how do i tell if my turtes are hibernating?

Question

hmm they r 2 red ear slider turtles ( babys) theve been sleeping allll the time and they seem like they dont want to be in the water

they eat only a little evryday they show no interest in many types of food only those little dried shrimp.... the water is pretty warm and i have basking lamp but they dont go onto the dry side of their tank...

Answer 1

MOST IMPORTANTLY...you do not want them to hibernate especially if they are young. even the most experienced red ear slider owners don't hibernate their turts. i never have (i'm no expert but i have had turtles my whole life & raised one of my sliders since he was the size of a quarter, he's 8 yrs old now).
first, you need to find out why they are not very active. its usually that the water temp is to cold!? it should be between 75-85f.a repiratory infec is nasty in a water turt and is totally preventable with basic good care. do you have a basking lamp over a dry area? baby reds are prone to getting "soft shell" if not given enough of the proper spectrum light & heat, plus you must make sure they have calcuim in their water. you can even float some cuttle (sp?) bone that they sell for parakeets. that will be a good source of calcuim. try differant types of food. my turts love chasing crickets & fish (although both are gross & messy in the water!!) but it gives them something to do! juvinille turts love their meat, but will learn to love fruits and veggies as they get older. so depending on their age, try frozen veggies & fruit. my turts love strawberries & cantelope as well as spinach! if they show NO interest in any of these foods then you may need to see a vet.
if your water temp is too cold, that may really be slowing them down. i let my turt water cool during fall/winter but not to where they get sluggish thinking its time to hibernate.
you could try putting them in a shallow bath in the bathtub, with warm water and see if they liven up, then adjust your tank water temp accordingly.
great web info:
http://www.turtlefarms.com/images/Turtle%20couple%20Care%20Guide.pdf

Answer 2

are they eating? breathing through their mouth or gaping? if you get close to them can you hear their breathing or slight wheezing?