Physical/Biological Reasons Sulcatta's should not Hibernate/Brumate???

Wondering why everyone says Sulcata's should not hibernate or brumate. What are the physical or biological reasons that they should not hibernate or brumate?

I know they come from an area that doesn't really put them in hibernation/brumation mode.

I did let my smaller Sulcata hibernate/brumate with my Russians last winter and it came up in the spring fine. He lives with the Russians right now because of his size, I don't want him smooshed by the larger free roaming Sulcata's.

What are the biological/physical differences between hibernating torts and non hibernating torts?

Tortoises such as sulcatas, leopards, etc that do not brumate in the wild are just not physically adapted to exposure to the lower temperatures.
I would say you were extremely fortunate that your sulcata didn't come out with a respiratory infection after the brumation.
I don't know how you brumated them, but perhaps you didn't give the Russians the full treatment that they can tolerate.
Russians are perhaps the hardiest of all tortoise species, they can take a lot of extremes as long as the combination of cold and wet is avoided.

On a side note, it is also very risky to keep different tortoise species together. The possibility exists that one species will carry a pathogen or bacteria that is found in it's natural habitat that that species has developed a natural immunity to, but the other species has not because it is not part of it's natural environment. Should this happen you risk making the other species sick.

I don't even use soaking pans cross species. Nothing that is in the cage of one species or exposed to them is allowed to be used with another species.

I mentioned russians probably being the hardiest of tortoises, but sulcatas are probably second, so you have some forgiving species. Should you decide to keep something like Indian Stars or another somewhat more delicate species these factors take on a greater importance.

But is it that Sulcata's do not brumate in the wild because the weather where the species originates does not get cold enough? Do they adapt to living in colder climates and then brumate/hibernate? are we just throwing a blanket "they don't hibernate" because they don't in their native land?

What are the physical/biological differences between the two species?

Also, the California desert tortoise hibernates/brumates, so physically/biologically, what makes them different from a "non brumating/hibernating species"

On a side note, it is also very risky to keep different tortoise species together. The possibility exists that one species will carry a pathogen or bacteria that is found in it's natural habitat that that species has developed a natural immunity to, but the other species has not because it is not part of it's natural environment. Should this happen you risk making the other species sick.

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Totally understand what your saying, but it is nearly impossible to segregate species. My back yard is shared by torts, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pig, birds, rats, mice, snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, bugs and whatever critter happens to wander through.