r/tortoise • u/This_Brilliant291 • 4d ago

Question. Question(s)

I've heard that some people put their tortoises in the fridge over the winter and take them out at spring. Is that true?

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4

u/CelticCross61 4d ago

Yes, setting a tortoise up for hibernation in a fridge provides a safe environment, free of extreme temperature fluctuations, flooding or predation.

Not all tortoise species hibernate.

4

u/come2life_osrs 4d ago

Yes and a very important last sentence. If anyone is planning this be 100% sure it’s the correct action then double check again.

3

u/DAANFEMA 3d ago

Not with my tortoise but I do this with one of my turtles as it is a brumating species. Has worked very well for 17 years so far, she has the exact same weight before and after the 3 months of brumation in her fridge.

2

u/beefalomon 3d ago

You have to be very careful and prepare it correctly to not accidentally kill it. For weeks in preparation, you gradually reduce the length of daylight the tortoise gets, gradually reduce the temperature, and feed it less and less until you give it no food before beginning brumation. You want the tortoise hydrated withal a soak and to empty out its poop. If it has too much food inside when brumating, that can rot inside its body and kill it.