How do I get my turtle to hibernate outside?

Answer 1

Unless you can give it a habitat close to what it needs in the wild then it won't be able to successfully hibernate outside. Do you have the space to just bring it inside? Isn't a little late to asking this anyway?

Answer 2

You don't really need to get your turtle to hibernate unless you want to breed them because it is a part of their breeding cycle plus not all species of turtles hibernate and if they are not a species that is found in your area/state and they don't hibernate they actually recommend you can keep it outside during the summer but once Autumn comes along you should keep it inside until it starts to warm up you really just have to do your homework and think what is going to work best for your turtle. If the species you have does hibernate they will start to do it when it starts to get cold and they actually recommend that once they start you can just put them under a shelter and cover them up with straw or hay etc and just let them sleep just make sure it is well fed during the warm seasons because like any other animal that hibernates if it doesn't have enough fat stored up to get it through hibernation you could lose it.

Answer 3

Depends on the species.

Water turtles need a thick layer of mud underwater and will naturally start to hibernate when the days get shorter and the temps drop.

Land turtles need a place to dig in under the frost line- usually a south-facing slope with soil they can easily dig into.

No turtle that does not hibernate in the wild will hibernate in captivity, and this is pretty late in the year for natural hibernation for most of the US.

Try http://www.austinsturtlepage.com for good articles on hibernation and general care.

Answer 4

Hibernation is usually only done by breeders, because it is an open invitation to illness and death and puts your turtle at risk. If you want to hibernate, you'll have to research it. Obviously turtles come from different areas of the world and the conditions vary as to how they should hibernate.

Answer 5

Probably not a good idea. If he is domesticated, he probably hasn't been properly preparing himself for hibernation. There are two safer alternatives: hibernate him inside (normally in a deep rubber made container full of leaves, ect. with plenty of humidity -- look it up on the internet) that way you can keep an eye on him.

Or don't hibernate him at all. As long as he is warm and well feed, he may be content to stay awake all year long.

Trying to hibernate him outside could kill him if he isn't prepared for it. If you wish to hibernate him outside next year, I'd keep him outside all year long inside an enclosure that is as similar to his natural environment as possible. But if its starting to get cold and he's not going for it, I'd bring him in before its too late.

Answer 6

Why do you want your turtle to hibernate outside? You don't say what part of the country you live in. I raise box turtles and tortoises and live in a very cold winter climate. My turtles originate from a warmer climate than the one I live in so I cannot allow them to hibernate outside as they would not survive the winter. So it depends on the species of turtle you have. You also risk losing your turtle as he may "wake up" in the spring before you realize it and go on his merry way. My turtles still need to hibernate however, so I put them into a sort of "false" hibernation each (late) fall. This is accomplished by putting my turtles in a very, very cool place (such as my garage) once early winter is upon us. I provide straw for them to burrow into. After allowing them to "hibernate" for a week or so, I bring them indoors to "wake up" a bit, and they think they've slept all winter. Also, in the wintertime, most turtles become very sluggish and aren't as active, or as hungry as in warmer months. It is of utmost importance though that you continue to keep them warm and encourage eating throughout the winter so they will be happy and healthy in the spring.