I have 2 horsefield tortoises. Pepper who is 6 and Salt who is 2. I've never put Pepper to hibernate as the breeder we got her from said we didn't need to. We got her from him when she was about 3 months old.They have a big custom made home with heat lamp and uv bulb. I feed a large mix of veg and weeds, but for some reason Pepper stops eating every now and then. Sometimes for a few days and this time its been a couple of weeks. She always starts eating again but I wondered if I was doing something wrong or if this was normal behaviour. She hasn't lost much weight and I keep bathing her. Salt has started to do it now but still seems fairly active. We've only had her 6 months as our neighbour didn't want her anymore.

Hi there
I would be surprised if a breeder told you this as most are keen to go with hibernation for horsfields. If indeed your small one is from a breeder and the older one is wild caught, which is more normal with horsfields, then you could easily have passed pathogens from one to another which would upset the gut system. I would have faecals done first at a vets to determine which (if any) parasites are present. Having said that, this is the time of year that they wind down naturally for hibernation and horsfields are more highly geared to this, given that in the wild they only eat for three - four months of the year. My own horsfields are all winding down now and even the tiny babies will be hibernating very soon.
Don't hibernate this year if the vet suggests worming at this late stage.
Hope this helps.

They are both from breeders. The older one came from a chap at Leeds who had quite a few as he rescued them and also took ones in that were sent to him by the rspca. She always starts eating again but I wondered if this was normal behaviour. I will have her checked by the vet. But wouldn't even know how to hibernate them. Is it safe to do it know if they haven't eaten?

It's safer to hibernate if they haven't eaten. If they have eaten it would likely kill them due to food fermenting in the gut. Depending on weight they need to be starved for up to four weeks, giving gradual reduction in light and heat during this time. Heat is necessary at the beginning to aid digestion. Temps for hibernation need to be 5 degrees optimum, although I find russians do better at about 3 degrees. Don't go to freezing as this would be catastrophic. The simplest way to control temps is using a fridge but outdoors in a brick outhouse or garage with no windows is fine, so long as you have backup heat to click on at 5 degrees if freezing is possible. Never hibernate in a shed or attic/loft as the temps fluctuate too much.
Hope this helps

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Sue
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The horsefield tortoises has also increased from cream-colored liquid, passing the white stone. We were the turtle bath once a day, and he is not interested in the bowl of water permanently in the cabinet. It is not in a vivarium that is in a table. It has a heat lamp at night and dropping daylight during the day. and until it passes the rock has been very active, it has been quiet for a few days but have now begun to wander again.

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Aare you the same person who posted the original question about having the horsfields from Leeds? It's hard to help someone when you don't have the full picture. Are you saying this tortoise has passed a stone too?

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Sue
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A lng long time since I had tortoises - but ours certainly used to hibernate! That said my knowledge is zero - but do hope that everything is OK/
DT

Hi, no I didn't post the notice about a tortoise passing a stone. Both my tortoises are both very healthy, I haven't put them into hibernation but left them alone in their house. I did some research and as soon as they started to move about after not coming out for about 6-7weeks I bathed them and fed them. They're both eating loads and have not lost any weight. I'll do more research and put them both to hibernate next winter. Thanks for all your tips.

Do you have the proper equipment? 2 things that are very important for keeping healthy tortoises is a heat lamp and a UVA/UVB lamp. The box MUST say UVB and it should emit at least 5% UVB but 10% is best. You say temp is 65F is that room temp? What are the temps in the enclosure? Torts need microclimates. They need a cool place and a warm spot (basking spot) these temps differ with species but most torts in the pet trade need a cool spot of about 70 and a warm spot of about 90. Most need a nightly temp drop but probably not as cold as yours may be getting. Torts also need the proper humidity so you should also get a hydrometer/thermometer.

I would agree with htis advice for the most part but not that they need such a highlow temp if that makes sense, as most Med areas have much lower ground level temps overnight and under cover in the day, except for the very height of the season.

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Take care
Sue
www.tortsmad.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tortsmad