# Horsfield ... Help!!!



## Sarah & Fred

Hello, I'm new here and pretty new to living with a tortoise! I was given Fred a couple of months ago and so far so good(ish). 

Previous to me adopting him he'd been kept in the back of a garage in a viv (without a lid), a heat lamp and uv lamp and (from what I can gather) very little care or attention. I have a table indoors for him, have created an enclosure outside (although he's not using it now it's colder) and he (I say he but that's just a guess) seems to have been pretty active and 'happy'. However, for the past couple of weeks I've struggled to keep him active. He retreats to his cave away from the heat and light as much as possible and if I force him out and bath him he reluctantly eats and wanders around a little before going back to his hidey hole! I'm planning on overwintering him this year - partly because I'm scared stiff of the whole hibernation thing and mainly because I just don't know enough of his history or if he's healthy enough for that? I think I probably should be weighing him (?) and will certainly start that tomorrow when I bath him again.

Am I doing anything wrong? I think he's around 5 years old. I think I'm his third person ... prior to being kept in the garage I believe he had another 'owner' and was attacked by a dog which damaged his shell but I know nothing beyond that. 

Any help/criticism gratefully received!


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## purplepixie

Sarah & Fred said:


> Hello, I'm new here and pretty new to living with a tortoise! I was given Fred a couple of months ago and so far so good(ish).
> 
> Previous to me adopting him he'd been kept in the back of a garage in a viv (without a lid), a heat lamp and uv lamp and (from what I can gather) very little care or attention. I have a table indoors for him, have created an enclosure outside (although he's not using it now it's colder) and he (I say he but that's just a guess) seems to have been pretty active and 'happy'. However, for the past couple of weeks I've struggled to keep him active. He retreats to his cave away from the heat and light as much as possible and if I force him out and bath him he reluctantly eats and wanders around a little before going back to his hidey hole! I'm planning on overwintering him this year - partly because I'm scared stiff of the whole hibernation thing and mainly because I just don't know enough of his history or if he's healthy enough for that? I think I probably should be weighing him (?) and will certainly start that tomorrow when I bath him again.
> 
> Am I doing anything wrong? I think he's around 5 years old. I think I'm his third person ... prior to being kept in the garage I believe he had another 'owner' and was attacked by a dog which damaged his shell but I know nothing beyond that.
> 
> Any help/criticism gratefully received!



I hate to say this, but it sounds like he/she is getting ready to hibernate. They sense the change in temps very quickly and if outside will dig down, and you cannot always see where they are. So him/her being inside will stop your stressing a little. Hibernation is a little scary, but if the correct instructions are followed its fine, but worry some no matter how long you keep tortoises. But the first is always the worst, once you have done it, it does become easier. As long as he/she has been active with a dry nose and clear bright eyes, then chances are he/she knows what they are doing, even if you dont:0) If you could post a picture it would help us with size etc. As for weighing, this for a new keeper can be useful. Weighing once a month, they should gain from 2-3grms, for normalish growth. Any more than that then they are growing too fast. So keeping a chart of growth does help. Also if you can see the white lines around their scutes clearly, this is another sign of fast growth. The aim is for slow smooth growth. Horsfields are the most greedy tortoises so you do have to be careful.:0)


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## Sarah & Fred

Thanks for your reply ... he is being kept inside now and it's pretty warm plus he has the heat/uv lamp during the day so I was hoping that would put him off any ideas of hibernation. I really don't feel confident about actually putting him in a box for weeks/months on end at this stage of our relationship! Can I leave him in the cave in his table and let him ride it out in a warmer environment or would this be risky ... or can I force him to stay awake by bathing him every couple of days and putting food out for him?

Sorry if I sound like an idiot. Give me a dog and I know exactly what to do but this is a completely new experience for me and pretty daunting!
























So, I just weighed him ... you can probably see from the last picture that he wasn't happy about that! He's 871g. 

He certainly was digging more and burying himself the last few times I put him outside so maybe it was getting a bit too cold for him to be out there? I just thought that's what they do regardless  😂


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## purplepixie

Sarah & Fred said:


> Thanks for your reply ... he is being kept inside now and it's pretty warm plus he has the heat/uv lamp during the day so I was hoping that would put him off any ideas of hibernation. I really don't feel confident about actually putting him in a box for weeks/months on end at this stage of our relationship! Can I leave him in the cave in his table and let him ride it out in a warmer environment or would this be risky ... or can I force him to stay awake by bathing him every couple of days and putting food out for him?
> 
> Sorry if I sound like an idiot. Give me a dog and I know exactly what to do but this is a completely new experience for me and pretty daunting!
> View attachment 368102
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> View attachment 368103
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> 
> So, I just weighed him ... you can probably see from the last picture that he wasn't happy about that! He's 871g.
> 
> He certainly was digging more and burying himself the last few times I put him outside so maybe it was getting a bit too cold for him to be out there? I just thought that's what they do regardless  😂


Firstly you are not an idiot, if you need to know you need to know:0)
Well certainly an adult tortoise:0) 
Keeping him asleep in a warm room is not so good, as it gives his body mixed messages and could lose weight. You can try and keep him awake by keeping the temps going, but his body clock is already telling him hibernation temps are on there way. 
Just to say hibernation is not that bad, too many keepers post drastic info they have read and is scary. I have hibernated tortoises for over forty years and not lost one yet:0) I only post about my own experience not what is post of facebook or the like:0)
I am hoping Sue sees your post as she is more experience with horsfields than me. I keep med and have kept box turtles. But horsfields are more unpredictable than med, but basically kept the same.
Keep asking questions its the only way to learn.
The damaged shell should be bathed occasionally with diluted betadine or the like, to stop bacteria setting in. The shell will come off eventually through wear and tear:0)


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