I was watching Bizzar Animal ER last night on BBC3 (10.30-11). At the end of the programme it showed clips for next weeks one and there was a lady who owned a tort. From what I can gather she hibernated the tort and later on, (I gather when it was time to wake it up), the poor thing had no front legs as the rats had eaten them. I know most of the people on this site are very experienced when it comes to hibernating their torts but for us newys who've never done it before, it's very worrying. I just thought I'd put this in as sometimes people read through sites but don't actually ask any questions as I did before I got the courage up to join this forum and from the bits I've picked up I know you must be very careful of where you put your little tort for it's winter snooze.

Winnie you are so right!  I have used fridge hibernation (no rats in there!) but last year I did consider trying some kind of outdoors hibernation and the risk of rats was one reason I didn't do it.  Another reason was just that the soil would be too wet and heavy all winter so not a good environment for a Hermann.  Some keepers do hibernate their tortoises outdoors or in sheds in stout wooden boxes and probably there isn't much rat risk there.  I think it mainly applies if we have a tort in a cardboard box in the shed or let the tortoise bury down naturally in loose soil in the autumn.

Rats are also a risk when our tortoises are outside in the summer. I've never seen one around my home or garden but its a worry all the same.  Ozric

Hi Ozric, I haven't had my little horsfield for long, I only got her in May and she was a rescue tort so I had no info on her at all and because of this I am unsure as to whether I should hibernate her this year or not. Would it do her any harm if I didn't sleep her this year as I understand that it's very important for horsfields to hibernate. The vet reckons she's aged at around 6 years old.

Hi,
I would say if she is healthy then go ahead and hibernate her. I tend to wait till my babies are 50g before i hibernate so a healthy six year old should be fine. What weight is she?

Ali
TPG

Hi Ali, I weighed her on the 13 of this month and she was 320g. She hasn't put any weight on in the last month as she weighed exactly the same on the 13 of June but she hasn't lost so that's good but she 's eating ok and is lively and cheeky so I'm happy. I'll have to go out and buy a mini fridge for her sleep but I've got a horrible feeling I'll chicken out at the last min

She is a good weight to hibernate. Russians tend to slow down quicker than other species as its in their nature, in the wild they are only active for abot 3 months of the year and this is because they spent most of their time trying to escape the extreme temperature changes. I wouldnt worry about the weight as long as she isnt losing any.
Good luck
Ali

I have noticed over the last day od two that although Queenie is eating she doesn't seem to be eating as much. Is this what you mean by slowing down as is this normal for it to happen round about now?

The weather is so awful at the moment, it must be playing havoc with tortoise instincts! Ours dont go out when the weather is cold and wet, (mainly tropicals) but the bigger med torts have taken to sleeping in their kennel or the coldframe, I'm hoping for some better weather for them to liven up again.

Laraine