Tortoise Owners – URGENT Weather Warning

08/04/2013

This cold spring is very bad news for tortoises. If they cannot get warmed up and eating quickly they can become seriously ill or die.

If your tortoise is still hibernating you should get him up NOW and keep him indoors under a heat lamp until the weather warms up. It is very easy – you just need a pen of some sort and a 100w spotlight which you can suspend 30cm above the tortoise as a basking light, with background heating in the room as well.

Give him a good soak in warm water every day to rehydrate him after the prolonged hibernation. He should be active and eating within 24-48 hours. If not, he may not be warm enough.

If you are concerned please call one of our surgeries to speak to one of our vets, and if he is not eating within a week you should seek veterinary advice.

Further details can be seen at the  Tortoise Trust website

www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/wakingup.htm