Keep your tortoise safe during winter

Over half of vets saw tortoises with weight loss or anorexia following their last hibernation, reveal the latest figures from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) who have teamed up with the specialist British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) to make sure hibernating pets have a healthy rest this winter.

With modern advice having moved away from the traditional idea of placing your tortoise in a shoebox in the attic, many vets believed these health problems stemmed from the way the tortoise was hibernated.

Although the weather is getting colder, vets advise owners to delay tortoise hibernation until November or December by keeping their pet warm using heat lamps to avoid an overlong hibernation that can result in depletion of energy stores, dehydration and accumulation of toxins.

The exact length of hibernation will vary depending on the tortoise’s life stage, health and size. Young tortoises should not have their first hibernation until their second, third or fourth winter and then only for six weeks.

Usually tortoises hibernate for up to a maximum of three months. If your tortoise is very young or has health problems, hibernation should be avoided.

To ensure good hibernation husbandry, leading veterinary organisations BVA, BSAVA and BVZS have compiled some tips to make sure your tortoise stays healthy whilst having the best possible winter rest.

Take your tortoise to a vet for a pre-hibernation health check and weigh in. In the weeks running up to hibernating, gradually cool your tortoise’s environment and bathe it daily. In the final week before hibernation, your tortoise should be kept at an outdoor temperature and not bathed. During hibernation, keep your tortoise between 5-8 degrees Celsius to prevent problems such as excessive weight loss or blindness

Tortoises should be kept in a protective environment whilst hibernating to ensure they are not interfered with by other animals

Tortoises should be weighed weekly while hibernating to ensure weight loss does not exceed 5% of the starting body weight. Brief handling to weigh will not disturb hibernation. There will be slight weigh loss in the first few weeks of hibernation, but if this continues into the third week then the tortoise should be brought out of hibernation.