Tortoises can live for over 100 years, so they need committed owners to care for them. Tortoises are not native to most countries and climates where they are kept as pets, so as the owner you need to understand their needs when they are kept in these strange conditions.
Here we are primarily interested in discussing hibernation, but a brief overview of your needs is a well-ventilated vivarium or Tortoise table with a high-output UVB heat and UV lamp. a 10% full spectrum reptile lamp being ideal. Keep the heat on one end so the tortoise can self-regulate its temperature, the range should be as high as 40C on the hot end and down to 25C on the cold with a nightly drop of 15 degrees. Feed leafy vegetables and occasional fruit sprinkled with a good vitamin/calcium supplement, commercial whole foods are also available. You will also need to provide a shallow water dish for drinking and bathing.
Tortoises in their natural habitat hibernate for only short periods and therefore need to be monitored regularly during their hibernation in our colder climate. Before hibernating, make sure your turtle is in good health and a good weight.
It is recommended to weigh your pet before and at least once a month during hibernation, weight loss should not be more than one percent per month. Any sudden weight loss means there is a problem and you will need to wake the turtle.
Overwinter your turtle in a well-ventilated box placed inside another box filled with Styrofoam shavings, shredded newspaper, or other suitable material. Store in a dry, frost-free location such as an insulated shed or garage that is not subject to temperature changes. You should not hibernate your tortoise in a place that is subject to changes in temperature, such as a greenhouse that gets too cold at night and too hot on sunny days. Ventilated closets are also not suitable places for hibernation, as many people think, since they are often too warm. Make sure the temperature is between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius (38 and 50 F); higher temperatures will mean the tortoise may wake up, and in lower temperatures the tortoise will try to burrow for more warmth, you don’t want the tortoise to exhaust itself. energy that your pet should not be using right now. A min/max thermometer available at any good reptile pet store is useful for monitoring temperature. It is a good idea to protect the overwintering box from rodents with wire mesh as well.
If the tortoise shows dramatic weight loss, it should be awakened and kept awake indoors for the remainder of the winter. In this case, you will need to provide heat and ultraviolet lighting available at specialty reptile pet stores.
Check the list of what you will need; 2 boxes (1 to fit inside the other), Insulating material (styrofoam chips), Wire mesh, Scale, Maximum and minimum thermometer, Suitable hibernation place and a bulb or infrared heat lamp plus UV lighting in case you need it Rescue the turtle from hibernation.
If you have any concerns about the weight or general health of the turtles, do not attempt to hibernate them.
