Do red-eared turtles hibernate. Winter hibernation of red-eared turtles. Hibernation turtle in winter

Turtle lovers often argue about whether it is necessary to hibernate their pets? There is no single answer in the literature on keeping turtles.

Some authors believe that it is not worth hibernating turtles, especially for novice owners. They motivate their point of view by the fact that it is quite difficult for an inexperienced tortoise specialist to properly organize the conditions for hibernation. They advise to feed the turtle well and to warm it properly, and then it will safely survive the cold season without hibernation. Other authors, for the benefit of turtles, recommend artificial introduction of animals in a state of hibernation, but it is necessary to properly prepare the animal and control the temperature. In addition, it is believed that hibernation is one of the stimulating factors. Therefore, if next year you intend to get offspring from your animals, it is better to put them into hibernation.

What types of tortoises hibernate in the wild?

IN natural conditions Types of turtles that hibernate are:

• the Mediterranean tortoise with a spur on its thigh (Testudo graeca);
• Central Asian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii);
• Herman's tortoise (Testudo hermanni);
• toothed turtle (Testudo marginata).

Under certain conditions, these species can safely hibernate and in captivity.

What types of turtles in nature do not hibernate in winter?

Varieties of turtles that do not hibernate include:

• all tropical turtles;
• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)
• Tunisian tortoise (Testudo nabeulensis)
• African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata)
• indian star turtle(Geochelone elegans)
• panther tortoise (Geochelone pardalis)
• kinix tortoise (Kinixys).

Important: an attempt to hibernate a representative of a turtle species that does not hibernate under natural conditions can lead to its death.

How to prepare a turtle for hibernation in captivity?

Important: Never try to hibernate a turtle if it has eaten recently.

As autumn approaches, turtles eat less and less - this is a natural process. The work of the animal's digestive system mainly depends on the air temperature. When biological processes slow down, the body needs 2-4 weeks to last time the food eaten has passed through the digestive tract. Therefore, it is best not to attempt to introduce a hibernating turtle if there is a possibility that undigested food may have remained in the intestines. This is very dangerous: the gases released can cause potentially fatal colic. To properly prepare your turtle for hibernation, give it a fasting period of at least three weeks. Here it should be noted that exact time depends on the size of the reptile (small turtles need less time for the period of hunger, large ones more). During this period, the animal must be kept at a temperature slightly below normal. It is also necessary to gradually reduce the level of illumination.

Particular attention should be paid to the health of the turtle during the period immediately preceding hibernation. If you suspect a turtle is unwell, never try to hibernate it. This may result in the death of the animal. The same applies to turtles weighing below normal. In the absence of confidence in the full health of the turtle, it is recommended that it winter in a warm, dry and ventilated terrarium. It is also undesirable to hibernate animals that you have recently acquired.

How to put a turtle into hibernation?

To put a reptile into hibernation (do not forget that before hibernation, the turtle must starve), it is placed in a small cardboard box, covered with scraps of paper, the box is placed in a plywood or thick cardboard box. Between the turtle carton and the plywood box, it is recommended to make an insulating layer of styrofoam. The structure is placed in a dry, non-freezing room.

The most important factor during hibernation is a stable temperature. Only maintaining the temperature within close parameters will allow the turtle to survive the winter without problems. The ideal temperature for hibernation, at which the turtle can sleep without the risk of freezing, is + 5-6 ° C.

Important: the minimum temperature for safe hibernation is +2°C, and the maximum is +10°C. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above +10°C and below +2°C almost always leads to death or damage to the animal's organs. The temperature can be checked with a greenhouse thermometer (it shows the maximum and minimum temperatures). You can also purchase an electronic thermometer with a built-in alarm (triggered if the temperature goes beyond the specified limits).

If a very high or low temperature persists for a long time, move the animal to a more suitable location until the temperature is acceptable again.

Hibernation of turtles in the refrigerator

In some areas mediterranean turtles during hibernation, it is recommended to place in a temperature-controlled refrigerator. It is believed to be reliable and safe way their winter quarters. Each turtle is placed in the refrigerator in a separate cardboard box filled with torn paper. The size of the box should be slightly larger than the animal itself. The box with the turtle is placed in a refrigerator at a temperature of +12°C. The temperature is reduced by 1°C daily until it reaches +5°C.

Baby turtles can also be hibernated, but in this case, maintaining a stable temperature is especially important.

The cold wintering method is especially recommended for turtles up to 7.5 cm long. A stable temperature and natural microclimate is easier to achieve if the turtle is allowed to dig in a tray with loose substrate consisting of sand, fibrous earth for potted plants and medium-sized gravel pebbles. The substrate layer is about 8-9 cm.But with this method, it is desirable to carry out ventilation by briefly opening the door every 48 hours.

Awakening from hibernation

Waking up from hibernation is an important and stressful time for turtles when they need to start feeding as soon as possible. Since their internal reserves are depleted, reptiles become especially vulnerable to various infections.

Most adult turtles naturally wake up from hibernation in March and early April. But already in February, you need to check the turtles every week and be ready to bring them out of hibernation if they wake up or lose more than 10% of their weight. As the time approaches when the reptiles should come out of hibernation, check on them more often and keep a close eye on their condition. If the turtle is still dozing in early April, it's best not to wait for it to wake up naturally, but to wake it up. If the turtle urinates, it should also be awakened immediately.

Turtle health after waking up

Your turtle has successfully survived hibernation and is healthy if:

• her tongue is pale pink (or orange-pink if the turtle is from North Africa), without white or yellow coating. A bright red tongue may indicate an infection.
• eyes are fully open and clear. Otherwise, they are washed with cool water. Plaque or sticking may indicate an infection;
• the tail does not emit an unpleasant odor and there is no discharge, a special yellow color.

A turtle that has emerged from hibernation should be warmed under a lamp, and then placed in a tray filled with about 3 cm of tepid water for 10 minutes. This will help restore moisture levels. Over the next few days, continue the ten-minute water procedures and watch when the reptile urinates for the first time. The first time the urine may be yellowish and a little thick, but after a few days the urate will return to its normal white color.

After heating and bathing, you can offer food to your pet. Some turtles are immediately ready to eat, others may not start eating until a few days after waking up. The animal will not feed if its body temperature is not high enough. In cold weather, warm the turtle under a lamp. Additional warmth and lighting is what a turtle needs in order for its body to function properly after hibernation.

Hibernation is a completely natural process for turtles living in nature, but wintering is often not relevant for indoor pets. This is a rather complicated procedure and a huge burden for the turtle's body, so it is not recommended to put the turtles into hibernation on their own, only under the supervision of a specialist.

The first signs that it is time for the animal to winter can be observed in late October - early November. The turtle becomes less active, its appetite decreases, it tries to dig into the ground or hardly leaves the shelter. IN natural environment hibernation lasts from 3 to 5 months, all the vital processes of the body slow down, and the accumulated resources are used to maintain life. There are also pluses in wintering: it is shown to turtles, from which the owners plan to get offspring, since the hormonal background is improving, life expectancy increases, and the activity of the internal glands remains.

It is worth remembering that under artificial conditions, hibernation should not be so long: for small breeds it is 8-10 weeks, for large breeds - 12-14. The animal must be absolutely healthy, and a suitable microclimate must be constantly maintained, otherwise the turtle may not come out of hibernation. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is easier to support normal conditions: temperature at the level of 27-28 degrees, frequent bathing, good nutrition. Is the turtle not eating well? - contact the clinic, the specialist will give her an injection of vitamins.

How to prepare a turtle for hibernation?

So, you have decided to send your pet to winter rest. The easiest way is to identify the turtle in the basement or on the glazed balcony and constantly monitor the temperature environment. Before doing so, however, preparatory work. For wintering, a wooden house or container is used, on the bottom of which coarse sand is poured, sphagnum, dry leaves, hay and pieces of bark are placed. For aquatic turtles the substrate should be moist, but not wet, it is sprayed from time to time.

The turtle is dewormed, all tests are taken, they are not fed for 2 weeks, but they are bathed in warm water and give drink so that everything eaten earlier is digested. Mineral supplements and vitamins before hibernation are also not given. In the terrarium, the temperature is gradually lowered by one degree to 10-12 degrees, the lighting is dimmed, but the humidity level is increased. When the pet gets used to the temperature, you can transfer it to the wintering box. Regularly check the condition of the turtle, for each month it normally loses 1% of its body weight. If the weight loss is critical (about 10% of the weight per month), hibernation must be stopped. It is not recommended to disturb and even more so feed or bathe pets. It is worth remembering that 0 degrees is death for a turtle, optimum temperature for hibernating reptiles - +8 degrees, but it can range from +1 to +12.

Bringing the turtle out of hibernation

Even if the turtle began to show activity before the due date, start bringing it out of hibernation. Gradually raise the temperature to 18-20 degrees (1-2 degrees per day), during the week the pet should be bathed in warm water. After wintering, the turtle is dehydrated, and while swimming, it will absorb the right amount of moisture through the skin. For the first two weeks, she will seem emaciated and inactive, she will eat about a week after moving to the previous terrarium.

Animals do not tolerate a sudden exit from hibernation, therefore, if unforeseen complications arise, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. It is worth remembering that only healthy animals can be sent to hibernation, otherwise there is a possibility of death.

which differ in size. They are not difficult to keep at home, but some species require the organization of sleep, and in this regard, the owners have a number of questions:

• Does the red-eared turtle need to hibernate if it is not in natural conditions?
• Why do they hibernate?
• What needs to be done so that the turtle does not fall asleep?
• What is the function of hibernation for turtles?
• What is the sleep period red-eared turtle?

Hibernation of red-eared turtles at home

Usually, under conditions, they do not need hibernation, especially if it is supported. They may hibernate or low temperatures, or at high, thus escaping from cold or heat, and sometimes from a lack of food.

But there are instances that are ready to hibernate, regardless of the conditions of detention. In this case, they should be helped and organize a kind of wintering. Hibernation of red-eared turtles has a positive effect on individuals in terms of obtaining offspring.

Arrangement of hibernation

The fact that the turtle should organize hibernation can be determined by the following outward signs: the turtle moves little, and, at the same time, often yawns. It can hide in the corner of the aquarium and stay there for a long time in a stationary state. To begin with, you should consult with a veterinarian and, if her behavior is not associated with some kind of disease, begin preparing the turtle for hibernation.

Two months before the start of hibernation, the turtle should also increase the number of feedings. This is necessary so that the turtle can stock up on all the necessary nutrients. During hibernation, the turtle loses up to half of its weight.

During the last week, the turtle is not fed at all, and during the day she needs to arrange several bath procedures so that she can completely empty her intestines.

But that's not all, the main thing is to find a suitable place with a temperature of +1°С to +6°С. Such a room may be a cold basement, but in our time it is very difficult to find. It must be accustomed to such a temperature gradually, otherwise it can die if it is immediately transferred to such a place.

But that's not all. It is very important that in such a place it is supported high humidity air. You can prepare a special mixture of leaves and moss: the moss will retain moisture, and the leaves will let air through freely. In this state, it can be from 3 to 5 months.

The process of bringing a turtle out of hibernation is gradual. First, raise the temperature in the room, and then bathe the turtle in warm water. After wintering, return to normal life it will be difficult for the turtle, therefore, for the first 2-3 days it does not need to be fed, and then you can gradually offer it this or that food in small quantities. As soon as the pet starts to eat, then everything is in order, and he is ready to start a new life.

As can be seen from the organization of the process, this is a rather difficult process that is very difficult to organize artificially. In nature, the turtle itself knows when to hibernate, what needs to be done for this, and how long it needs to sleep. Moreover, she does the exit from hibernation on her own, since her body is programmed in the appropriate way. In addition, she herself is able to find an appropriate place, especially since in natural conditions this is not a problem.

It is much more difficult to organize this process at home, so everything must be done so that the turtle does not sleep.

So, you have acquired an exotic beauty - a red-eared water turtle. How do you know if red-eared turtles hibernate? You notice that the pet began to behave strangely: yawns, does not show its former activity, is in some kind of stupor for a long time. This is not a reason for premature excitement. Just a reptile falls into seasonal hibernation. Hibernation of red-eared turtles at home is common, although not always desirable. Remember! Hibernation turtles at home is not a necessity for a reptile! This condition is caused by climate change in its natural habitat, and at home can be detrimental to your pet.

There are also individuals in whom the natural instinct manifests itself in any microclimate in the house. This is for the best, because such individuals reproduce better. In winter and autumn, daylight hours are significantly reduced, and not only reptiles, but also people lack natural light. If you decide to breed reptiles or just want to put your pet into hibernation, you need to do this from about November to February, even if the pet does not show obvious signs sleep.

Preparation

So, how does the hibernation of red-eared turtles go at home? Approximately 2 months before hibernation, transfer the pet to enhanced nutrition so that she can store as much as possible. nutrients. This is important, because during hibernation, animals lose weight by almost 2 times. It is useful to give the turtle special nutritional supplements(they are sold in the pet supply store). But a week before bedtime, the animal needs to stop feeding altogether.

Ideal temperature regime during sleep - from 1 to 6 degrees of heat. This mode can be provided by placing the animal, for example, in the basement. However, be careful. Hypothermia is disastrous for red-eared turtles. It is also necessary to maintain an optimal mode of humidity. It can be provided by moistened moss and leaves. This environment is well ventilated.

Awakening

A few words about how to bring the red-eared turtle out of hibernation. If the conditions are good, then the duration of hibernation is 3-5 months. Immediately after waking up, you can’t feed the animal, you need to wait until it digestive system won't start working. Wash the animal in warm water, this will speed up the awakening process. The hibernation must not be too long. Gradually raise the temperature of the reptile, thereby stimulating the process of awakening. If you do not do this, the animal can completely weaken.

By and large, domestic turtles do not usually need to hibernate. It's in wild nature they have winter or summer. They burrow into the ground and sleep there for several months until the ambient temperature stops being too cold or hot. There are practically no such differences at home (except during the period when it is already cold and the heating has not yet been turned on), because a conscientious owner keeps a pet in a terrarium, and not in a box. In this case, the temperature is approximately the same throughout the year.

If, despite this (or there is no way to maintain the same level of heat), the turtle still fits, then you will have to help her. Understanding the mood of the animal is easy: the pet is increasingly just sitting in the corner and leading a fairly passive lifestyle. It digs holes in the ground, trying to dig in.

Help the turtle to hibernate:

• increase the amount of food so that the pet gains enough fat for months of sleep, and water, no less necessary for a sleeping turtle;
• seek help from a veterinarian (only a healthy pet can be fearlessly allowed to hibernate);
• a few weeks before hibernation, terrestrial and freshwater turtles should stop feeding, but continue to drink;
• gradually shorten the daylight hours (reduce the operating time of the lamps in the terrarium) and slowly lower the temperature level;
• we provide the turtle with a place for wintering, it can be small Plastic container with air holes and wet sand as a filler or a linen bag with sawdust packed in a foam box;
• the container must be left at room temperature for 2 days, and then, depending on the type of turtle, gradually lowered to the required level for hibernation (rearranging the container). Every time (after about 3 or 5 days) the turtle must be inspected and the soil sprayed;
• the withdrawal from hibernation is carried out in the reverse order also slowly. Before returning the pet to the terrarium, it is necessary to bathe it in warm water.

If everything went well, then by the end of the first “awakened” week, the turtle will begin to eat normally. Otherwise, contact your veterinarian.

Remember that the hibernation period for turtles lasts from 8 to 14 weeks (depending on the size of the reptile). If the owner cannot provide a turtle the necessary conditions for hibernation, it is worth doing everything to prevent the pet from leaving for the winter. Raising the temperature in the terrarium to 28 degrees, frequent bathing or a vitamin injection (an experienced veterinarian will do it) will help here.