Hi All

Tom and Tiny have been in hibernation since the beginning of December. As Tiny is still on top of the soil I have been able to weigh him regularly. Since going in to hibernation he has been 292 gramms. He hadn't lost any weight at all. The last time I weighed him was 10 days ago, and he was still 292 grams. However, this morning I have weighed him and he now weighs 186 grams. I know this is less than a 10% loss, but it is 6 grams in 10 days. Is this too much to lose in such a short time? Do you think I should wake him up now?

I did think he was waking up yesterday, as he moved a bit faster than normal when I picked him him up to weigh him. So that's why I decided to weigh him again today.

Gail
xx

I would watch the temps, as they are supposed to go down again for the next few days, then warm up again. I would wait until it warms up again. But still keep a close eye on him. If you are unhappy with anything, just get him up:0)

Are you definitely sure he hasn't pee'd? If he hasn't then ditto Sandy's advice

Dawn, can I ask why not peeing is so important when they are hibernating??????tiggy

of course you may Tiggy If they wee they risk becoming dehydrated, as they will use up their reserves, I believe its all to do with their kidneys, this is why its important to bath them before hibernation so they can ensure they are hydrated enough to see them through.... this is the less technical version....I'm sure Sandy, Dave or Terry will be along shortly to give you a more detailed explanation

Oh Gail..

what a worry, if you do have to get Tiny up will you also get Tom up? xx

Thanks for the advice. I can't actually see any wee, but I will double check that the soil isn't damp where #tiny has been sleeping.

I do think I will get him up within the next couple of days, just to be on the safe side. And Yes Jeanette If I get Tiny up I will certainly get Tom up. He is the only one I haven't been able to see moving, as he is right under the soil. So I have been a bit concerned over him since he went down. But only because I can't see him, not because I think there is anything wrong. I just had to trust that he knows what he is doing.

Gail
xx

During hibernation a tortoises bladder acts as the receptical for all the waste products produced by the tortoise during hibernation. It's stored as highly dilute urea. If the tortoise wee's, the capacity of the bladder is reduced and any future waste is less diluted. If the bladder reaches a state where it can no longer store more waste material, the waste starts getting deposited in tissue around the body. This buildup cannot be flushed from the body post hibernation and over time can cause toxicity issues. 

Theres also the more obvious issue of dehydration in hibernation. I've tended to attribute the majority of "weight" loss in hibernation to dehydration as a tortoise burns very little "fat" (actually carbohydrates below about 5C) during hibernation.