HIBERNATING

HI EVERYONE.

WELL IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN !!

HIBERNATION, A WORD THAT WORRIES MOST TOROTISE KEEPERS ; I KNOW I AM ONE OF THEM. BUT WE HAVE TO TRUST IN OUR TORTIES ,THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO THEY KNOW THE SEASONS HAVE CHANGED AND IT IS TIME TO HAVE A REST. ALL MY GIRLS AND BOYS WENT TO SLEEP A LITTLE WHILE AGO.THERE WERE ACOUPLE OF STAGGLERS BUT THEY TOO HAVE NOW GONE TO SLEEP.

I HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT HIBERNATION AND ALL  I EXPLAIN IS HOW I HAVE DONE IT FOR OVER 36 YEARS  AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUCCESSFUL . EACH KEEPER MUST MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION ON HOW THEY CHOOSE TO DO IT.  BY  DOING IT AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE SEEMS TO BE THE BEST WAY TO GO AS THE TORTOISE GOES TO SLEEP IN IT'S OWN HOUSE FILLED WITH GOOD  FRESH DRY HAY THAT HAS BEEN SHAKEN TO REMOVE DUST. THE HOUSE IS FLOOR LINED WITH LINO  AND THE HOUSE HAS AIR HOLES. I ALWAYS OPEN THE DOOR AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK TO ALLOW FOR FRESH AIR TO RUN THROUGH. I ALSO PUT A GOOD FEW DROPS OF, GOOD LAVENDER OIL, TEA TREE OIL, CITRONELLA OIL AND PEPPERMINT OIL ONTO THE TOP LAYER OF THE HAY; THIS WORKS TO KEEP IT FRESH  AND KEEPS THE BUGS AWAY .

GERTIES 2 BABIES HAVE ALSO GONE TO SLEEP THIS WINTER!! THEY HAD A GREAT SEASON OUT SIDE(THEY WENT OUT IN MARCH FULL TIME)  SO BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY HARDENED OFF AND A GOOD WEIGHT WHEN THEY DECIDED TO BED DOWN I LET THEM DO IT.THEY ARE 2 1/2 NOW AND I KNOW IN THE WILD THEY WOULD DO IT  AT ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD SO I HAVE TO TRUST IN WHAT THEY DO HARD AS IT IS.

SO , ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT ..... AND  WAIT..... FOR SPRING TO ARRIVE. TO  ONCE AGAIN   REJOICE WHEN WE HEAR THAT FAMILIAR SCRATCHING SOUND OF OUR MUCH LOVED TORTIES WAKING AND WAITING FOR A BATH AND A CUDDLE.....