Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this is my first winter having a florida yellow belly, do they hibernate? what do i do? need help, any advice would be great. thanks guys.

Florida yellow belly cooters can hibernate but IMHO it is a bit risky. Lots of times you may think you have a florida yellow belly or it could be river cooter and they all interbreed in cross over areas so it's hard to say what you actually have. (believe me I know I have two and one has characteristics like a Swanee River cooter and some attributes of a Eastern. One type will hibernate well the other is iffy. What to do.)

Anyhow -- most of these species will hibernate but usually only for a couple of months (if they live in areas that experience slight cool off periods)

If you live in an area that has real lengthy full freeze winters I would definitely take the animal in for the winter and not risk it.

I take both of mine in. My large eastern cooter female was found in waters outside of Pennsylvania (way out her range). She had been dumped there and obviously had just come out of hibernation. She managed to survive last year's severe Winter just fine but clearly was starved down to bone. She just now has enough to be considered in good condition but NOT enough to overwinter outside. So in she comes.

Just better than chancing it.