Could I just double check on how long I leave Queenie in hibernation for. I think I've asked this before but have forgotten the answer, soz. Queenie is a 6+ year old Horsfield. She went into the fridge 11/11 but took about 10-12 days to bed down. I've been weighing her weekly and she's doing pretty good on holding onto the weight, the most being lost before she bedded down. I'll remember to write down the answer so I don't pester again, promise!

Hi there,

Can you let me know how much she weighs please?  For a tortoise that sort of age I would aim for about 10 weeks hibernation as long as all was going well, but if she is small for her age, or its her first hibernation, maybe a little less.

atb

Arlene TPG

Hi Arlene, her weight when she went into the fridge was 347g. I gave her 2 weeks in there before I weighed her as she took quite a while to bed down so her first weigh in came in at 334g. She stayed at this weight for 3 weeks then dropped down to 333g and she's stayed at this weight for 3 weeks, her last weigh in being yesterday. Sorry to waffle, wasn't sure which weight to give you!. Is this ok?

Hi Winnie

That's great thank you :)  Her weights sound fine, if she were mine, I would aim for 8 weeks, and if all was well leave her an extra week or so

atb

Arlene TPG

Sorry, is that 8 weeks from going into fridge or 8 weeks from when she was bedded down?

Hi - if she was in the fridge at hibernation temperatures ie around 5C, then it would be 8 weeks from going in the fridge,

atb

Arlene TPG

Hi, I had a lot of probs with the fridge temp when she first went in, it was either to high or to low, so do you think it would be ok to give her 8 weeks from when she bedded down?. The only way I could get her to bed down was to take the temp lower then 5 so she's been snoozing at between 3.5-4.5.

Hi Winnie

Yes, that will be fine, as long as she looks OK and isnt losing too much weight :)

Arlene TPG