Hibernation

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Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 22 Jan 2018, 14:01

Hello
Hope you’re well.
I was hoping you could help me please? We have one of our Hermanns in the fridge on her 8th week and hoping to bring her out in three weeks. When we were checking on her last night we noticed the soil behind her was slightly clumped. We are worrying this could be a small wee or are unsure if it is condensation. It wasn’t visibly wet.
Her weight has been pretty good throughout hibernation, starting at 1545g and is now 1501g but within that she has had a 10g poo. The weight that she would need to get to for us to stop hibernation for her would be 1462g so she is still way off this. Last week she was 1507g so has only gone down 6g.
Do you think that this could be wee as we are unsure? And if it was it would have been a tiny one for the soil to not even be wet. I’ve seen her have a wee in her enclosure before and there was loads! It would be a shame to take her out if we don’t have to as we are making some changes on her enclosure. If we had to take her out, we would of course.
I would be grateful if anyone has any thoughts on this.
Thank you
Stevie

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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Hibernation

Post by lin » 22 Jan 2018, 14:42

Hiya.
Its good that all seems pretty stable but in the last week, of week 8, when she should have been most settled she looses 6g. Could this be a pointer that it was a wee. If there was no clumping last week when you weighed her and a few days later there was. If she were mine I would personally take it as an indicator that there is something that needs looking at and get her up.
You could wait and see what the others will say and I am sure Nina will be on later this evening.

Lin

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 22 Jan 2018, 14:54

Hi Lin
Thank you for your reply. These were her weights all through hibernation:
Weight going in -1545
Week 1 - 1500 ( looking back must have been a discrepancy with the scales)
Week 2 - 1546
Week 3 - 1540
Week 4 - 1542
Week 5 - 1543
Week 6 - 1518 & 10g poo
Week 7 - 1508
Week 8 - 1501

Minimum safe weight- 1462

I see what your saying but it’s not the first time she has lost 6g before. I just thought if it was a wee then the soil would be still wet as it wouldn’t have gotten warm enough to evaporate in there. I will do as you say and see what others say though, with a potential to take her out. At least I’ve given a bit more information if others need it.

Thanks again

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 22 Jan 2018, 17:25

Hello again
Sorry to mess you about. I have just spoken to my husband who actually checked them last night in the fridge and he said that he wouldn’t of even said that the soil was clumped. He just said that it appeared darker at her rear end and when he ran his hands through soil he couldn’t distinguish for sure whether it was damp or just really really cold.
Thanks

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Hibernation

Post by Nina » 22 Jan 2018, 19:19

Oh dear, it's really difficult, isn't it. I wouldn't think it would be condensation, unless your substrate was damp to begin with, as fridges are actually very drying atmospheres, so you don't really get much condensation in a fridge. Also a tortoise that size would have a sizeable wee, I would think -- enough for you to notice it anyway. How long was it between the last time you checked on her and when you found the clumped soil (I was wondering if it was a long time then she maybe could have had a wee and it had started to dry out), but if it was not a long time then that is unlikely.

As far as weight loss is concerned, I'm not sure. How are you working out the 1462g that she would need to go down to before you wake her up? We always used to say that they shouldn't lose more than 10% of their weight during hibernation (so in her case it that would be 154g), but as far as I can see, the latest thinking is that they shouldn't lose more than 1% per month. 1% of 1545g is just over 15g, so the permitted weight loss over two months (which is about how long she has been in) would be just over 30g, and she has lost 44g (if I am figuring this out correctly -- I might not be and maths isn't my strong point!). That could still be OK, but I think you need to keep an eye on her and if she continues to lose weight over the next week or two then I might be tempted to wake her up. Having said that -- what has happened in previous years? If she is a tortoise who does tend to lose more weight in hibernation than you would expect but is quite fine with that, then maybe that is her pattern, but if in previous years she hasn't lost so much weight, then I would be more concerned.

I don't think I've been much help (hope I haven't made things worse!), so really sorry, but these things are never straightforward :(

Nina

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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Hibernation

Post by lin » 22 Jan 2018, 20:19

I'm glad we are both singing from the same book Nina.
IMO - If the soil is darker only around the back end and not all over then it will have to be for a reason and because of that I would get her up rather than leave things to chance.

Lin

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 22 Jan 2018, 21:56

Hello ladies
Thank you for your reply. Do you think that she will be ok until tomorrow night so we can get some substrate etc and then take her out?
Many thanks

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Hibernation

Post by Nina » 22 Jan 2018, 22:06

I think she will be fine. A wee just dehydrates her -- it doesn't kill her -- and tortoises can go a long time being a bit dehydrated. I know it's all worrying, but I do think no harm will come to her in the next day or so.

Nina

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 22 Jan 2018, 22:09

Ok Nina, thank you so much for your help and information. ☺️

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Hibernation

Post by Nina » 22 Jan 2018, 22:45

No problem, and do let us know how you get on (we'll be thinking of you and fingers crosses that all is well)!

Nina

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Hibernation

Post by Stevie » 25 Jan 2018, 13:58

Hello ladies
Just to let you know we took her out on Tuesday night and given her a bath everyday and she’s drinking, eating and pooing and weeing so all is well. It’s lovely to have her back her back out of hibernation and seeing her little face.
Thanks for your advice :)

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Nina
Posts: 2003
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Hibernation

Post by Nina » 25 Jan 2018, 14:22

Whew -- I'm so glad to hear that! It's lovely when they come back from hibernation -- usually full of energy and ready to go. I was just looking at some weeds in the garden today, and some campanula and pansies and was thinking how wasted they are, when they could be making a nice lunch for a tortoise!

Nina

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