Husbandry
through the year
Late Summer and Autumn, preparing for hibernation
It
is not advisable to allow very small tortoises to hibernate for more than about
11 weeks, say from mid December until early March, so it is necessary to
'stretch' the summer at both ends using your indoor
unit. This normally comes into use in September when the
nights start cooling off and you will need to bring in the babies at
night. Whilst the days are still warm, they can go outside during the day.
(Be very careful when there is danger of frost - always bring them
in). Gradually they will be spending more time in the indoor unit in which you
need to simulate summer using the equipment described. Try to place the
unit in a bright place and where the night time temperature is not less
than 12°C.
Between
October and December, gradually shorten the day length (full
spectrum light) a little at a time from 12 hours down to 8 (manually or using a
time switch) and gradually decrease the temperature (basking light) by
altering the setting on the thermostat or moving the light further away. During
this period they will gradually wind down their eating and activity. They
are emptying their guts ready for hibernation. This is both natural and vital,
and sufficient ambient heat is needed for this to take place; if not, there is
danger that the tortoises will go into hibernation with a full gut, the
commonest cause of hibernation fatalities. They know instinctively what to do
and we should not encourage them to eat any more than they choose to at this
time, rather the opposite. They need a period of three to four weeks (dependant
on the tortoise's size) without food but with temperatures sufficiently high to
continue digestion. A few warm shallow baths during this time will
help them to 'empty down' and ensure they are sufficiently hydrated. As the
night-time temperature should not fall below 10° or 12°C during this period,
some additional background heat may be needed if the unit is in a very cool
room. Do allow the temperature to drop at night, as this helps to signal
to them that winter is coming.
Because
of this gradual winding down of day length and temperature they will spend a
little longer each day hiding as they sense the approach of winter until finally
they cease to emerge at all and are ready to hibernate.
Hibernation
At
this stage I put them in a cardboard box containing shredded newspaper
and put this into a thick-walled polystyrene box (of the type used for
transporting tropical fish) with several small ventilation holes
penetrating both boxes, and more shredded paper filling the space between the
outer and inner boxes. This goes first into a cool room and finally into
a frost-free, unheated utility room - garages and attics can get too
cold. Check regularly that the babies are not trying to climb out -
normally they will dig down to the bottom to hibernate. It is vital to
monitor the temperature with a max/min
thermometer. (The digital type with a probe is the most accurate, available from
mail order companies such as Maplin Electronics). If the temperature falls below
1°C there is serious danger of the tortoise's tissues being frozen and
equally if it gets to much over 10°C, the tortoise could become active and try
to climb out, so you may need to move the box occasionally. Around 5°C
is ideal.
NB
Hibernation is an important part of your tortoise's natural cycle and should
only be avoided if it is underweight or sick.
Early
Spring
In
the spring this process is reversed: around the middle of March or when the
weather suggests it, get the indoor unit ready and bring the hibernation box
into a warm room. After a while (maybe a day) you will hear rustling and they
will come up to the top. Pop them in a really bright place (sunshine or full
spectrum light strip)
with a spotlight for basking heat. Give them a shallow lukewarm bath,
allowing them to drink, warm up and soak, offer some young dandelion leaves and
they should be up and running within a few hours. As before, use the thermostat
to control the temperature (15°C at the cold end up to 28°C under the light)
and the time switch to control day length.
As
the season warms up they can go outside on warm days (and in again at
night) until it is warm enough to leave them out all the time, perhaps by late
May, and another season is underway!
Summer
During
the summer months the youngsters will come into their own as they respond to
temperatures closer to their natural climate. They will develop their own
routine of basking, feeding, exploring and sleeping whilst you observe them,
provide good quality wild food and keep their areas tended and safe.
They
are tough little creatures and will do fine with the basic conditions described.
Do monitor them well but don't coddle them too much!
Daily
Care
The
babies will need some daytime checking; although they can look
after themselves perfectly well, they do sometimes get themselves the wrong way
up and can't always right themselves. This could be potentially dangerous if
under a lamp or in hot sun. (Plenty of stones and plants help to deal with this
in outdoor environments; toweling is the best solution in indoor units) You will
need to train a friendly neighbour to cover for you if you go away. If you go
away a lot or are usually out during the day you will not be around during their
activity period and so will be unable to observe their feeding, behaviour and
health.
If this is the case you should think again about the
responsibility of taking on young tortoises,
animals
with the potential to outlive ourselves, and even our children, given the
right care.
All graphics and text in this site © L King 1998-2007