{"id":610,"date":"2026-04-30T07:12:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/?p=610"},"modified":"2026-04-30T07:12:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:12:56","slug":"getting-your-tortoise-eating-after-hibernation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/archives\/2026\/04\/getting-your-tortoise-eating-after-hibernation\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Your Tortoise Eating After Hibernation\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As temperatures rise and daylight hours increase, tortoises begin to wake from hibernation. For keepers, this is a critical time to focus on\u00a0rehydration, gut recovery, and a gradual return to feeding. Getting this stage right sets the foundation for a healthy and active season ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prioritise Hydration First<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before introducing food, your tortoise must be fully rehydrated. During hibernation, they lose significant moisture, and dehydration can delay appetite and digestion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daily shallow, lukewarm baths are essential in the first few days. Many tortoises will drink and rehydrate during soaking, helping to support kidney function and flush toxins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Supporting Gut Recovery<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once your tortoise is warmed under proper heat and UVB lighting, their metabolism will begin to increase. Only at this stage should feeding be introduced.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start slowly \u2014 the digestive system has been inactive, so offering small, easily digestible foods allows the gut to restart naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gentle Reintroduction to Feeding<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Begin with fresh, moisture-rich greens to encourage appetite and hydration:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dandelion leaves\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rocket (arugula)\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lamb\u2019s lettuce\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Other safe, high-fibre weeds\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As appetite improves, gradually build variety and return to a balanced, fibre-rich diet. A varied, plant-based diet is essential for tortoise health, supporting digestion and long-term wellbeing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can explore suitable options here:&nbsp;<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/tortoise-diet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/tortoise-diet<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Supporting Recovery with Supplements<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Post-hibernation is&nbsp;a good time&nbsp;to ensure your tortoise is receiving the right micronutrients to support recovery and overall health.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High-quality prepared diets can also help provide consistent nutrition during this transition. For example, fibre-rich pellet diets designed for herbivorous tortoises support digestive health and provide balanced nutrients.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For species that&nbsp;benefit&nbsp;from occasional&nbsp;additional&nbsp;protein (depending on species and husbandry), suitable insectivore options are available here:&nbsp;<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/category\/73-topinsect-frozen-insects\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/category\/73-topinsect-frozen-insects<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Provide a Reliable Calcium Source<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Calcium plays a vital role in shell strength and overall health. After hibernation, ensure a consistent source is always available:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cuttlebone placed in the enclosure\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Calcium supplementation where\u00a0required\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A correct balance of calcium and vitamins (including vitamin D3) is key to&nbsp;maintaining&nbsp;strong bones and shell development.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Monitoring Appetite<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most tortoises will begin eating within several days of waking, once hydration and body temperature are stable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your tortoise has not started eating after around a week, or shows signs of lethargy, it is advisable to seek guidance from a reptile specialist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A successful post-hibernation routine focuses on patience and gradual progression. By prioritising hydration, offering fresh greens, and supporting recovery with the right nutrition and supplementation, your tortoise will return to full strength and feeding in the weeks ahead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As temperatures rise and daylight hours increase, tortoises begin to wake from hibernation. For keepers, this is a critical time to focus on\u00a0rehydration, gut recovery, and a gradual return to feeding. Getting this stage right sets the foundation for a healthy and active season ahead.\u00a0 Prioritise Hydration First\u00a0 Before introducing food, your tortoise must be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":612,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610\/revisions\/612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kbanimalfoods.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}