belindajon
New Member
Hello fellow turtle lovers -
I have a female Russian, Violet, I've had for about 9 months, she was found wandering last spring and I adopted her. I don't know her age, but judging from the condition of her shell, I'm guessing she's 10+ years. She has her own outdoor enclosure complete with a hide she loves. All summer she put herself to bed at about 4:30 pm and I locked her up for the night, releasing her in the morning. Now that we are headed into winter I'm not sure how to go about putting her to sleep for the winter. We live in coastal Orange County, the temperatures are moderate comparatively, 70s daytime and 50s night time. We are still having temps of 80 degrees occasionally and I think it might be confusing her, I know it's confusing me!
She has stopped eating and rises later in the morning, sunbathes for awhile then paces inside her enclosure. Late in the afternoon she hides under the ferns in her enclosure instead of going into her hide.
I have a plastic crate filled halfway with orchid bark and a lid drilled with holes to allow for circulation ready for her to sleep in and I plan on keeping her in the garage where it will stay much cooler. I'm just not sure when to put her down for her long winters nap.
Her behavior is telling me she's ready, I just don't know how or when to do it. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Belinda
I have a female Russian, Violet, I've had for about 9 months, she was found wandering last spring and I adopted her. I don't know her age, but judging from the condition of her shell, I'm guessing she's 10+ years. She has her own outdoor enclosure complete with a hide she loves. All summer she put herself to bed at about 4:30 pm and I locked her up for the night, releasing her in the morning. Now that we are headed into winter I'm not sure how to go about putting her to sleep for the winter. We live in coastal Orange County, the temperatures are moderate comparatively, 70s daytime and 50s night time. We are still having temps of 80 degrees occasionally and I think it might be confusing her, I know it's confusing me!
She has stopped eating and rises later in the morning, sunbathes for awhile then paces inside her enclosure. Late in the afternoon she hides under the ferns in her enclosure instead of going into her hide.
I have a plastic crate filled halfway with orchid bark and a lid drilled with holes to allow for circulation ready for her to sleep in and I plan on keeping her in the garage where it will stay much cooler. I'm just not sure when to put her down for her long winters nap.
Her behavior is telling me she's ready, I just don't know how or when to do it. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Belinda