HIBERNATION

HI ALL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIBERNAION.I HAVE RECEIVED ALOT OF EMAILS AND CALLS ABOUT HOW AND WHAT TO DO AND MOST IMPORTANTLY AT WHAT AGE TO HIBERNATE YOUR TORTOISE. WELL, AS YOU KNOW I DON'T HIBERNATE MINE UNTIL YEAR 4/5..I HAVE BEEN ASKED IS IT OK TO DO IT  FROM YEAR ONE ONWARDS ? YOU CAN HIBERNATE YOUR TORTOISE FROM YEAR ONE IF YOU WISH  AS THEY DO HIBERNATE YEAR ONE IN THE WILD. IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU BUT AS I HAVE NEVER DONE IT I CANNOT REALLY OFFER ADVICE OTHER THAN TO MAKE SURE IT HAS GAINED ENOUGH WEIGHT , IS IN A DRY SAFE PLACE AND FINALLY HAS SHOWN A WANT TO DO IT.  I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF OWNERS WHOSE TORTIE IS 3 BUT VERY LARGE AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO HIBERNATE THIS YEAR.IF IT IS HEALTHY AND BRIGHT BEFORE IT SLOWS DOWN THEN ALL SHOULD BE WELL. WHEN I BEGAN MY TORTIE JOURNEY VERY LITTLE WAS KNOWN ABOUT THEM . ALOT DIED BECAUSE OF POOR HUSBANDRY AND NOT BEING USED TO OUR WINTERS . AS MY CONFIDENCE GREW  I LEARNT SO MUCH FROM THEM AND I AM STILL LEARNING TODAY.. SO, HIBERNATING YOUR SMALL TORTOISE IS THE SAME AS HIBERNATING AN OLDER ONE;THE RULES ARE THE SAME.. I  LIKE TO MAKE SURE MY YOUNG ONES HAVE THE BEST START POSSIBLE.THEY SPEND AS MUCH TIME IN THE GARDEN AS THE WEATHER PERMITS TO GET USED THE RAPID CHANGE IN THE WEATHER ON A DAILY BASIS.I EVEN PUT THEM ON THE LAWN IN THE RAIN.BY THE TIME THEY DO HIBERNATE I FEEL THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO SAFELY DO SO.IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND WANT TO HIBERNATE YOUR LITTLE ONE THEN DO SO WITH AS MUCH ADVICE AS YOU CAN GET...I WILL FINISH BY SAYING DON'T FORGET MY FRIENDS BABY TORTIE WHO WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD WHEN IT GOT LOST,SPENT THE REST  OF THE SUMMER ON ITS OWN AND FINALLY HIBERNATED ITSELF IN THE GARDEN  !! THEN IN THE SPRING IT POPPED BACK ONTO THE LAWN AND MY FRIEND COULD NOT BELIEVE HER EYES... SO... THEY CAN IT IS JUST YOUR CHOICE...