Too early to end hibernation?

jennihen

Our tortoise is hibernating in the garage - is it too early to wake him up?
I've been noticing more dandelions out and about but I'm worried that we'll get another cold spell.

jenhug

my bro in laws woke last week, they are in his lounge building up their strength before he puts them outside. Their outside enclosure is huge multi terrain with heat lamps and indide bits and allsorts, infact they live better than he does!

I think they start to wake on their own after the temp comes up to 9 degrees or more? He was checking them daily the last few weeks.

Deep_In_Debt

Ours has not woken yet. We tend to leave him til he is ready and often this is late April - he just hibernates in a box in the garage. He's been in the family for over 80 years and getting old I guess. If we get another cold snap, what will you do with him if he comes out too early? Maybe best to leave him until he's ready to come out.

jennihen

I check the thermometer daily but its not been above 7'C during the day. Today was the first day we had sunshine in weeks but it wasn't til late in the afternoon.
I have to confess I know nothing about this one's history - he's a male Sherman, nearly full grown but was advised to hibernate him as that was how he was found (this time last year)
Also has anyone had their tortoise micro-chipped. Our vet said he'll do it but it'd be the first time he's ever been asked!

Deep_In_Debt

Ours isn't microchipped but worth getting done as ours has been known to bash it's way through a tiny hole in the fence and head off for a holiday in the direction of the main road! Luckily all the residents, rescue centres and police know who he belongs too and he normally gets returned. A very sprightly 80 year old!

Ours just comes out of hibernation when he's ready, gets put in the garden and if we have a cold snap, gets put in the greenhouse...he's survived like that for many years. There's plenty of food around for him all year outside, just think waking him up could be a problem.

jennihen

I'm not too worried about him escaping here but I want to move house soon and I'd love a bigger garden. We only ended up with him because my mother found him! She named him Demon as he was always escaping!Luckily she lived in a quiet cul-de-sac so the nieghbours returned him if they found him in the road!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

In 2006, there was a foot of snow outside my place on the morning of 10th April (it was someone's 40th birthday, which is why I remembered it).

meeps

our family tortoise got up a couple of weeks ago when it was a bit milder round here, we tend to go on seeing dandelions as well as the natural hibernators being spotted up and about - have had him inside with his lamp most of the time, today was his first decent meal and charge about.

paulwf

I don't have any torties myself but friends have said that http://www.tortoisetrust.org/ are experts so it might be worth contacting them with any Q's.

Deep_In_Debt

meeps wrote: »

our family tortoise got up a couple of weeks ago when it was a bit milder round here, we tend to go on seeing dandelions as well as the natural hibernators being spotted up and about - have had him inside with his lamp most of the time, today was his first decent meal and charge about.

My mum checked on ours today as it has been a beautiful warm spring day here today but no sign of him yet. It varies as to when he comes out depending on the weather. It's not been warm enough for long enough yet so he's not surfaced. He lives at mum's as she has the garage and a lovely enclosed garden although he still manages to escape but it doesn't help that her neighbour's veggie patch is close to the fence! As soon as he is up, he's straight out in the garden or the greenhouse if there is a cold snap.

He has been known to come out on my birthday which is the beginning of April so it's always a nice surprise when he does.

We've got our fingers crossed that he's ok after the harsh winter...will be devastated if he hasn't made it.

lfckerry

mine hibernate in the fridge so i just get them up when im ready. im sure you must mean hermans instead of shermans

mine are outside now,its warm enough but they have an indoor space that is heated too