do turtles hibernate? if so, what are signs of their behavior?

Question

my turtle has been sleeping alot...i dont know if he is sick or do they hibernate? i need to know if this behavior is normal 'cus i've never seen him do this before.

Answer 1

Hibernation of Turtles and Tortoises


Much difference of opinion exists concerning the necessity of hibernating pet turtles and tortoises. While many captive turtles and tortoises have lived for years in captivity without undergoing a period of winter dormancy, virtually all reptile breeders and so will provide for a period of cooling every year for those species which become dormant in the wild state. This period of dormancy serves to normalize the reproductive cycles of these animals. Some species cannot be bred successfully without it.

Most native North American chelonians will begin to go off food in the fall of the year when the temperatures begin to drop into the fifties. Some animals which are kept indoors will also begin to slow down in October or November. Owners notice that their turtles begin to refuse food and will often try to bury themselves in the substrate of their container.

If a decision is made to hibernate your turtle, there are a few preparations that should be made. Approximately four to six weeks before hibernation is to begin, the animals should be fed plenty of high energy food, paying particular attention to supplying plenty of vitamins A and D3. For vegetarian species a diet with high carbohydrate content such as squash, mixed fruits (figs, melons, apples, peaches), sprouts, and soaked alfalfa pellets, and monkey biscuit is good. Try to introduce these foods gradually to those tortoises which have been living primarily on forage in order to prevent excessive gas production in the digestive tract brought on by microfloral fermentation. For aquatic species, whole fish, soaked dog food, soaked trout chow, newborn mice, and earthworms will suffice. Approximately seven to ten days before placing into hibernation food should be withheld in order to allow food present in the gastrointestinal tract to be digested. If the animals are allowed to cool immediately after eating, the ingested food will spoil in the digestive tract and may result in death of the animal.

Animals which are to be hibernated should be examined carefully to make sure that no infectious diseases are present. Infections of the respiratory system are especially devastating. A turtle which enters hibernation with a mild respiratory infection will likely die from pneumonia during hibernation or shortly after emerging. Turtles with respiratory disease will frequently have swollen eyes and a discharge from the nostrils. If the turtle will extend its head, try to gently put pressure on the throat. If mucus comes from the nostrils, this is an indication of respiratory disease. Turtles which continually extend their head and open the mouth frequently are manifesting difficulty in breathing. Aquatic turtles which exhibit a tilting to one side while in the water are usually suffering from severe respiratory disease. Aquatic turtles which remain on their basking surface at night should be examined carefully, as this may be an indication of disease. Ideally, turtles destined for hibernation should be checked for internal parasitism and treated appropriately if found to be harboring parasites. Check the skin and shell carefully for evidence of hemorrhages. If found, these animals should be treated aggressively with antibiotics. If a turtle appears to be too light when picked up, compared with others of the same shell size, don't hibernate. Box turtles are especially prone to abscesses involving the middle ear cavity. This will manifest as a swelling on the side of the head behind the eye. These abscesses should be emptied and packed with antibiotics before hibernating. An experienced reptile veterinarian can perform this procedure safely. In summary, a turtle which is to be hibernated should be in as close to optimum condition as possible before cooling.

Many different methods have been used successfully for overwintering. Turtles which have been living freely in a yard will usually bury themselves if a well drained area is provided. Try to provide a good deep pile of leaves or mulch over soft soil. The turtles will usually disappear for the winter and emerge on warm days, or in the spring. aquatic turtles which are kept in an outdoor pond will usually overwinter in the pond with no problem if adequate depth is provided. I recommend at least 18 inches to safeguard to keep the water temperature from fluctuating too frequently. Turtles can also be placed in an old Styrofoam cooler with several holes drilled in the side several inches from the top for ventilation. Place several inches of top soil mixed with sphagnum peat which has been slightly moistened in the bottom of the container, and cover this with several inches of leaves, hay, or sphagnum moss. Whatever container is used, it should be placed in a dark cool area away from any source of heat, such as radiators or water heaters. The ideal temperature should be approximately 50 F. Hibernating turtles which are native to temperate climates are able to withstand colder temperatures than this, but freezing should be avoided. One very effective method for hibernation that i use for larger numbers of animals of my own involves using a commercial grade refrigerator which is used by florists for storing flowers. I have placed a more sensitive thermostat on the unit and am able to slowly lower the temperature week by week, and can keep the temperature within a few degrees of what I desire by adjusting the thermostat. Although these coolers are fairly expensive to purchase new, good bargains can often be found in the used market, and should be considered by those having large numbers of animals to hibernate. I currently have over 25 reptiles in hibernation in mine.

Animals in hibernation should be checked periodically to make sure that no problems are developing. Animals which are active and moving about on the surface frequently are having problems, and should be slowly warmed back up and kept out of hibernation. I like to gently soak my animals every three or four weeks in order to prevent dehydration. Hibernating turtles will frequently have a mucus material in their eyes which will clear after soaking. This soaking doesn't need to be an extended period. Five minutes will do. I try to leave my own animals in hibernation for at least eight weeks, and frequently up to twelve weeks. Animals from the extreme southern United States will generally do well with five to six weeks of cooling.

As the spring arrives I recommend bringing the animals out of hibernation and soaking them for at least thirty minutes. This will allow the animals to rehydrate themselves and void any waste. Usually within two weeks the animals will resume feeding and may begin to exhibit breeding behavior. The animals should be checked closely after emerging, and any signs of illness should be attended to promptly.

A common mistake made by many people during the winter months is to not provide for adequate cooling. Often reptiles are kept too cool to eat and digest, but too warm to become torpid. These animals will frequently be presented in the late winter or spring with full blown respiratory infections. Temperatures around 50 F. will generally allow the animals to cool effectively.

All of the above information pertains to turtles and tortoises from temperate climates. This does not pertain to tropical animals such as Red-footed or Yellow-footed and Leopard Tortoises. I do not recommend cooling of these animals. Even though Leopard Tortoises do occur in areas where there is a short winter period, I recommend keeping these animals warm throughout the winter period. Those species from more northerly climates, such as Russian Tortoises and Hermann' s Tortoises are very cold hardy and should be able to withstand hibernation.

Answer 2

Yes, turtles hibernate, but they do so in response to environmental triggers, like shortening day cycles and temps.

This time of year, many turtles are sleeping during the hot days. High heat can make temperate zone animals sluggish.

It also might be a care issue. for example:
- Is the tank big enough? 10 gallons of swimming space per inch of turtle is the MINIMUM recommendation. Smaller tanks get too hot or cold easily and create many other problems.
- Is the water clean (no smells) and properly warmed- around 80-85, but not a lot warmer?
- Does it have a good basking area that is nice and warm (around 90) with access to good lighting, including UV-B (which does not pass through glass)?
- Is the food a high-quality pelleted food, or a varied selection of foods appropriate for its size, age, and species?

Without knowing the species, your care set-up, etc., I can't offer specific advice, but the sites below are good starting points.

Answer 3

well there is two questions u need to ask yourself.
Where do you live..i mean r u fixing to go in to winter?
What type of turtle is it?
I have a painted turtle and right now here in Ohio its summer, so my turtle is fine. But when it hits winter here, mine will hibernate and not eat or anything.
But what ever kind of turtle it is, depending on if your going in to winter, yes they will act like that.
try and feed him a worm, go out side and life a rock or something real moist where there will be worms and get one. Now he may not eat it at first, but leave it in the tank..he might later.
What do you have him in, a Fish tank, a small pond? That will make a difference as well. Do you have a air hose into the tank?
I have one in my pond now but never did for 4 yrs so I am not sure if that matters or not. Mine has always been fine without one to.
No turtle will turn a worm down though..that's like a big juicy steak to him...lol
good luck hope he makes it, god bless

Answer 4

Turtles hibernate in winter only. If it is summer where you are, or you have him in a warm cage, the turtle is sick.
Hibernation will look like he is sleeping, but he doesn't wake up. Again he will only hibernate if the temperature is cold. If you keep him warm, he won't hibernate at all.

Answer 5

Well they told me that they sleep a lot, they are weaker like their shell is like weaker so you need calcium to keep it strong, and they are cold. Beware!! my turtle had this sympthoms and my ,mum told me she was hibernating but she ended up bad (I don't like to say the word but she died) so go to the vet for a better analysis and the precausions you have to follow in order to have a strong and healthy turlte.

Answer 6

hya - saw on the Yucatan the beauty of large sea turtles dragging themselves to shore at midnite - digging a hole -climbing in- then laying their eggs. they then covered the eggs and went back to sea. lovely.

Answer 7

what the heck
they dont hibernate
somethings wrong with your turtle
or maybe he is just getting oldd

Answer 8

i got a turtlhead poking out!