just a turtle pic...

jeff kushner

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Adding more leaf material for her which she immediately came out of her hide to climb up on...a.png....and a little snack. I'm still wrestling with letting her "go to seed" and hibernate outside this winter. I did decide that on her regular weigh-day next week, I'll make the decision to leave her outside or into a 10 gallon for the Winter depending. If she's gained more than a nominal amount, she's a go, if not, I worry that her "runtism" won't give her the overhead clearance to survive so I'll bring her in next month.

Here's the rub for me............when it comes to people, everyone who knows me has heard me say "Have faith in youth" because I do. It's not always easy as any parent or current manager knows, but I have faith in young people because we really don't have a choice....we have to!!<lol>. I don't tell them that though, I tell them that I have faith in them because inside, it raises their own expectations of themselves without them ever realizing it.

I'm humored by the fact that I'm having so much obvious "difficulty" in having faith in Matilda's youth and her ability to survive......



PS, She looks mad at me......I recognize "the look"....I was married once......LOL

Matilda has the same look I would get after getting caught doing something really stupid......for some reason, I used to see that a lot!

jeff
 

Jan A

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She is so cute. I would have a hard time hibernating. That's why I keep my Russian up.
Good luck with your decision.
It seems like the key issue should be her weight for her size. I don't think I could her hibernate outside. She's so tiny, but I'm not a turtle expert & I realize she would hibernate in the wild.

Yikes, Jeff!!
 

Maro2Bear

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Part of the problem that we have here in Maryland (like much of the US barring the deep South and frozen North) is that our “winters” are no longer really cold periods of time. Things have changed, we can easily have way above freezing temps (50s-60’s, 70’s) in December Jan & Feb (typically our frozen months). So, a turtle and other brumating & hibernating & dormant animals, reptiles & plants are easily tricked.

Sooo, a warm 65 day is very possible as is a 20 degree day in “Winter”.

If you do brumate outside, provide a ton of leaf litter.

Good luck on your decision.

✅ Our 10 day outlook for greater Maryland is temps way above “normal”.
 

jeff kushner

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Well, we found out today that despite my best intentions and efforts, Matilda is officially reclassified as ...for lack of a better word, a "Twerp"...she hasn't gained a gram overall since going outside in June this year. 70 grams this morning after I got back home from Kerry's. Disappointing but not the end of the world by any stretch. I have a nice strong side table next to a heated waterbed where she lived before in a small terrarium. I measured my space so I can order a size-to fit the 26" wide space.

It's a no brainer for me....I was hoping for the best because I didn't really want her to move back inside, but I knew she wasn't gaining either. As you guys knew....I've felt for a while that she wasn't going to be able to stay out this year.

I ordered a 20G tank to give me a little bigger footprint to build her some variety in terrain. It's not a large space @ 24x12 but she will adapt....I'm not really going to give her a choice<LOL>! It might not be the Ritz when she comes inside in a couple weeks but the food is good, the service excellent and the climate, doable....she better not complain<LOL>!

jeff
 

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