Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need help with a box turtle. It is an indoor turtle that stays in our basement. The temperature is approx. 60 degrees. We want it to hibernate so what are we doing wrong?

60 degrees is not really low enough a temperature for hibernation, nor is it high enough to keep your turtle active, and there are a few things you need to do to help your turtle hibernate successfully.
If you scroll down through posts of the last couple of months, you'll see plenty of posts, and responses, dealing with the matter, and you should be able to obtain lots of valuable information, find links to websites, and so forth.
Good luck,
Stephanie

>>I need help with a box turtle. It is an indoor turtle that stays in our basement. The temperature is approx. 60 degrees. We want it to hibernate so what are we doing wrong?

60 degrees is not cold enough to hibernate a box turtle. It is a very dangerous temperature to maintain a box turtle because it is too warm to hibernate, but too cold for the turtle to want to eat. The turtle lives in a "twilight zone" where fat/energy reserves are depleted and nothing goes back in to replenish it. Some turtles will survive till warmer weather comes but most do not. Please don't take a chance with your turtle. Decide if you want to keep it up all winter, or properly hibernate it.

To keep it up you must make it an indoor set up that mimics summertime. Warm, moist and sunny! If you plan to hibernate it, then find a place where the temps is about 45 degrees, but never below 35. The turtle should be protect from temperature changes therefore it needs insulation in the form of dirt or moss. If you hibernate it outside you must take other precautions as well. Please read the hibernation article on my website: Http://www.boxturtlesite.org. There is an online book there as well with a chapter on hibernation.
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