Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone else have turtles up today? At least one of mine is up and around, and has been for the past two or three days. It's been on the warm side (for November) here in Central VA, and today we're getting a good amount of rain, too.

Just got back from the woods her in new jersey, weather is overcast but in the low 70's. No turtles were seen, no cold blooded animals at all for that matter. I was suprised not to see any to be honest.

I've seen some up earlier in the week, but
last night I went out to check on them because
I knew it was supposed to get down to at least
32 degrees by morning. I didn't find any up
although I did find some where the top of their
shell was visible, they weren't 100% buried, but
the areas where they dig down are covered with
flakes of hay for extra insulation.

I won't be surprised if I see some of them on
warm days before they go down for the winter.

Last year, they were out on a very warm thanksgiving
day.

You know Hobo is our only wild boy living outdoors & he went under in the latter part of Oct.
I haven't seen any others on the roads. Neither my vet nor my students have found any or taken in any wild ones (turtle or reptile of any kind) since Oct. so I take that to mean all the wild ones have gone under for good until spring here in W.TX.
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PHRatz

We had a very serious storm here, and it was warm last night and early today. Now, it has cooled significantly. I found this pretty little girl about to dig back in about an hour ago. She's 6 years old. I'm expecting her to lay eggs any year now.

I saw an ornate out this morning, but it has partially dug back in...I won't bother it for a picture. It is suprising, as they don't usually emerge this late in the fall.

>>We had a very serious storm here, and it was warm last night and early today. Now, it has cooled significantly. I found this pretty little girl about to dig back in about an hour ago. She's 6 years old. I'm expecting her to lay eggs any year now.
>>

She's very pretty.
You didn't sustain any damage I hope?
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PHRatz

Thanks for the concern, Ratz! No damage here, but it was very close. Luckily, I felled a rotting tree directly next to my house last month. It was in anticipation of the ice storms we get, but I'm glad that I did it early. It could have either fallen on the house or TURTLE PENS!!

>>Thanks for the concern, Ratz! No damage here, but it was very close. Luckily, I felled a rotting tree directly next to my house last month. It was in anticipation of the ice storms we get, but I'm glad that I did it early. It could have either fallen on the house or TURTLE PENS!!

Good deal. Glad to hear it.
Something falling on the turtles or the pens.. yikes what a scary thought!
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PHRatz

I live in ocean county NJ. Mine have been up and about on warm days. One year I saw a wild male on a 40-50 degree day the second week of december!
Phil

>>I live in ocean county NJ. Mine have been up and about on warm days. One year I saw a wild male on a 40-50 degree day the second week of december!
>>Phil

I also live in Ocean Co, and my female has been up almost every day - I'm actually concerned that she isn't going to go down this year! Have you been leaving food out for yours? Mine hasn't been eating since the temperatures cooled off and I'm concerned about all the weight she's probably losing.
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1.0.0 Jack Russel Terrier: Skipper
0.1.0 Miniature Pinscher: Bambi
1.1.1 Eastern Box Turtles: Daisy, Dozer, and Magnum
0.1.0 Red Eared Slider: Rosie
0.2.0 Rats: Clementine and Elsie

I stopped feeding them early october. I'm sure they find stuff on their own if they wanted. All my turtles except one "go under" on their own, except my big female. I keep an eye out for her and when the nights go below freezing I put her in an artificial borrow that gradually goes to about 2 feet deep and fill the hole with leaves. She usually stays down at that point. If I do it before its really cold she comes back up. I have been doing this with her for 6 years now. She is always the last down and the first to come up. Right now she is under a shallow pile of leaves, I will borrow her, probably very soon.
Phil

I live in central Jersey and last week I saw one of the turtles up in the morning after a heavy warm rain. That was the latest I have seen one of the turtles up. That evening after work, I looked but could not find her so she did not stay up for long.
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Jack

Well, after that storm blew through, it cooled off again last night, so no turtles are out this morning. That may have been it for a while...
Thanks for the replies!