people in the northeast who hibernate them outside

[ColleenT]

I am in Eastern PA. For those of you in the northeast USA, i am wondering if your turtles have woken up and if they have stayed out. my turtle pen is amost finished but it seems a bit cold to leave them out. If your turtles were in hibernation, are they still?

 

[mark1]

yes , they are still hibernating ...... I had one come out about 2 weeks ago , but it's not normal , none of the others have come out , I looked through the leaves and they're still in the ground ...... the one that surfaced , it's only his second year hibernating ,and the winter was mild ,I think he didn't go as deep as the others , he'd most likely survive , but he's pretty small ,and a bit on the light side .........

 

[ColleenT]

thanks. do you leave any type of heated water bowls or anything out for them if they wake up? my concern with hibernation is dehydration.

 

[mark1]

As long as the ground where they are hibernating is not too dry , dehydration shouldn’t be an issue ………. Make sure they’re heavy and healthy in the fall . I’d soak them real good when I first seen them in the spring , and make sure they have plenty of water to soak in on their own ……… I think your spot for hibernating them is against the house ? under an overhang ? so I doubt it floods there , if the area is protected by the house , doesn’t get rained or snowed on and the soil is drier than normal there , you may want to water it once in awhile , just enough to keep the soil damp , and pile snow on it in the winter , that will keep it wet and humid , and the snow is a good insulator ………… you provide them with a good spot and they’ll take care of the rest , imo , there is a lot less to it than it sounds ……

 

[ColleenT]

sounds good, thanks.

 

[ratbones7]

ours did not come up yet in NJ. i'm expecting next week with temps looking to be in 70's somewhat consistently and nighttime temps getting above 50. last year none came up until late april and one not until mid may. these are EBT. im worried about one as it was first hibernation outside.

you start to wonder what creature is only really up from may-october...half a year in hibernation!?!

 

[ColleenT]

i know. We live in such a cold climate. i hate it. When i win the lottery i'm going someplace warm!

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

i know. We live in such a cold climate. i hate it. When i win the lottery i'm going someplace warm!

Ive been trying to convince my boyfriend to move somewhere down south (not just for the tortoises but because i i hate the cold) but he likes maryland
I am more south than PA and NJ though. But still.

 

[mark1]

ours did not come up yet in NJ. i'm expecting next week with temps looking to be in 70's somewhat consistently and nighttime temps getting above 50. last year none came up until late april and one not until mid may. these are EBT. im worried about one as it was first hibernation outside.

you start to wonder what creature is only really up from may-october...half a year in hibernation!?!

This may be telling something you already know , but maybe somebody don’t ………… if where they hibernate is a sunny spot , the ground warms up faster in the spring …… also taking away some of the insulation (leaves , grass clippings) after the nights start staying in the 40’s will help warm the ground up faster also …. The insulation on top keeps the ground colder in the spring just as it keeps the ground warmer in the winter ……. I’ve dug down in it in the spring with my hands to break it up after it has settled over the winter , it’s a lot colder near the bottom than it is on the surface ……….. northern turtles , painteds , woods , blanding’s , spotteds , in the northern parts of their ranges , I believe do hibernate most of their lives …….

 

[ratbones7]

This may be telling something you already know , but maybe somebody don’t ………… if where they hibernate is a sunny spot , the ground warms up faster in the spring …… also taking away some of the insulation (leaves , grass clippings) after the nights start staying in the 40’s will help warm the ground up faster also …. The insulation on top keeps the ground colder in the spring just as it keeps the ground warmer in the winter ……. I’ve dug down in it in the spring with my hands to break it up after it has settled over the winter , it’s a lot colder near the bottom than it is on the surface ……….. northern turtles , painteds , woods , blanding’s , spotteds , in the northern parts of their ranges , I believe do hibernate most of their lives …….

actually makes sense. thanks for that. i just read this now, but yesterday was so nice here I went to rake out the pen a bit and found all mine up and well. man did my baby grow during hibernation...is this normal?: was almost unrecognizable!

 

[ColleenT]

So are everyone's boxies up from hibernation? i have been putting my 2 out during these past few nice days and bringing them in at night. since they have not spent the night outside yet, i am waiting until it gets a bit warmer then i'll keep them outside for good. they really love being outside. The stretch their necks out and let the sunshine warm them up.

 

[ColleenT]

i let them stay outside last night for the first time ever. And of course we had a thunderstorm, but this morning they were both inside the den and looked good. it was 50-ish which i hope was ok for a first night outside. They are not used to cold nights, they have been staying in the tank. Wolowitz is doing a great job of burying himself. i just found him 5 inches under the soil.

 

[Eric Phillips]

i let them stay outside last night for the first time ever. And of course we had a thunderstorm, but this morning they were both inside the den and looked good. it was 50-ish which i hope was ok for a first night outside. They are not used to cold nights, they have been staying in the tank. Wolowitz is doing a great job of burying himself. i just found him 5 inches under the soil.

Don't worry about the thunderstorms, the wetter the better! In fact I spray down my enclosure late in the evening a couple times a week to keep it wet and moist if there hasn't been much rain. If it puddles in certain spots then that's where they will be hanging out. Last year we had all that rain in June and my guys were so active and loving it. I would just make sure to have some leaf litter or pine straw in their den to keep them alittle more insulated. Nights in the 50's is fine but when it creeps in the 40's it would be a nice blanket for them.

 

[ColleenT]

thanks, i can get some leaf litter and add it to their den.