Tarkie, 5 year old Horsfield,  has been in for 2 weeks, and the temp has ranged between 3.5 and 6.7. He's half dug in to soil/sand, in a thick cardboard box. The thermometer dangles into the box.

I have just checkd the thermometer and it's dipped to 1.9 degrees in the night. It's reading 5.8 now.

Any advice? I don't want to take him out, I've nowhere else to put him...

HELP!

Is box, within a box and  well insulated? It really can make a difference...even staying quite cool on those odd warm days we get in very early spring. Also, I don't rely on one thermometer. I have digital alarmed one from ebay. You set the max and min...outside those temps, a beep is heard.

Over many years I kept hibernating torts in an unheated shed, and some nights it got perilously close to zero...I would not panic, at least you are aware of the problem. Its also worth reminding people with fridges in garages with torts...the temps will drop to background temp...the fridge will not warm your tort above ambient garage temp...get checking! Good luck everyone.

Hi,

Luckily for you horsfields can take extreme temperature changes. Fridges always seem to be cooler in the night or first thing in the morning just like outside temps. A good larder fridge shouldnt get to freezing point, just make sure you open the door to let the air in, you could always try putting him on a different shelf in the fridge? Once the temps lift it shouldnt be a problem, i think we are all suffering with the freezing temps.

Ali

Can I ask where your fridge is set up?  A fridge can only keep its temperature if the temperature outside it is above the level the fridge is set to maintain. If a fridge is in an outbuilding where the temperature goes sub zero the fridge will gradually drop to that temperature. Fridges do not have the ability to heat air, only cool it.

Hi All, thanks for the advice, fridge has stabilised again, but seems to have settled nearer the 7 degree mark (not great for my horsfield, but he's really settled). I chilled some more water bottles first in our normal food fridge and added them once they were cool, think the fridge was too empty so it was fluctuating. It's set up in the cellar, which means it doesn't go sub-zero, but it can get chilly in there.
Tarkie has been in for 4 weeks tomorrow, can't wait for the end of all this. First hibernation is a bit scary. Plus my friends think I'm nuts!
Thanks again, Sarah