How long do russian tortoises hibernate

When it comes to temperament Russian tortoises are easy-going. Russian tortoises do not need to hibernate to be healthy so tortoises kept indoors and maintained at stable temperatures will never skip a beat while winter winds below outside.

In general a one-year-old tortoise could hibernate for three weeks a two-year-old tortoise for six weeks and a three-year-old tortoise would hibernate for ten weeks.

How long do russian tortoises hibernate. The seasons were never an exact thing its always possible to have relatively warm weather in October and November or to have cold weather april. So it usually depends on the weather not what month it is. But in general October is the month when most Russian tortoises start to hibernate.

Russian tortoises do hibernate and they are naturally inclined to do so in the winter months. For wild tortoises this is typically from October through to March where they remain in this state for around 5 months. In captivity Russian tortoises will typically hibernate for 3-12 weeks depending on age but can enter it at any time of the year if conditions are not adequate.

Housing and hibernation are two of the most important aspects of caring for a Russian tortoise that can be kept indoors or outdoors. A Russian tortoise will often go through a natural cycle which includes a few months of hibernation during the fall and winter. This hibernation period generally occurs between October and March.

It depends on the age weight length of tortoise and general health. 12 weeks is the maximum recommended but a week or two for a healthy juvenile to start. Never hibernate a tortoise you have owned for less than 12 months.

I hibernate them every winter including their first but I do it right. Some people wait longer and that is okay too. How long to hibernate depends on many factors.

I usually do 8-10 weeks for little ones and 12-14 weeks for older ones. Many articles describe a five month hibernation. Nature it can be five months long or it may only be a couple of months depending on the climateregion.

Once again I felt that AC. Highfields opinion made the most sense. However if youre not confident for any reason keeping your tortoise awake all year round until the age of about 3 is okay but youll certainly want to hibernate them the following year.

The approximate duration of hibernation according to the age of your tortoise should be. 1st year 3 weeks. 2nd year 6 weeks.

Not all Russian tortoises will hibernate. If temperatures in their habitat stay stable the tortoise will have no reason to hibernate at all. Most captive tortoises stay active all year long.

When it comes to temperament Russian tortoises are easy-going. Theyre non-aggressive and have been known to respond to owners. Russian tortoises do not need to hibernate to be healthy so tortoises kept indoors and maintained at stable temperatures will never skip a beat while winter winds below outside.

Keep lights on 12 to 14 hours a day and turn off all light and heat sources at night. Tortoises hibernate up to 9 months of the year. In captivity they appear to benefit from as little as 8 weeks in hibernation.

Before considering hibernation its important that you are absolutely sure its in good health. Have it checked by a vet and be sure to. Always seek the advice of your exotics vet on how long or if you even should hibernate your tortoise.

Never hibernate a tortoise for more than twelve weeks however. In general a one-year-old tortoise could hibernate for three weeks a two-year-old tortoise for six weeks and a three-year-old tortoise would hibernate for ten weeks. The maximum amount of time you should let your tortoise hibernate is four months though he can hibernate for shorter periods of time.

3 Avoid partially waking your tortoise. It is important to maintain your tortoises environment while he is hibernating to avoid partially waking him up. As mentioned above hibernation is a critical time in a Russian tortoises life and how you care for them during this time can affect their final size.

Hibernation lasts for months usually between October and March. Vet experts recommend that you do not hibernate your tortoise regardless of age beyond 12 weeks. Some places recommend that you do not let your tortoise hibernate if it is less than one year old some even say three years.

Currently running a contest httpsyoutube5yDbH-8DygsFollow me on Instagram _russiantorts_In this video I talk about if you need to hibernate your tortoi. Preferably for only 4-12 weeks. Prolonged hibernation will result in your tortoise exhausting all of its energy reserves and is a common cause of post-hibernation anorexia.

When it is time to bring your tortoise out of hibernation you should slowly increase the. Here is a short overview on how to safely hibernate a tortoise. Questions and requests for videos welcomeIMPORTANT NOTE.

Also read the hibernation guide for. That makes it tough to estimate when wild tortoises will begin hibernating. The best estimate we can give is between October and April.

However this can vary by as much as a month. Add to this the possibility of a warmer fall or shorter winter and the timelines get a bit blurry.