Winter is starting to make its presence felt, so this got me wondering, will my Russian tortoise hibernate? I know that a lot of tortoises hibernate in the wild, but I never knew what pet tortoises do in the winter, do they hibernate, do they brumate? So to find out I decided to do some research on this subject, here is what I found out.
Do Russian tortoises hibernate? Yes, most Russian tortoises hibernate during the winter, and some of them hibernate during the summer. Most commonly Russian tortoises will usually hibernate in a hole that they dug underground.
While most animals are only able to hibernate during the winter, some Russian tortoises are also able to do so in the summer. During hibernation Russian tortoises do a lot of interesting things that no other animals can do, so let’s take a closer look at how Russian tortoises hibernate, and what makes them so different from other animals.
Hibernation
First, let’s see what hibernation actually means. Hibernation is a state in which some mammals and reptiles will enter during cold periods. When they are in this state, they will reduce their metabolic rate, which means that they will use less energy, they won’t require any food or water, and they will sleep the whole time.
That is the basic explanation of what hibernation means. While this explanation covers the basic facts it doesn’t explain how it actually happens, and it doesn’t cover the different things that only certain species can do. So let’s move on to Russian tortoises and see how they do it
How Russian tortoises Hibernate
Unlike most animals that hibernate, Russian tortoises are reptiles. And this means that they are cold-blooded animals. Cold-blooded animals are not able to generate body heat and they rely on the surrounding temperature to heat their body. So Russian tortoises will observe very easily subtle changes in the temperature.
When the weather starts to get cold the metabolism of a Russian tortoise will automatically start to slow down. And as a result, their hearts will start to slow down, along with all other processes that happen in their bodies.
In general, the heart of a Russian tortoise beats between 40 and 45 times per minute, when they hibernate they will slow down to around 10 beats per minute. This should give you an idea of how much they slow down during hibernation.
As a result of this slowdown, they will need considerably less oxygen, sometimes due to unfortunate situations Russian tortoises don’t have access to oxygen at all, but because they are hibernating they are able to live without oxygen for up to 5 months. They can also survive for 5 to 8 months without any food or water. The amount of time they can do those things varies from species to species, the numbers that I gave you are just some averages.
The fact that Russian tortoises don’t need to generate heat to warm their bodies is also very helpful for them because, unlike mammals that hibernate, Russian tortoises don’t need to use energy to warm their bodies. This also means that they have to be very careful with the place where they choose to hibernate. So the fact that they are cold-blooded has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to hibernation.
Russian tortoises are able to do all those amazing things because they reduce their metabolic rate. But reducing the metabolic rate can also have some unpleasant side effects. One of the bad things that happen is that they have a hard time getting rid of the lactic acid that accumulates. Lactic acid is the same thing that gives us muscle soreness, so you can imagine how unpleasant it can be for the Russian tortoise to wake up after a long sleep with muscle cramps all over the body.
To neutralize the lactic acid Russian tortoises use magnesium and calcium that they’ve stored in their shells. If they didn’t do that the lactic acid build-up would be too big, and they wouldn’t be able to wake up from hibernation at all.
The calcium and magnesium that they used would have helped them grow, but because getting rid of the lactic acid was more important they had to use it for that. This is another bad side effect, Russian tortoises won’t be able to grow when they hibernate. And growing isn’t something superficial for Russian tortoises, it’s something that can save their life. The bigger they get the fewer predators will come after them.
But in the end, even if they don’t grow it was definitely worth it, because they managed to survive the winter.
Now let’s take a closer look at the specific things that Russian tortoises do when they hibernate.
How Russian tortoises Find a Place to Hibernate
When choosing a place to hibernate Russian tortoises will be interested in two things. Protection from the cold weather and protection from predators.
Most Russian tortoise species don’t have a favorite place where they hibernate. They will hibernate in any place that will provide them with proper protection. So you can find a Russian tortoise hibernating anywhere, you can find them in a pile of leaves, you can find them in a tree hollow, in a burrow, or in a hole in the ground.
When Do Russian Tortoises Start to Hibernate?
Most Russian tortoises will start hibernating in October when the weather usually starts to get colder. At that point, their metabolic rate starts to slow down slowly until they reach their hibernating metabolic rate.
But it all depends on the weather, not on what month it is. The seasons were never an exact thing, it’s always possible to have relatively warm weather in October and November, or to have cold weather April. So it usually depends on the weather, not what month it is. But in general, October is the month when most Russian tortoises start to hibernate.
When Do Russian Tortoises Stop Hibernating?
March is usually when the weather starts to get warmer and when most Russian tortoises get out of hibernation. But again it depends more on temperature than on what month it is.
Most Russian tortoises will resume their normal activities when the temperature is between 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit ( 13 to 15 degrees Celsius ).
When a Russian tortoise gets out of hibernation it will need a couple of weeks before it can resume its normal activities, like eating or drinking. There are two reasons why they do this.
The first is that they need to gather some heat so that their metabolic rate goes up and everything goes back to normal. And secondly, this is also a defense mechanism, in case the weather starts to get cold again they will be able to return to hibernation very fast.
Russian tortoises are also able to do one other interesting thing very similar to hibernation. Sometimes when it gets cold outside Russian tortoises will not enter in a state of hibernation, but in a state of brumation.
Brumation
Brumation is very similar to hibernation, but with one key difference. During hibernation, the Russian tortoises are asleep, while during brumation they are awake.
During brumation all processes in the body start to slow down, this includes their heart rather, the rate at which they breathe, etc. During brumation, Russian tortoises also don’t eat food, or they eat very little food.
Russian tortoises start brumating when the weather gets cold, but not cold enough for them to start hibernating. A lot of pet Russian tortoises brumate during the winter months.
When Russian tortoises are brumating they do very little, they rarely bask, they don’t look for food or for water, they just walk around, or sometimes they just stay in the same place for hours without doing anything.
Not too much can be said about brumation, it’s just a state in which Russian tortoises go in when it’s cold outside, but not cold enough for them to hibernate. And when they are in this state they don’t do anything.
At the beginning of the article I’ve mentioned that not all Russian tortoises will hibernate during the winter, some of them will hibernate during the summer. Hibernation during the summer is called aestivation.
Aestivation
Hibernation and aestivation are identical processes. The only difference is that Russian tortoises hibernate during the winter and aestivate during the summer. But not all Russian tortoises will aestivate, only a few species that live in the desert, and other places with very hot weather will do so.
During the winter Russian tortoises hibernate because it’s too cold for them to find any food, any water, and to live in general. The same thing happens for Russian tortoises that live in the desert, during the summer months. It gets too hot for them to be able to find any food or water and to live in general.
During those hot months the metabolism of the Russian tortoises will start to slow down, and they will usually dig a hole in the ground, or they will stay in the water, or they will cover themselves with mud or the best substrate that they have at their disposal. After that, they will wait for the hot weather to pass.
The key to survival is to find a place where they will be away from the direct heat of the sun. When Russian tortoises are aestivating they don’t have any way to hydrate themselves. So if they end up in direct sunlight when they are aestivating, it might be the end for them.
As I said, aestivation and hibernation are the same processes, just in different conditions. During both of them, Russian tortoises reduce their metabolic rate so they use very little food, water, oxygen, and energy. And they basically sleep until the bad weather passes.
Conclusion
So this should cover all the questions that you had about Russian turtle hibernation. But in case you still have some questions that I didn’t answer in the article, you can leave them in the comment section and I will answer them as soon as possible.
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Hi, this is a very interesting read for me. I have a 12 year old Russian tortoise who has suddenly stopped eating about 5 weeks ago…. Summertime UK…. So I took her to our local vet who did a scan, nothing found suggested I get referred to an exotic vet… So I made the long journey 2 days later, she was weighed and bloods taken…. All fine… The vet is suggesting if she doesn’t eat soon (supplied with a milk formula to syringe feed) then I consider tube feeding her from the neck. To me, my tortoise looks like she just wants to hibernate and then I came across your article here on aestivation…. I have done fine lots of googling…. Wish I had come across your article much sooner. My gut feeling is she wants to hibernate….. Aestivate as its summer… So I am going to let her. Thanks for a very interesting read.
Do you leave the turtle in the same place or can you move him around? I am keeping mine in the garage as we have cats, (my bird lives in the bathroom because of the cats). What is the prime temperature for hibernation? Should I leave a heat lamp on?
Thank you for the help! New parent
Hello Debra,
Tortoises don’t like to be moved around too often, so I try to keep mine in the same place.
The average temperature for hibernation is between 50°F and 62°F. If you want to let your turtle hibernate you should turn the heat lamp off, otherwise the temperature will get be to high.
I have an indoor Russian tortoise is it still best to let it hibernate thanks .
Whether or not to let an indoor Russian tortoise hibernate is a matter of personal choice, but it’s important to consider a few factors.
In the wild, Russian tortoises do hibernate, but in captivity, hibernation isn’t always necessary. Some owners choose not to hibernate their tortoises because it can be risky if not done correctly. If you do decide to hibernate your Russian tortoise, it’s essential to follow best practices to ensure its safety. Here are some factors to consider:
Health: Ensure that your tortoise is healthy and free from any underlying health issues. Hibernation can be stressful on the body, so it’s best to hibernate a healthy tortoise.
Weight and Size: A tortoise should have adequate fat reserves and weigh enough to sustain it through hibernation. Consult your veterinarian to determine if your tortoise is a suitable candidate based on its size and weight.
Temperature: Maintain a stable and appropriate hibernation temperature in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area. Tortoises should not be hibernated at too low or too high temperatures. It’s best to consult with a reptile veterinarian or tortoise expert for specific guidelines on temperature and duration.
Duration: The duration of hibernation depends on various factors, including the tortoise’s age and health. It can range from several weeks to several months.
Expert Guidance: It’s strongly recommended to seek advice from a veterinarian with experience in reptile care or a tortoise expert who can provide guidance tailored to your specific tortoise.
If you are uncertain about hibernation, and considering the potential risks, you may choose to keep your Russian tortoise active year-round. This can involve providing a warm indoor enclosure with proper lighting, heating, and a balanced diet. Keeping your tortoise awake year-round ensures that it receives continuous care and is less risky than hibernation.
Your choice should be based on your tortoise’s health, your level of experience, and the local climate conditions. Consulting with an expert is always a good idea when making this decision.
Our Russian tortoise has decided to take to his sideways flower pot hidey hole for the past 3 weeks. (UK July – inside!)
We’ve pulled him out for a stroll and he’s eaten some food but headed back again. Otherwise he looks fine.
Previously very active and gagging for his fresh leaves etc first thing in the morning.
Think we’re going to leave him to sort out his own sleepy time.
It’s quite common for Russian tortoises to go through periods of inactivity or hiding, especially if they sense a change in their environment or the weather. In the UK, the cooler and wetter weather might encourage them to seek shelter or go into a period of semi-hibernation. If your Russian tortoise appears healthy and has had a history of activity and eating well, it’s generally fine to let them choose their sleeping patterns.
Just continue to monitor his health, offer food as usual (even if he doesn’t eat much), and ensure he has access to a warm and comfortable environment. If he starts to lose weight, shows signs of illness, or if this behavior continues for an extended period, it might be a good idea to consult with a reptile veterinarian to rule out any underlying health issues.
Providing a variety of fresh and suitable foods, maintaining proper temperature and lighting, and offering a safe and secure habitat will help ensure your tortoise remains happy and healthy. It’s always important to respect their natural behaviors and preferences.