

Hibernation
Most people worry about hibernation, Should I hibernate or not, Will my tortoise survive hibernation?
Do I use fridge method, or box how where.
Preparation is key
1 You should be regularly weighing your tortoise
2 If your tortoise is new to you, within a year then don’t unless you have a full history .
3 Has your tortoise been under treatment during year if yes no hibernation with out vet advice.
4 Decide which method fridge _box _ remain in outdoor shed
5 checks for parasites June /July so they can be treated, giving time for stomach flora to re settle.
Once you’ve decided its is not as hard as you imagine,
 Once weather is a lot colder around mid Sept/ October for older tortoises over 10 years,
End of October mis November,
Or once your tortoise shows definite signs there winding down.
Weigh
No feeding for 2 weeks, (put a sign up no feeding, just in case a member of your household decides your tortoise is hungry, while you out it happens .)
During these two weeks you should be testing temperatures if fridge, or area you intend to use. 5c -7c is my preferred, but under 10 c is adequate,
you need temperatures as steady as possible.
Very important you soak your tortoise at least 3 times a week.
For at least 20 mins, ours enjoy a shower n soak in the house bath/shower.
WHY because we want them as empty as possible, no food festering in the stomachs
Week 3/4
Still no food , but always water
Still bathing
But these two weeks you reduce lamp time (basking)
Eg if your lamps normally on 7 am -7pm each day reduce time 8am – 6pm /9am-5pm
Until by end of this two weeks no heat,
Now your tortoise will be settling down, some may already be fast asleep.
Week 5/6
No food
No heat
Bath less, but if still passing poop do until no more is produced.
Around this time, you will see your tortoise is ready, I often put in a box with soil or towel ready to transfer, if they wiggle climb out leave in table or shed, when they are ready, they will just settle. You do not want to find your tortoise climbing around fridge, or out its box walking around shed /garage.
If you are using an outside building, please remember rats venture out and love to nibble on a tortoise,
So
1) Box which will not get damp, inside of another bigger box holes for air circulation on both, no straw no hay no newspaper, all these can get damp mouldy and won’t benefit your tortoises health,
I also have used chicken wire around the box in past years, extra security,
2) insulation if hibernating in out buildings, if temps drop to minus’s your tortoise could get to cold, bubble wrap is great .  Don’t forget to use your thermonator, Â
Remember     check your tortoise every day,
Have your Thermomotor with lead in box, and visible  and if your using fridge method open door so fresh air goes in.
                                       https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/quick-search.html?q=digital+thermonator
Remember If using fridge method do NOT put your tortoise straight under a lamp
Always allow them to wake slowly, in their own time
And a nice warm soak will help them adjust,
I soak everyday for first 5 days.
By day two or three they should be eating, No treats they need to re build stomach flora .
Some say weigh while hibernating in box, after doing this prior to being placed in fridge /shed .
Personally, I weigh out of box each week while winding down, so I can check for too much weight loss.
And I don’t weigh again until after they have hibernated, unless on my daily checks they’ve moved a lot, or noticeably look right ( you know your tortoise ) or if they poop or wee in box, this indicates they’ve possibly woken at some point, and I want to check there not just sat cold starving .
Around 10% lose is around average.
some lose nothing each tortoise will be different
and disturbing during hibernation could cause problems.
OUR OVER 10 YEAR OLDS go down until they are ready to wake between mid oct and mid march
Our 4–10-year-olds
We wind down same
2 weeks no food 2 weeks reduce heat etc . they go down Nov -end Feb
But hatchling and under 4 year old .
 instead of doing the 2 week steps,
 I work on 1 week each stage
.and they go down end of November, until mid Feb.
Remember once hibernating check, check again get a routine
Tips I always check mouth in first two weeks , and often clean the older tortoises with a cotton bud and mouth wash, especially for those that have had beak/mouth correction.
My girls bury themselves in their green house, so I set tubulars to go on if temperature’s drop below 3c,
And I put thermomaters on top of soil just in case.
Around mid-February I reset to 6c .
 March 10c
Once awake to 15 c, most houses are 15-23c with heating on ,
I find the girls wake slowly by mid-march lamps start going on ,
 felicia is always last to wake,
Big sigh of relief.
Its common sense, a dry safe place to place box, no small gaps for vermin to get in, check regularly. A frost-free fridge/wine cooler
No food soak. cool them down let them sleep and re charge.
And remember if you decide you do not want to hibernate your tortoise.
 Don’t but don’t panic if they don’t eat as much, that is normal during winter.
They will sleep more,
And don’t let people bully you into hibernating, or you will stress yes in the wild they hibernate to protect themselves from cold weather, green plants are less available,
I have found they really benefit from hibernation; a bad eater often improves lol
but its your choice. and were here to answer questions at any time