Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am curious as to what the ideal weight in an Eastern and 3-toed box turtle should be in order to safetly hibernate them.

Roughly in the 5-6" range.

Thank you
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Kelly Wood

1.1 Cherry Head Redfoots
1.0 Brazillian Redfoots
0.0.2 Leopard tortoises
1.1 Sandfire Bearded Dragons
1.0 Maliuromastyx
0.2 Dogs
2.2 Parakeets
1.3 Eastern box turtles
1.3 three-toed box turtles
0.2 white, black tail japenese bantams

Have you weighed them in the past?
I try to get an idea of their weight just after they come out of hibernation, at least once during the summer, and again this time of year. I can then get an idea of what's normal for each of them.
My mature females weigh anywhere from 400g to 500g, but some are larger than others: the mature males are between 325g to 525g, the lighter one having a heavily gnawed-on shell, and the heavier one isn't fully grown yet(!).
The lower weights are right for those particular turtles, but would be very underweight for others.
Females can also be heavier (for their size) than males.
Unless you have a point of reference, I can't think of anything to suggest, other than to try picking them up, and asking yourself if they have "heft" or not. You can also compare their weights between them...do the two that are about the same size weigh about the same?
Good luck,
Stephanie

Hi Steph,

Thank you for helping. That actually puts it in perspective for me.

This will be my first time at hibernating them and expectially, hibernating the naturally.

This is how I plan to do it, does it sound okay to you?

I plan on tilling up the ground down about a foot under their hiding place. Then I plan on tilling in some sand and peat moss because the ground is mostly clay. This will make it easier for them to dig in.

Then, I will put on top of the tilled up dirt, some hay, leaves, mulch, etc.

Does this all sound acceptable to you?

Thank you again for your help.
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Kelly Wood

1.1 Cherry Head Redfoots
1.0 Brazillian Redfoots
0.0.2 Leopard tortoises
1.1 Sandfire Bearded Dragons
1.0 Maliuromastyx
0.2 Dogs
2.2 Parakeets
1.3.1 Eastern box turtles
2.6.1 three-toed box turtles
0.2 white, black tail japenese bantams

Sounds pretty good to me, although I myself would skip the sand, and use plenty of dead leaves and peat moss to mix with the soil. You can run a lawnmower over the leaves to chop them up a little, which might make them easier to work into the dirt.
I find that I have to re-work the soil every year, because it tends to settle and compact itself, and roots grow through it during the warmer months, but the bonus is that I have to add less stuff to loosen it.
The 'fluffier' the better: it seems to insulate better and is easier for the turtles to move around in (and they do move!).
I'd also consider making it deeper, say 18". This may not be necessary, but your turtles will have the option of going deeper if they want to. The first year ours hibernated, two of the junior girls had gone all the way to the bottom of the hibernaculum (2ft)!
Make sure you're siting it in a spot where water does not tend to collect (a low area would be bad), that way you'll avoid risking a flood and tragedy.
Stephanie

Okay, no sand. That will work. I will also take your advice and excavate the dirt deeper, which, should not be a problem.

They will be hibernating up against the house and from there, the yard slopes down, so there should be no flooding or anything there.

My Easterns will be hibernating on the south side of the house, unfortunatly, my 3-toed will have to hibernate on the north side since I have no more room on the south side.

Should I cover up the area with a tarp or anything to keep the wind and moisture out, or do you think that the wood top that is on there now will be okay?

Thank you so much for your help also, this makes me feel better knowing that I might actually be doing something right. LOL
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Kelly Wood

1.1 Cherry Head Redfoots
1.0 Brazillian Redfoots
0.0.2 Leopard tortoises
1.1 Sandfire Bearded Dragons
1.0 Maliuromastyx
0.2 Dogs
2.2 Parakeets
1.3.1 Eastern box turtles
2.6.1 three-toed box turtles
0.2 white, black tail japenese bantams

A tarp won't be necessary: rain in and of itself is actually desirable. Its flooding that is to be avoided. In other words, its ok for your turtles to get wet, you just don't want to run the risk of drowning them.
I roll a few logs over the top of the hibernacula here at our place, in part to prevent leaves from blowing away, in part to provide extra mass above ground. The logs work great because in the summer they provide a shady cave, full of crickets and other creepy crawlies for the turtles to munch on.
Try to provide a little shade over the South facing one, so temps don't get a little too high for hibernating.
Sounds like you're on the right track.
Stephanie