How will I know if Bert who is a Horsfield tortoise will need to hibernate, if they do hibernate? what do I do with him if he needs to hibernate?  The last time I had a tortoise was when I was a kid and we put ours in a box with paper and straw until he woke up in the spring! this tortoise looking after is more complicated than I thought and my daughter said it was easy!!!

Hi,

I really think you need to read up on our Horsfield caresheet to learn more about the Russian tortoise, you can fine this on the lefthand side under "The Tortoise". Are you looking after it for your daughter? Also how old/big is the tortoise?

Ali

Hi!  I agree with you that looking after a tortoise is not the easiest thing in our climate.  I think most people use the fridge method to hibernate their tortoises nowadays - thats what I do.  Modern houses are just not cold enough and espcially with climate change and all that it just doesn't stay a constant temperature outside in the winter.

I don't know about Horsefields as I only have Hermanns but I do know that hibernation is what comes naturally to both species.  Its important to follow the hibernation instructions carefully. 

Hi Ali

Bert is two and a half and we are sort of fostering him for our daughter until she finds herself somewhere else to live as she can't keep him where she is living now.  She tells me we will have to take him to the vet to have him checked out to see if he is fit enough to hibernate, if he's not I suppose we have to keep him awake ! its far more complicated than when I kept a tortoise as a kid.  He eats well and we have a well stocked garden with a lot of choice for him as well as plenty of stuff growing in the greenhouse to keep him going through the winter

Eileen

Hi Eileen,

You should be able to tell if Bert is healthy without taking him to the vets for a check up. If he is eating well and active has bright eyes and a dry nose then he should be pretty healthy, unless you are worried about his health? I do think that maybe you should keep him awake this winter especially if you havent had him long. I think maybe you need to learn more about him and the horsfield in general before you hibernate him. They are great little torts but you need to understand their needs before you take the big step into hibernation.

Ali

TPG

Thanks Ali, Bert is as bright as a button, he should be a racing tortoise the speed he races round his box!!  He eats and drinks well, loves his bath and has very bright clear eyes.  I did weigh him yesterday, 3oz and measures 3 and a quarter inches across.  I was considering keeping him awake this year and he has plenty of energy at the moment so will probably do so

thanks Eileen 

Hi Eileen,

Im glad to hear you are considering keeping him up this winter, as i said its best you get to know him and learn all you can.

Good luck.

Ali