Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had 3 RES for over 3 years. We put them in an outdoor pond for the summer and bring them in to an aquarium for the winter. Now they are too big to try to keep in an aquarium. I wondered if anyone knows how to force them to hibernate in the pond. If I put 6-8 inches of straw, dirt ect in the bottom of the pond and keep the rest of the water from freezing with a bubbler, do you thnk they would hibernate and be OK? Hs anyone done this?
Thanks

Hi --

Where do you live? Make sure your pond is deeper than the frost line. Next don't put 6-8 inches of dirt and straw in your pond (it will just make a big sloppy mess and the rotting hay will give off toxic gases. If your pond should happen to freeze over by some chances these gases will get trapped and their goes your turtles AND it will make it impossible for you to monitor what is going on with your turtles if the opportunity presents itself to do so). They can actually hibernate on hard bottom once they go into hibernation mode. I know some people that provide sand bottoms for them or some with caves or some with nothing. If you keep the water open all winter and do not have a severe winter they should hibernate just fine. A minimum depth of 3 feet at the deepest part of pond is a good idea. (deeper if you live in an area that has a deep frostline. As far as prepping them for hibernation be sure to stop feeding them when temps drop into the 50's you don't want them going down to bottom with food in their stomachs. It will rot inside them as everything comes to screeching halt systemically when they are hibernating.