Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the debate about whether this tortoise or that tortoise hibernates, we should remember there are clues to tell us the answer. I knew when my "non-hibernating" torts began eating like pigs and putting on excess fat when the fall came that they were doing this for a specific purpose. Preparation for the big sleep. You can actually see the fat on them around the rear legs and in the jowls too. Also, you will notice them digging a lot more than they did before, especially in remote areas they may have ignored earlier in the season. They have a certain restlessness.

I know you use a refrigerator that you bought specifically for hibernation. In your opinion, is it possible to successfully hibernate using a standard household refrigerator (i.e., one that is actually in use)? There is no safe way for me to hibernate outdoors (too wet, temps too variable), and I would have a hard time justifying buying a fridge for one tort, so would I be able to use our regular fridge (once I get a new one; this one doesn't even work right for food)? I've got dead mice in the freezer, so I might as well have a live tort in the fridge, haha.

I'm not hibernating this year; I've already decided that. I'm not comfortable enough with my level of expertise to try it with a baby. I MAY possibly attempt it in the future, so I'm just doing my research now.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

You should be able to hibernate outdoors where you're at from about January to March. The only caution is to make sure the animal is physically dry.
Ed

That's the hitch, though. Unless I put the tortoise in some type of container and bury that, how do I keep it dry? We average 30 inches of rain up here, (in '97-'98 we got 55 inches), and it's not unusual to get 2-3 inches or more in a weekend storm.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

If you have a garage or some other outdoor un heated structure, you could keep it there. I've used a garage and a covered pattio with success.
Ed

I do have an unheated garage, as well as a small shed. I'm concerned about a rise in daytime temps, though. For instance, last night it was around 35 and is expected to hit 70 today. I guess what I should do is monitor the temps this winter and then see. I'm planning on putting the rubber boas out in the garage for a couple months to cool them, anyway--it doesn't get cold enough in the house for them.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

What I did was insulate a small area. This way the average temperature stays cool.
If you think about this from a natural perspective, you want to look at the overall temperature.
As an example lets look at an area like Pheonix. The nights get real cold with night time temperatures going down to freezing on a regular basis. This is typical for the desert. Now, the daytime temps typically get up to the 60s or 70s in the winter. The time that is cold is usually longer than the periods of warm on a given day so if you provide an area that is insulated from the warmth you should have a natural hibernaculum.
What do you think?
Ed

It makes sense. I'll have to experiment and see if it would work in practice.

I love that word "hibernaculum"--you're just full of $2 words lately!
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

Yes, I believe it is quite possible to use a refrigerator that is being otherwise used for food keeping. Just tuck the tortoise away in a small box in a quiet place where you know the temp is staying right. The only thing you need to worry about is temp and humidity and air. Air is no problem because you will be opening the fridge all the time to get food. The temp is something that you investigate ahead of time using good thermometers, and humidity is easily maintained with spritzing or occasionally dampening the medium used to hibernate the animal in.

I would highly reccomend it in the near future if you are not comfortable with it now. I have the utmost confidence that you are quite competent to pull it off without a hitch. Let me know if you have any more questions. I'd be more that happy to assist you all I can.