Soaking in a colder climate

[Yvonne G]

Nice, Terry.

 

[Paschendale52]

Thats really neat. I'll probably go and turn up the dirt around his normal hiding spot soon so that digging will be a bit easier. I'll have to look into making sure his spots this year don't get flooded during melt since they are different than where he hid last year.

 

[AnimalLady]

They have a nice big pool and they go into the water on their own.

Oh! I was expecting and more scientific response lol!!

 

[Paschendale52]

Squirtle looks to have settled down for the year. I spent about 15 minutes looking through his terrarium today before I realized that he was just about 2 inches down into the dirt under his log. As soon as there is a good amount of leaf litter on the ground to rake up I'll gather a bit and put several inches over the top of him. I know he isn't in the high-point of the garden, but water does pool a little near his log. If water starts to gather where he is buried down will he get up and move to a new burrow? I don't particularly want to try and dig him up and move him to a higher area unless its necessary since this has been his favorite hiding spot all year.

 

[terryo]

My hibernation cave is elevated and is also covered, so when the snow melts it will drip off the cover, which is extended a bit, and roll into the garden. I have three weep holes on the sides of the garden, so it will drain out. I don't know what could happen if the water accumulates where he is dug under, but I wouldn't want to take a chance of him drowning.
All mine are in the cave now except the two males. They will go up and down the whole garden a few more times to make sure everyone is in the cave and eventually they will go down themselves. I don't know what's going to happen next week though, because they say it's going into the 70's again. Poor guys they don't know what to do.

 

[Paschendale52]

My hibernation cave is elevated and is also covered, so when the snow melts it will drip off the cover, which is extended a bit, and roll into the garden. I have three weep holes on the sides of the garden, so it will drain out. I don't know what could happen if the water accumulates where he is dug under, but I wouldn't want to take a chance of him drowning.
All mine are in the cave now except the two males. They will go up and down the whole garden a few more times to make sure everyone is in the cave and eventually they will go down themselves. I don't know what's going to happen next week though, because they say it's going into the 70's again. Poor guys they don't know what to do.

We had two days in the 40s and then went back into the 70s for a week. Those two days squirtle just sat on top of his log with all but his back legs withdrawn and didn't move. The week in the 70s he was active again and then burrowed down before this weekend when we havn't been above the 50s really and the nights have been cold. I'd be surprised if he came back out before spring. The where he is is only a foot or so from where the terrarium slopes down so unless there is a heavy flood of water everything runs out the back, but I know when I water the terrarium and put the garden hose on the high side it does fill up where he is, but it also drains pretty quickly. I think I'll watch it if it rains or anything, but once the ground is hard and snow is falling I don't think it will be a problem. He is underneath a piece of log and about 2 inches down in the ground, so hopefully thats similar to your board and hay etc. though I will still add several inches of leaf litter.

The log piece on the bottom right of the picture is where he is buried. You can clearly see that the lowest point is the hide with the rock on top and it slops pretty well to it, so I think barring a flash flood, he'll be alright where he is.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

This is the pine hay. And the next picture is during the Winter everything , the whole garden covered with snow.

View attachment 150582 View attachment 150583

Super series of photos.
Thanks.