hmm week 4 fridge up and running torts are still rather lively no lights or heat bathed in very tepid water but they dont seem sleepy they are settling earlier but still happy stomping round do i go another week was hoping to settle in fridge at the weekend any ideas please


sharrie

have you got a colder room where they can go for a few days? You'll probably find the background/room temps are keeping them going

yeah might move them into a box and put under the stairs cheers me dear

sharrie

well have moved all 3 to under the stairs fridge is to a stable temp BUT marg has slowed right down but the other 2 well have got slower and are still awake how long do i try and get them to sleep the shed is still too warm lowest it got to was 14 under the stairs 17 afraid to put in the shed in case the temps suddenly drop the question is can i put in fridge whilst they are still awake ???? cheers


sharrie x

yes you can, I have with no adverse effects. In fact I was told by EgyptianDan (I think) that torts spend most of the time awake during hibernation, they don't necessary go into a deep sleep. Hence why quite often you will see that your tort has moved or has his eyes open.

The year before last I hibernated two torts that had never hibernated before and despite doing wind down they wouldn't settle, it took them just over a week in the fridge before they finally gave in and settled!

The TT site have observed torts in the wild during hibernation and they noticed that sometimes if the temps slightly rose torts were observed coming out and having a bask and sometimes even a nibble to eat, then going back down into their hides to sleep!!!! (which kinda blows the wind down period out the water huh?)

great they are in there containers ready so not really that active so tomorrow into the fridge they will go cheers dawn x


sharrie x

you may have to put a lid or piece of card/polystyrene across the top of the box to stop them climbing out if too active! I ended up moving the fridge shelf up nearer the one above so that they couldn't physically climb out! Just make sure that none of their container or lid is touching the sides/roof/floor of the fridge (the shelves obviously are fine!)