Do russian horsefield tortoises hibernate

As of this post writing I have seven Russian Tortoises. Believe it or not some people do not hibernate any of their tortoises at all.

To hibernate them.

Do russian horsefield tortoises hibernate. A Russian tortoise will often go through a natural cycle which includes a few months of hibernation during the fall and winter. This hibernation period generally occurs between October and March. A tortoise will burrow into the ground until the air temperature rises.

Russian tortoises do hibernate and they are naturally inclined to do so in the winter months. For wild tortoises this is typically from October through to March where they remain in this state for around 5 months. Yes most Russian tortoises hibernate during the winter and some of them hibernate during the summer.

Most commonly Russian tortoises will usually hibernate in a hole that they dug underground. While most animals are only able to hibernate during the winter some Russian tortoises are also able to. Understanding the hibernation needs of your Horsefield Tortoise can help it to live a longer and happier life.

You can provide outdoor hibernation if the temperature is 5- 75 Celsius 40- 45 Fahrenheit outdoors during the winter for at least 2 months. If not hibernate him indoors. Russian tortoise naturally hibernate but only allow healthy tortoises to hibernate.

Horsefield Tortoise Hibernation In the wild and outdoors they hibernate roughly about October to March. They burrow themselves a bit below the surface. As a pet 2-3 months of hibernation is adequate.

This is because a Russian Tortoise in the wild is known to hibernate for as many as nine out of twelve months. In captivity however this same turtle is known to need just 8 weeks of hibernation to benefit the same way as it would from the nine months in the wild. Long hibernation periods can actually be dangerous for Russian tortoises in particular because they are relatively small regardless of individual variations in weight.

A domesticated Horsefields tortoise may only need eight weeks of hibernation if that. It is advisable to wash your hands both before and after handling your horsefields tortoise. Horsefield tortoises should be hibernated over the winter months unless they show any signs of illness and then they should be kept awake in an indoor enclosure.

Its crucial to note that not all torts go into hibernation. The Russian tortoise is one species that does hibernate whereas the leopard tortoise does not need to go into hibernation. Believe it or not some people do not hibernate any of their tortoises at all.

Its mostly a matter of preference and what you feel is best for your tortoise. My russian tortoise has a strange lump protruding from his legs near his head they are only visible when he stretches his front legs out from his shell. Is this cancer or is he simply just out growing his shell.

Winter has just ended and i did not hibernate him during the winter. Basically any species that isnt tropical. Mediterranean species such as Hermanns and Spur Thigh tortoises as well as Russian tortoises and species native to North America all hibernate for between several weeks to several months of the year.

How Old Should My Tortoise Be Before Hibernating. Terrestrial Do tortoises hibernate by making burrows in the soil for hibernation. The hibernation period can vary from age to age.

However it also depends upon the species of the tortoises. Few species which do hibernation are the Mediterranean tortoise Russian tortoise Hermans tortoise Greek tortoises Kinixy tortoise Gopher tortoises. Common species that need to hibernate are the Hermanns tortoise spur-thighed tortoise Horsfields or Russian tortoise and Marginated tortoise.

Never hibernate tropical species of tortoises. Usually Marginated tortoises hibernate naturally to deal with harsh conditions during the cold part of the year. The length of hibernation depends on the extent of the winter in a given geographical range.

While in the wind a Russian tortoise hibernates up to 9 months. This article was written in 1997. As of this post writing I have seven Russian Tortoises.

This is my fifth year of hibernating tortoises. I have never had a problem with my tortoises during their hibernations. I reside in Nebraska where it is too cold in the winter for me to feel comfortable letting them hibernate.

To hibernate them. The dangerous parts of hibernation flooding burrow collapse rodents temperature extremes etc can all be eliminated by bringing them inside into controlled conditions and prepping them correctly. While they have adapted to survive these conditions out in the wild for millennia our back yards are not the wild.

The best time to begin hibernation is Autumn time. Experts recommend that you prepare your tortoise for hibernation for 6 weeks before this date. For the first 2 weeks gradually reduce its food intake.

Then for the next 4 weeks reduce the temperature and the amount of daylight it is exposed to a little bit each day.