I doubt that hibernation is any different for hognoses than any other ectotherm or endotherm. In general, animals live longer when they are provided with less calories, which happens to be a good reason for not overfeeding. If the animal is hibernating, they are obviously not taking in calories. I do believe that hibernation does extend a lifespan. Some bats are capable of living for more than 30 years, simply because when they are not flying and not eating, they are literally hibernating. These animals are shutting down almost completely anytime they are not able to eat. For an animal that lives 30 years, they are probably sleeping 20 years of it! I think the same principle applies to herps.
I don't recommend hibernating captive herps unless it is necessary for breeding, there are too many inherent risks and the animal you are hibernating should be perfectly healthy before doing so. Unfortunately most people aren't capable of recognizing all the possible disease symptoms, and are not the best at preventative care (most notably frequent deworming).
I do know that some people who have a large collection of herps, mostly because of rescues, will hibernate a portion of their collection simply because that is six months out of the year they do not have to feed or clean those animals! It is perfectly reasonable, but I know that she has lost three or four turtles over the years during hibernation.
Feel free to post some of your random mind wanderings, we certainly could use a diversity of discussions on this forum!
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If there is a just God, how humanity would writhe in its attempt to justify its treatment of animals. - Isaac Asimov
Human industry has been in full swing for a little over a century, yet it has brought about a decline in almost every ecosystem on the planet. Nature doesn't have a design problem. People do.
William McDonough, architect and designer, Sierra Club magazine
It would be an interesting study don't you think.
