Tortoise Guided Hibernation Service

from £25.00

Expert hibernation guidance with phone consultations
Bespoke hibernation plan and booklet
Vet sign-off and worm count required
Remote monitoring with regular updates
Affordable alternative to boarding service
Complete peace of mind for new and experienced tortoise keepers

Option:

Quantity:

Expert hibernation guidance with phone consultations
Bespoke hibernation plan and booklet
Vet sign-off and worm count required
Remote monitoring with regular updates
Affordable alternative to boarding service
Complete peace of mind for new and experienced tortoise keepers

Not every tortoise keeper can travel to us for hibernation boarding — but you don’t have to do it alone. Our Guided Hibernation Service is designed for owners who want to hibernate their tortoise at home, with expert support every step of the way.

Step 1: Pre-Hibernation Consultation — £50

A 30-minute phone call covering:

Why we hibernate tortoises
Why controlled hibernation is safest
Different hibernation methods explained
Assessing if your tortoise is ready for hibernation
Remote health review of your tortoise
Preparing for hibernation (worming, vet sign-off, fasting, checks)

At the end of this consultation, you’ll feel confident knowing whether your tortoise can safely hibernate — or if over-wintering is the better option — and what the next steps look like.

Step 2: Guided Hibernation — £100

(Must complete Pre-Hibernation Consultation first, with evidence of worm count and vet clearance)

Includes:

3 phone consultations during hibernation:
- Preparing for hibernation day & weeks ahead
- Mid-hibernation check-in
- Hibernation end check-in & post-hibernation care
Hibernation booklet with easy-to-follow advice
Bespoke hibernation plan tailored to your tortoise
Check-lists (temperature, weights, bathing, feeding)
Remote monitoring (you update weight & temperature weekly)
Follow-up email tips after each consultation so you’re always ready for the next stage

Why Choose Guided Hibernation?

✅ Affordable alternative to boarding
✅ Professional guidance without leaving home
✅ Peace of mind — you’re never unsure what to do
✅ Perfect for first-time owners or those too far away to use our in-person service

Important Notes

This is a remote guidance service. Owners remain responsible for carrying out hibernation safely at home.
A vet sign-off and worm count are required before starting.
Emergency support available as an optional add-on if you’d like extra reassurance.

Hibernation Questionnaire 2

Tortoise’s Name

Breed of tortoise

Select the breed of tortoise

Age

If you don't know the exact hatch date, please enter approximate age

Length of the tortoise's shell

Measured underneath, in cm

Current weight of the tortoise

in grams (this should be first thing in the morning, before eating or bathing)

What is their diet?

Please give as much information as possible on what you feed your tortoise

How long have you had the tortoise?

If you have had the tortoise for less than 1 year, was this tortoise hibernated by the previous owner?

Have you hibernated this tortoise before?

If you have hibernated this tortoise before, how long was the last hibernation?

Known hibernation issues?

Were there any issues related to hibernation either before, during or after the last hibernation? If so, what were they?

Have there been any health issues in the past year with your tortoise?

Please provide as much detail as possible on any health issues in the past year. (Enter n/a if not applicable)

Has your tortoise had any operations in the past year?

Please provide as much detail as possible on any operations in the past year.

Do you have any concerns over its general health?

Any concerns at all is helpful Eg more lethargic than normal, not eaten for 2 days etc.

Are there any long term or ongoing health issues?

Eg RNS, mycoplasma. How long have they had the issues? This is important to determine if safe to hibernate and length of hibernation

Current health status

Is your vet a reptile specialist vet?

When was the last faecal exam for worms at the vets and what were the results?

Please also provide a copy/photo of the results using the contact us form

Did your vet advise your tortoise has passed a pre-hibernation health check and is fit for hibernation?

Please also provide a copy/photo of the results using the contact us form including the date of the vet visit

Is your tortoise still eating normally?

ie eating a normal amount of food compared to summer months

Please confirm you will continue to feed the tortoise and provide warmth and UVB until they are ready to come to HappyTortoises to start the hibernation process?

This is important to avoid hibernation starting too early and causing unnecessary complications and risk

Any other information

Enter any other information you want to tell us about your tortoise that may impact hibernation or use this space to expand on other answers above

Emergency contact name

We will use these details to contact in the case of an emergency.

Emergency telephone number

We will use these details to contact in the case of an emergency.

(###)

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Contact Name

Enter contact name if this is different from emergency contact name

Contact Telephone

Enter contact telephone number if this is different from emergency telephone number

(###)

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Contact Email address

This email address will be used to confirm your booking, raise any questions etc. Please add happytortoises@hotmail.com to your contacts list so our emails reach you

We hope your tortoise has a relaxing hibernation with us and we look forward to seeing them soon!

Tortoise Guided Hibernation Service

Step 1: Pre-Hibernation Consultation — £50

Step 2: Guided Hibernation — £100

Why Choose Guided Hibernation?

Important Notes

Reviews

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