what arrangements should i make for the hibernation of my turtles ?

Question

they are diamond back. are kept inside in an aquarium which has pebbles at the base and a rock platform to come out and rest in the center. water is upto the central rock. also please guide as to what should be the watt of the heat bulb that requires to be put. they just keep floating flat as if they are dead which they are certainly not or are sleeping at the bottom of the aquarium on the pebbles with their heads pulled in and are not feeding properly at all. when i put them out in the sun then they are super active. please help and guide

Answer 1

It's actually very difficult for turtles to hibernate in captivity. In the wild, they will spend a lot of time eating and preparing for hibernation. In captivity, however, they may not get the proper nutrients or quantity of food to prepare for hibernation. It isn't necessary for them to hibernate to be healthy. Mimic the light cycles and temperatures that you did over the summer to try to keep them from hibernating. They may have a generally lower activity level in the winter (that's fine), but try to keep them warm and encourage them to eat with a variety of dietary choices.

Answer 2

Try this link for god care info: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-carolinadbt.htm

Bulb wattage: Bulbs are not the best way to heat the water. Water temps should be about 70'ish. Basking site temps should be about 90. These guys should bask a lot.

They also need UV lighting, so make sure you use a specialized bulb that provides that.

These guys need BIG space- aim for a minimum of 10 gallons per inch of turtle, with as deep of water as possible.