Fall---Autumn question -food

jeff kushner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
2,688
Location (City and/or State)
North of Annapolis
Like many folks, I check on my little Matilda every day....to see that she's got her pond full. Last week or so the temps are dropping so some days I don't see her and on others she comes out to bask. She was out and about and hungry last week and I had Steak Night twice and I've left a human sized bite for her on the log...gone both times.

I know reptiles need warmth to digest food, but I don't know if the digestive process simply slows, but doesn't turn off till temps get really low.


My question is food....do I make food available for her as it gets colder, or not?


I don't want to keep her locked w/o food but I honestly don't know.

Help, please
 

DoubleD1996!

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2021
Messages
1,257
Location (City and/or State)
Memphis
Like many folks, I check on my little Matilda every day....to see that she's got her pond full. Last week or so the temps are dropping so some days I don't see her and on others she comes out to bask. She was out and about and hungry last week and I had Steak Night twice and I've left a human sized bite for her on the log...gone both times.

I know reptiles need warmth to digest food, but I don't know if the digestive process simply slows, but doesn't turn off till temps get really low.


My question is food....do I make food available for her as it gets colder, or not?


I don't want to keep her locked w/o food but I honestly don't know.

Help, please
If she's outside, no. Mine typically stop eating, but I cut them off two weeks prior to the temperatures dropping. This year was a surprise. It started dropping sooner and randomly, but they stopped eating on their own we still get warm days but cool nights. It's not getting warm enough for them to digest food. Any undigested food has potential to rot in their gut over winter, but I'm sure she'll pass it in time before temps really start to drop. If she does eat, let it be something she forages on her own.
 
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