Over wintering a tortoise

[Tarajane77]

Greetings from Jemima's human peasant, only good for feeding, watering and main receiver of foul looks.
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So I'm asking about overwintering the "princess of darkness". Having only acquired her in May of this year at 3yrs of age, I don't feel confident yet. However I'm already looking at when wind down begins for next year and BOY that date will be the 1st to go in my 2021 diary.

So Jemima's a Horsfield and she's in a table in my living room. Its 4ft and I'm upgrading her after xmas. She is only on top soil, humid hide opposite her heat source and a cool end with a box wich stays around 22° in the day time. The room itself hasn't dropped below 20° yet at night. She will shortly be changed from a combi light to a heat bulb with dimmer AND the appropriate 12% pro T5 Arcadia UVB strip light.
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So overwintering, would I start any adaptations when I would otherwise be putting her away...or do I wait for signs like she isn't getting up, going under the heat source, eating etc??

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated..she is a sensitive soul. She had a breakdown last week when my dad mistakenly brought her in during a rain shower.

I think my main worry is if she wouldnt eat and if her demeanour turns even sourer...I don't want to have to wear gardening gloves to refill her water bowl.

Any help would be gratefully as always.
JODY from WIRKSWORTH

[Nina]

Hi Jody,

Well, I have to say that Jemima's table is looking excellent! So many different things in there to keep her interested, to walk over and around, and I think she must be one happy tortoise (or perhaps that should be 'tortoise master' because she has trained you really well)!

Here's a link to our article on overwintering your tortoise: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tor ... 2HWX4vTW9s (don't know if I've sent it to you before, but if I haven't then i hope it's of some use). Basically if she is isn't waking up in the mornings by herself, and she doesn't want to eat, then you know she has gone into hibernation mode and that is when to use the tips in the article. If she is still waking up and eating then I think she is fine and nothing to worry about ----------- yet . . . .

Your plans for upgrading her table are good, and if you can expand the table to be even bigger then that is good too (we can give you some ideas if you need them).

Take care and give Jemima a little tickle under chin from us.

Nina

[Tarajane77]

Thankyou Nina for your kind advice,

Jemima was in "King cobra" mode yesterday, so as soon as it subsides I'll attempt a chin rub sent from you!!!

[lin]

Lin

[Nina]

Hmm, I know we did sex her as female from your photo, but at that age you can never be sure and given her aggressive behaviour I'm wondering now if Jemima is actually Jeremy!

Nina