The Long Sleep - by Guy Lown BVetMed MRCVS (veterinary surgeon based at Cliff Lane)

Well another summer has passed by and now's the time tortoise owners, like me, are thinking about their winter siesta.

Tortoises are cold blooded, meaning they are unable to maintain their body temperature independently of their surroundings.  Most types of tortoise hibernate at cold times so they can conserve energy when food is scarce, some also 'shut down' in very hot weather.

At Highcliff Veterinary Practice I like to check my patients at the end of September to ensure they are fit to hibernate and to check their weight.  If they are not well enough for this, artificial heat and light must be provided from ideally late August onwards.

If all is well tortoises should be starved for 3-4 weeks before hibernation at the end of October.  This ensures the gut is empty (any food left inside would decompose).  During this time they should be regularly bathed to encourage water intake.  The bladder fills up and acts as a fluid store during hibernation.

Hibernation is best in a box within a box with insulation in between, in a cool place and not outdoors, as we have no control over frost, flood or temperature.  The humidity should be high and good ventilation is needed and it must be vermin free.

Other good sites are dedicated fridges or wine coolers, which are good to maintain the correct temperature, but you need to allow fresh air in daily or you will need to cut away sections of the door-sealing strip.

Temperature should be between 3 and 7 degrees centigrade (ideally take minimum/maximum readings daily).  Above 10 degrees centigrade they will become dehydrated and below zero can cause blindness, limb damage or death.

During hibernation they should be checked and weighed regularly.  If they lose more than 10% of their bodyweight they should be 'woken up' - and once awake they should not be put back into hibernation.

Overall hibernation should last 3-5 months (in the wild it is about 6-8 weeks) and then, if alls well, we can enjoy the company of our pets again.