Rescued B.C. tortoise’s unique needs offer cautionary tale

Franklin the tortoise has been in a fridge for the past 15 weeks.

The rescued reptile is in the care of the B.C. Wildlife Park, where he was taken after he was found on the shores of Shuswap Lake in the province’s Interior.

“Presumably he was abandoned by somebody and let loose, because he definitely was not supposed to be out there,” animal keeper Dylan Tracey said.

Franklin – a marginated tortoise native to high-altitude parts of the Mediterranean – requires specific conditions to make it through the winter months and could never have survived outdoors in this climate.

In their natural habitat, tortoises like Franklin go into a state called brumation, which Tracey describes as “similar to hibernation, but not true hibernation,” once temperatures dip below 10 C.

The fridge where Franklin underwent brumation is shown in this photo provided by the B.C. Wildlife Park.

As the external temperature drops, so too does the tortoise’s internal temperature – as well as its metabolism. While a tortoise in this state requires little-to-no food to survive, it also doesn’t move much or quickly, making it vulnerable to predators.

“They have adapted and evolved this behavior to last out the winter,” Tracey said.

“They will seek out an animal burrow or they will excavate their own in the hillside because the temperature tends to be more stable underground. And then they’ll kind of half bury themselves and they will just wait until it warms up again.”

Franklin spent the summer in an outdoor enclosure at the wildlife park but on Oct. 1, he was moved into the fridge in order to undergo brumation.

“The fridge is really the best way to do it because you can control the temperature a lot better,” Tracey said, explaining that it’s important to hit a “sweet spot” of around 5 or 6 C because if temperature gets too low it is fatal, and if it’s too high Franklin’s metabolism will speed up and he’ll burn through his fat stores.

Photo provided by B.C. Wildlife Park

Franklin will come out of the fridge this week, and will stay indoors until it is warm enough to return him to his outdoor enclosure.

The B.C. Wildlife Park shared Franklin’s story last month to remind people that it’s crucial to understand what an exotic pet like a marginated tortoise needs before bringing one home.

Tortoises – in particular – are a big commitment, Tracey said, noting their long lifespans.

“Most tortoises can live over 100 years. So, it’s a big time investment,” he said.

While members of Franklin’s species don’t grow as large as some others, they do end up weighing over ten pounds and measuring over a foot long and require a fair bit of space in which to comfortably move around.

“It’s quite sad, but it’s all too common with reptiles. People will get them when they’re very small, they’re usually very cute – especially tortoises, they’re extremely cute. But people will get them not really imagining or thinking much about how much of an investment it is,” Tracey said.

The wildlife park urges anyone who finds themselves unable to care for an exotic pet to reach out to an animal welfare organization or other experts to get advice on how to proceed rather than abandoning the animal outdoors.