My male goes off feed for several months each winter. If he refuses food three weeks in a row I remove all heat sources but don't truly brumate him. I continue to offer him food every couple of weeks and he usually comes around in Feb or March. It's not something I look forward to, but he always comes out of it just fine. For the first time in his life he's a little fat right now, so maybe it'll do him some good this year <gg> (had to stop feeding him & Ella together as he's been eating both of their portions!)