I looked up the Tortoise Center in Cornwall..they have hybernated their 200 odd torts in outside accomodation and are bringing them in at the end of January due to changable weather, climate change etc. I have one of mine hybernating in outside shed (always worked for me) I check on him and weigh him regularly but am wondering now weather to bring him in too..my other three are on their tort tables as they are very young, but I have a spare table for Gaylord..what is everyone else doing...is this good advise ? Sue x

Are they bringing them in to wake them up? If its the end of their hibernation cycle then they may be bringing them in to in door accommodation as it will be to cold for them to live outside without extra heating/UV.

They may be bringing them in as the weather warms naturally to a cooler place (fridge, maybe) and dont want them to wake early then drift back into hibernation as i read this can be dangerous for the tort. But then i dont know why they wouldnt have done this from the start

I pesonally will wake one of mine up in a couple of weeks, she will have a 'shed' to live in with heat and UV and access to the garden when she wants then the other 2 will be woken 2 weeks after that.

No I gathered from what was said that they are stirring due to the warmer climate..in fact it's 13 degrees round this way (Bristol) and it's mid Jan! They rely on donations it's a wonderfull place...a haven for tortoise lovers! So I am sure they are doing it for good reason...I checked on Gaylord earlier and he has indeed wiggled his way from under the shredded paper, which puts me in a bid of a quandry, It's never happened before and I usually take him out March time...what to do !! Sue

Im sure I will be told if im wrong but i think its natural for a tortoise to move around slightly during hibernation as long as he isnt awake.

13 degrees is too high though really as im sure u know 10 is the temp they will start to wake up. How long has he been hibernating and perhaps if you are that worried it wouldnt do any harm to transfer him to a fridge until its time for him to wake up. I had to move 1 of mine from my garage to the fridge as it just wouldnt hibernate, 7 weeks later she is fine and seems healthy and indeed wiggles in and out of the paper.

The tortoise centre sounds great (i will google it now) they sure have alot of tortoises!!

Thats right they do move about , its generally to regulate the temps they will often dig deeeper if the temps drop and emerge again if they increase,

In general they seek whilst in hibernation a temp of aroud 5c

D

It's called THE TORTOISE SANCTURY It's wonderfull www.thetortoisegarden.co.uk Thanks for the help, He hybernated early November, so I will leave him another week and suss out the situation, I must admit I am worried about this weird weather, he had a health check before he went down and has kept all of his weight on but he must be confused I think as I know they wiggle a bit but he was actually on top of his paper. Sue

I woke my female hermans up as she was more than restless and also pee'd in her box, she laid 6 eggs 48 hours after emerging.

Not great to hibernate with eggs but she never showed anysigns of being gravid
D

Ah bless her heart, I'm sure she feels a whole lot better now they're out!! Will look at him again soon as I don't trust my fridge it's a bit old so if he's awake then he can come in..I have missed him lots anyway and I'm sure he would be fine.

It is perfectly natural for torts to move in hibernation - all mine do it even when they used to be in a fridge. Torts do it underground too in hibernation

__________________
Take care
Sue

wizzasmum@aol.com

I checked on him again today and heard him scraping the side of box..looked in and his head was up looking at me wide awake (mind you it is 14 degrees in this area despite rain!) He's had a cuddle a bath, a long drink and is already eating..ther was a wee in his box so I quess he just wanted out haha !!