My tortoise is stiff and not moving. Is it dead or hibernating?

I am sorry to hear about Nokta. I too, am worried about what you describe. Although when they hibernate their limbs are usually in the shell, not out. I do worry that she could be gravely ill and very weak. It can be hard to tell if a turtle is deceased. It is impossible to find a heartbeat, and reptiles can survive on only breathing very infrequently. I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If that is not available then try to warm her up and see if she will Move. If she is alive she likely needs veterinary care to survive. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

A veterinary visit is important, as soon as possible and this tortoise sounds critical, if even alive. It is difficult to palpate a heart beat so a doppler at the veterinarian is needed. Good luck.

Without a physical exam, it is difficult to determine if it is dead or alive. Low temps may cause extreme lethargy in reptiles. Try warming it up slowly, using warm water and a heat lamp, to see if it starts to move. If it was submerged, it may have drowned. To be sure, you can take it to the local veterinary clinic to confirm death.

The tortoise will need to be examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles. If the injuries are severe or if the tortoise is truly paralyzed, humane euthanasia may be an option. Without an exam, it is difficult to determine the extent of the injuries or what treatment is needed.

Thanks for reaching out about Hank. Not all animals remain limp after dying. and can stiffen up (rigor mortis) A veterinary visit can assess for a heart beat, but this does not appear promising. Sorry.

I am so sorry that this is happening to you and Cleo. It can be very difficult to tell when reptiles have passed away sometimes, so I am glad that you asked. My recommendation to tell for sure would be to take Cleo in to a veterinary clinic to confirm that she has passed. Sometimes their hearts can beat very slowly (sometimes even one beat every 1-2 minutes!) so I think that this will give you peace of mind. If the vet is not comfortable with reptiles, that is okay. They need to place a Doppler probe right between the front limbs on the chest - this will be the easiest place to hear if there is a heartbeat present or not. I hope that helps, and I’m so sorry again.

First of all if he is in the house, then he is most likely dead as it is too warm to go into hibernation. If he is outside it's not easy to tell, at least not in the beginning, eventually you will know as you will see him start to decompose after a few days of being dead, it will start smelling as well.