Hi All,

Maximus is a 4 year old Hermanns and ive had him for just over 2 years. I have never hibernated him. I attempted it last year but he never seemed to want to wind down - i reduced the temperatures over a period of 3 weeks but even with all the heating and lights switched off he will still banging on the sides of his enclosure. In the end i was defeated and starting feeding him again over winter.

I am determined to hibernate him this year and are now 1 week into the wind down process, he seems very active still and has lost abit of weight too. He is now 250g with a carapace length of 11cm - this reads 0.18 on the weight calculator.

I was thinking maybe the room he's in is too warm so have positioned his heater a little higher away from him. im bathing him every other day which he seems to enjoy.

Im worried if he continues to lose weight he will fall below the jackson weight requirement for hibernation.

He has been eating well all Summer and been out the garden most of the time - overall seems very healthy.

Can anyone give me any advise? BTW Maximus could be female.

many thanks

Hello, is your little chap on a tortoise table?

I had this problem when my boys where on the table, in the end I brought  greenhouse from B&Q £178 and I've never looked back, they stop eating themselves and all I do is regulate the lamps and heating. By the end of the fifth week  I turn off the lamps completely and the only heat they have is frost protection at night and during the day if necessary.  when they have not moved for two days, I then pop them in the fridge

I am hoping this year that they will dig down in the greenhouse so I wont have to fridge them.

if your table is in the house you may have to consider putting him in the shed or garage until he settles down

Good luck and sorry I'm not much help 

PS mine are in there 1st week of wind down, they are active but not eating, they bask all day; they do wonder around the greenhouse about tend to sleep more, they will stop coming out there box by the end of the fourth week

I think you may be better thinking of finding him and outdoor enclosure to wind down

Hi All, thanks for responding to my post.

Max has now been moved into our conservatory porch which has no heating and tends to be abit colder then the rest of the house.

I weighed him yesterday and his weight is now down to 248g with a carapace length of 11cm.

He has not been a poo for the whole time in wind down, but i do give him daily baths which i have seen him drink a little.

I understand the minium wind down period should be 2-3 weeks for a tortoise his age but im worried if he doesnt start slowing down soon i'll have to call the hibernation off and over winter him.

Based on his current weight, should i start feeding him again?

many thanks

Providing you have followed the wind down procedures properly and with no heating at night to ensure he isnt still warmed up he should start to slow, if you are at the end if wind down with no heating and keep him in the dark, get your fridge set up, pip him in the fridge in the early evening, this should be his sleeping time so the cooler temp in the fridge will encourage him to go deeper to sleep?