Hi Tom,



We heat because we feel it makes a noticable difference in the animals well being and for our own peace of mind. Like I mentioned I have a well(2 actually) and I use them but the heaters are better for 2 reasons:



1. Water temperature can be raised faster and to a higher point.



2. Far less messy, heating with a well requires a constant water flow and that water has to go somewhere. We have good drainage but if you couple constant well water flow with a big Texas rain on clay based soil and your talking a serious volume of water.



We are heating natural earth ponds.



I agree with what you have said in principle. The Niles are very temperature tolerant. But they are not bulletproof. Once they are large enough to get into natural Earth ponds they are much more likely to survive our relatively mild winter. The reason being the mud at the bottom of the pond rarely drops below 60 degrees and they dig massive underground burrows. I used to think the winter was a fail safe in case we ever lost an animal but I no longer feel that way, just to many microclimates for them to overwinter and survive. Our challenge is to ensure these microclimates exist within the walls of their enclosure.



Otherwise we have had a loss here and there with animals that are not in natural earth pond(waterlands, concrete, stock tanks). This typically occurs when the water temp drops below 50. Nile crocodiles start to lose muscle control when the temperature drops between 44-50 and drowning is the usual result. There also appears to be some individual variance perhaps based on origin.



One of our main problems with animals outside of Niles is that they tend to get caught on the banks and then a front blows through and they get stuck there unable to move and freeze to death if we don't see them. Spectacled caiman are the worst at this little trick.



Stay well and your turtle is in my thoughts. That animal is really incredible.



Chris
-----
CDieter

'Reason, observation, and experience; the holy trinity of science.'

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