Hibernation update....

[Emma25]

Morning Nina/everybody,

I wanted to post a little update to let you know that after 8 weeks, we took Penny out of hibernation last weekend. I think its safe to say she passed her (and ours!) first one with flying colours.

After taking her out of the fridge we heard movement within 10 minutes and within half an hour she was out of her box and moving around. We gave her a good long soak and then she went in her tortoise table and basked, she didn't eat until her second day but is now eating/weeing etc as normal.

There were days during hibernation we heard slight movement, days we heard nothing (which were stressful for us!) but she has come out of it brilliantly. Unlike the lead up to hibernation where some days we had to move her under the lamp, she is awake and under it as soon as it comes on.

This next coming one, we will definitely extend it for a couple of extra weeks.

I've attached a couple of photos which show her not long after she woke up, and one of her a couple of days later.

Thank you for all the help and guidance which we got from the The Tortoise Table on the hibernation processes, I don't think we could have done it without your help, Penny was a natural, but us not so much

[lin]

Hi Emma, and what a nice 1st time for you.
She looks in good condition but I won’t say the same about you, you probably need a few weeks recovery.
Isn’t it amazing the difference a long sleep makes to their energy and how spritely they with more of a purpose after waking up and the speed from coming out of the fridge, finding the heat and then eating/
Awesome creatures and so are for holding it together. We’ll do e to you both.

Lin

[Nina]

Hi Emma,

Thanks so much for the update and the photos. This is exactly why we spend time and energy corresponding with tortoise keepers -- it gives us such satisfaction to hear stories like yours, and we are so proud of you and Penny! I know it hasn't always been easy sailing, but isn't it lovely to see Penny emerge from her hibernation with renewed energy for the year to come. Your post and the photos have made my day!

Nina
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[Emma25]

Hi Lin, Nina,

Thank you for the lovely replies. It is the strangest thing ever, from not feeding her during the wind down, to boxing her up and putting her in a fridge. I could have quite easily given in a few times but we knew it was what was best for Penny and what she needed to do.

It really is amazing to think they are programmed to do this, and that they know what to do. To hear her moving and wake up after just a few minutes of being out of the fridge was such a relief and she looked at us as if to say, I don't know what you were worrying about! We can already see the difference in her and are so glad we did it, we just can't wait till she can get outside in her outdoor pen and enjoy some sunshine.

Thanks again for everything, it really did help and reassure us.
Emma