Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently put my three-toed down for hibernation and when I checked on him this morning he seems to be having trouble breathing. There are no bubbles but his mouth is gaping. This is my first box turtle and he is still a baby. Is this normal?, and what should I do?

Thanks for your time,
Jeff

If your boxies is gaping, that's a sign of respiratory problems. Warm him up and see if he continues to gap. If it looks like he is having trouble breathing, take him to a vet. He may need anti-biotics. Chances are, he was probably not feeling well before hand. You should not hibernate any animals that are ill as the stress would likely cause them to go downhill and probably perish.

If your animal is captive bred or even if it's not, it's your choice to hibernate or not to hibernate. I typically only hibernate mature adults because it affects their breeding behavior to not have a seasonal cycle. Babies and yearlings or even younger subadults, if you don't have to hibernate them, then don't.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Paul

>>I recently put my three-toed down for hibernation and when I checked on him this morning he seems to be having trouble breathing. There are no bubbles but his mouth is gaping. This is my first box turtle and he is still a baby. Is this normal?, and what should I do?

He should be warmed up and not hibernated this year. If he doesn't recover once he is warmed up, then you should take him to a vet as he could be ill. Also, how are you trying to hibernate the turtle? Did you make the temps too cold at once? Are there holes in the container? Is the turtle in a fridge or out building? When was he last fed?
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