Reptile & Amphibian Forums

it's about time for my adult 3-toeds to dig down for the winter and I just want an OKAY from the experts... or those whom are more experienced than myself.
my brumation box is;
a (aprox) 3'Lx18"Dx20"H rubbermaid tub for 3 adult 3-toed box turtles, I plan on filling it with sphagnum moss, newpaper and a little dirt.. and obviosly there will be holes for air, and this will be placed in my basement.

now I have some questions
1) how long should I offer water in the tub?
2) should I fill the tub to the top with substrate?

my adults have been off feed for about a week and soaking once every other day,
Thanks!

.

Hey,
Set up sounds ok but I would personally use a mixture of damp peat moss and crushed leaves or newspaper. Make sure it isn't too wet but a little damp is good. Safe temp ranges are anywhere from 38-44 F. Fill the container 2/3 not all the way to the top. Just make sure they can burrow down. I would take them out every few weeks to weigh and soak in cold water for 10-20 minutes.

-Jesse

I have my turtles brumating in a similar setup. However, I only use orchid moss, which is unmilled spaghnam moss. I have used dirt and leaves before but they grew mold! I keep the moss damp all winter and take the turtles out every week for a soaking in cool water until the temp is maintained at 45-40 degrees for a week. Until then I figure some metabolism is going on and they need water. I don't let the temp get any lower. I have the plastic boxes in a "Hibernation Box" in a barely heated outdoor workshop. The hibernation box has heat lamps and a thermostat that kicks on if the temp goes below 40.
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Tess
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