love to hear updates. I had a scare myself last week with my big one, my husband put her out by mistake in the shed and temps dropped right down to 3c had to make a quick decision and get some help from friends, so we can never say it is going to go smoothly or we know it all, these torts decide for us, we just accomodate
Jane

Hi Jane

Just gave yoda his first bathe and he's awake and trying to get out of his bathe a little is this ok or have a ruined his chances of Hibination. He still is very slow

Thanks

Hi Jane

Just put yoda back in the cold room which reads 10 degrees. I will bathe him again in the morning for as long as I can but should I bathe him in the cold room or take him out as I don't really want him to get any warmer after just bathing him in a different room.

Thanks

Hi
You are still Ok, but yes that will be good to put him in the bath in the cold room, just give one more bath today then start decreasing the temps down, and aim to have him in the fridge by Friday, unless he wee's again then you will have to rethink, anyway lets see what happens. I am sure it will go OK, but what I always say to myself is, if it doesn't then I will over winter, that is normally enough for me to calm down and everything goes just fine and we have a good hibernation.

Jane  

Morning Jane

Just bathed yoda he's still asks but fine, enjoyed a half an hour bath but he has had a poo overnight in his box was wondering if this will set me back a few more days?

Sorry to be a pain all the time

Melissa x

Good Morning Melissa

No a poo is good, that is what you want, he sounds ready to go!!!!
if he poo'd in hibernation you would not have to take him out, this is digested food, it is undigested food which would could cause toxic gases in the stomach.
You are not a pain at all, it is good to have the posts continuing as it helps others.
JaneX 

Hi Jane

Should I give yoda another bath tonight when I get home or leave him until Friday and place him in the fridge as long as everything goes to plan. He's had a bath last night for ten minutes and this morning for thirty minutes.

Thanks Melissa

Hi Jane

Just giving yoda his final bath and he's had another wee in his box. Not sure now what to do now if to leave him in the cool room until tommorrow night until I can sort his house out or take him out now as he's in his bath :-)

Hi Jane

I've left yoda in his box for now as if I get him out I've no sand or top soil to get his home ready. Feel really sad and hope I've not done anything for him not to settle into Hibination this year,The last two years he's been fine. Not sure if I should bring him around as if he was coming out of Hibination? And then it's what food could I find for him as we have no clover or dandelions around theses welsh valleys at this time of year :-)
If you could help in anyway I would be very grateful. Thank u for all your help over the last few day u have been a great help.

Thank u

Melissa

Hi Melissa
Don't feel sad, you have done everything to help Yoda have a safe hibernation, and he will. Have you started to reduce the temps down, what are they at the moment?
Just have a quick weigh and see what his weights are, if you are still happy then really go for it, if not then overwinter him. You can feed on Florette, which is available from supermarkets and pre alpin, I have attached a link for you too see. This is not my website but it is a good friend of mine who is lovely.
http://www.urbantortoise.co.uk/
I still think you will be Ok it is just a matter of getting him settled back down again, and as long as he doesn't wee you will be OK, if he does, then that will be your decision made. Don't beat yourself up about it, I think you have been very vigilant and stopped  Yoda having a bad hibernation.
Deep breath and onwards and upwards  
Jane

Good morning Jane

I will weigh him when I get home he did weigh 554 grams on the 11/12/11 and he's 14 cm long his ratio was perfect. He's still in the cold room it was 9 degrees this morning, if u think he would be ok for just a few weeks I would rather give him some sort of Hibination even if it's only a short one. He had a bath for 30 mins last night :-)

Thank u

Melissa

Good Morning Melissa

Yoda's weight is brilliant so you have no worries there, which gives you time on your side. Keep bringing those temps down until you get to about 6 and then he can go in the fridge, as you probably know anyway. I cannot see any reason why he will not go to 6-8wks depending on his weights and weeing of course.
Happy hibernation
Jane

Hi Jane

I'm Just going to double check with u before I start yoda on his Hibination. He had had a wee twice since I began bothering u, and the last was when I noticed last nIght but he has had a bath since for half an hour. As long as he hasnt had another we by Friday do u still think he would be ok to to in the fridge for Hibination ?

Sorry to keep on but I would never live with myself if anything happened to him .

Thank u

Melissa

Good Morning Melissa
Sorry didn't get back to you yesterday. Yes I would go for it now, start dropping the temps down and aim to get him in the fridge  by Saturday. Yoda's weights are very good, he is has had a healthy year, and you caught the wee before he went in, so all looks very good for a hibernation.
Thank you so much for the postings, I am sure others have experienced what you did and have hopefully gained some support.  Our hibernation days are not over yet, but lets hope they go smoothly.
Jane

Morning Jane

I've gone to put yoda in but his weight has drop to 534 would it still be ok to Place him in the fridge this afternoon.

Thank u

Melissa

Hi Melissa
He is a really good weight still, so go for it, you have probably made that decision now anyway
Everything will be fine
Jane

Hi Jane

Just put yoda in the fridge did my final check over seemed fine although he has had another poo which I know u said is fine and there was a small amount of dampness around the poo which I'm hoping was from that and not another wee.
He did open his eyes when I did my final check but he's really slow bless him. Fingers cross everything goes ok for him, he deserves a nice rest :-)
Could u tell me how often I should check on him as I've had so many problems this time around?

Thank u

Melissa

Hi Jane

Just put yoda in the fridge did my final check over seemed fine although he has had another poo which I know u said is fine and there was a small amount of dampness around the poo which I'm hoping was from that and not another wee.
He did open his eyes when I did my final check but he's really slow bless him. Fingers cross everything goes ok for him, he deserves a nice rest :-)
Could u tell me how often I should check on him as I've had so many problems this time around?

Thank u

Melissa

Hi Melissa, I gathered you would have taken the plunge ,as I was out yesterday.
Everyday I open and close the fridge about 10 times twice a day to get the oxygen moving. I then have a peek at Keya and Molly to make sure they are ok. I weigh them once a week to begin with and then Molly every couple weeks  once I know the weight loss is slowing down and if everything looks ok. I do just touch their heads or touch their back legs to see that they move OK, but not everyone does this, I am known as Mrs Belt & Braces!!!
The little bit of wee is fine so don't worry about that, have you planned how long you will hibbernate for, or are you just going to see how it goes?
Jane

Hi Jane

Yes I took the plunge sat he's in his new husky fridge now reading 5 degrees :-) I will check on him later when I get home. Not sure how long to leave him to be honest was going to ask your advice and to see what weight to take him out?

Hi Jane

The temp in my husky fridge seems to be changing all the time from 5-8 degrees a little concerned as yoda is in it.

Hi Jane

Could u let me know what weight I should get yoda out at and how long you would recommend he's in Hibination for?

Thank you

Melissa

Hi Jane

Could u let me know what weight I should get yoda out at and how long you would recommend he's in Hibination for?

Thank you

Melissa

Hiya,

Keep an eye on his weight. There's no reason why he shouldn't hibernate for 8 weeks or so; providing he's had a good summer, is in good health, there is no substantial weight loss or he doesn't lose fluids.


HTH
Darren

Hi Darren

Yoda weighed 521 grams on Monday and is 14 cm long 4 1/2 years old

Thank you

Melissa