Subscribe RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or Trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to 'How old do turtles have to be to hibernate?'

1. Renny - July 14th, 2009 at 11:22 pm

   I’m dividing turtles and tortoises into only two categories: non-tropical (those species that do hibernate), and tropical (those species that do not).Hibernation is in cold weather or when food and water are scarce.
   Some commonly kept species that will try to hibernate are the Desert tortoises (Gopherus); the Russian tortoise (T. horsfieldii); the Box turtles; the Wood turtles (Clemmys insculpta); the Spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata); the Snapping turtles (illegal/protected in several states, by the way); and Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans).You must be able to determine which of your animals needs to hibernate. Your local club or any number of sources on the internet can help you. Joining a forum dedicated to the species you keep is also a great way to learn what’s working for others.

   Tropical species like Red-foots (Geochelone carbonaria), Yellow-foots (Geochelone denticulata), Elongatas (Indotestudo elongata), South American Wood turtles (Rhinoclemmys), and the African species don’t hibernate, but can slow down for a period of time when the weather cools and the daylight shortens. In non-tropical climes they need to be kept artificially warm and/or humid indoors. A humidity gauge in the terrarium will help you keep track of their comfort.

   Arid-dwelling, non-hibernating species like Egyptian tortoises (Testudo kleinmanni), Radiated tortoises (Geochelone radiata), Pancake tortoises (Malacochersus tornieri), Sulcata (Geochelone sulcata), and Leopards (Geochelone pardalis), to name a few, must also be sheltered from wet and cold and are particularly vulnerable to respiratory trouble and infection when damp. They must never be left outside. But even these species have a humidity requirement, albeit not as high as the tropical species. You will have to set up “microclimates” for them that will offset the dryness caused by indoor heating. This can be accomplished by having ready access to water for drinking, soaking and voiding, plus a dry area where there is heat and shelter. A good humidity gauge and a thermometer are valuable tools, no matter what species you’re keeping.

   Did this help OH yeah any age will be fine even at 9 months..

2. Peek says Isis slow down! - July 15th, 2009 at 7:24 pm

   aquatic turtles never hibernate in captivity..

Leave a Reply

Name

Email (will not be published)

Website