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Tortoises need to drink water soon after hibernation to flush out built-up toxins
CHILLED PETS
Dear HIW, I saw a video in which someone had kept a pet tortoise in their fridge to hibernate. I wanted to know is this something that tortoise owners need to do, and why?
Francesca Jay
While not all tortoises need to hibernate, some do to conserve energy during colder seasons. It can benefit some tortoises, but they require consistent, specific temperature ranges. Only healthy tortoises who are well fed during the summer can survive exposure to cold temperatures, so you need to ask your vet for hibernation advice for your specific species. The fridge serves as an artificial hibernation chamber, and for most species needs to be kept between three and five degrees Celsius. Pet tortoises can remain in the fridge for around ten weeks and need full bladders and empty bowels before being exposed to the cold.