I've got two herman tortoises, one i know if male and im pretty sure the other is female. The male is 5 and the female is 2 and they seem to get on okay apart from the male chasing the female around now and again? I assume he's thinking about mating?

They live together and that seems to be ok but theyre always banging on the glass to get out during the day when im wandering around, i let them out and they run off to a quiet corner and go to sleep. When i check on them theyre cold and fast asleep, i put them back into the tank for a bit to warm them up but after an hour or so theyre banging on the glass again.

Are they just bored? Are they too young to be thinking of hibernating?

Tortoises don't understand glass so they get stressed being able to see through something that they can't get through, please change to a tort table. Not to mention if you have them in a glass tank with the correct basking temp at one end I bet they don't have anywhere cooler to go.

A tortoise is never too young to hibernate, in the wild they would hibernate from the year they hatch, my Hermann's have hibernated right from the first winter I have had them with no problems what so ever... But then I do wind them down and hibernate them in a box in the fridge.

Please read the following websites for great information on caring for torts:
Home Petition Tortoise FAQ Slide show - Tortoise Protection Group
Tortoise Trust Web - Start Page

if they are kept in a tank its important that they are taken out of thia ASAP. it is very bad for their health and general well being. Also Torts can and should if of healthy weight for size be hibernated from their 1st year. it really annoys me when i still hear stores telling customers stupid things like dont hibernate till the tort is 5yrs old. its wrong and should be done if the tort is healthy.

__________________
VISIT
http://pottyaboutpets.proboards79.com/index.cgi FORUM

I've been advised by a tortoise vet not to hibernate herman torts untill they are older so thats what i am doing.

I've changed their home now and brought an open top tortoise table with a heat lamp, uv light etc. Its great and they seem a lot happier sunbathing now rather than sleeping.

Thank you for your help

sorry to hear about the advice your vet has given. to deny hibernation can cause growth problems as well as skeletal.
please look on the net and look at chelonia group. these are experts in Tortoise and their care. torts hibernate their 1st year in the wild. as long as the animals weight is ok it should be done. feel free to contact me and i'll help u all i can. but please if u are gonna keep your tort awake please think carefuly about this.
theres so much wrong info given by vets that this is something experienced tortoise owners and breeders are always striving to correct to avoid these animals suffering in the future.

__________________
VISIT
http://pottyaboutpets.proboards79.com/index.cgi FORUM

all my torts will be hibernated even my 4 month old iberas as long as there healthy a good weight and you have gone through the wind down process correctly there should be no problems im at the moment on week 3 wind down for my older torts who will be hibernated in the fridge for 12 weeks i will start wind down for my babies the end of December and they will be hibernated for 8 weeks only.

__________________
2 kittens,4 dogs,8 tortoises.6turtles,bearded dragon,2ferrets and husbands racing pigeons