Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was given a wild yellow bellied (still pretty young) about six months ago and it has been doing fine until about a week ago. over thanksgiving break its tank got unusually cold and when i returned from break it refused to eat. its still pretty active, but sleeps alot more that i am used to seeing it. i was wondering if i should let it hibernate, since i have read that wild ones do that. and if i do let it hibernate how would i go about doing that. if no to hibernation, then what? (i have let the tank get somewhat cooler, warm it back up?) any advice would help! thanks

Have you ever had this turtle tested for parasites? Before I'd think about hibernation I'd have a fecal run.
Since the YB came from the wild there is a really good chance it has parasites.
Parasites have a tendency to do very well in a wild animal that's now captive. There's no way for nature to naturally control the parasite load in captivity so they overgrow.

I'm also a huge believer in not hibernating an animal I've had for less than a year because in less than a year you may not know what the animal's actual health status is, they may not have had enough good nutrition before you brought them home.
Here's a personal example:
I have a box turtle I got at the end of May, she sat outside in the cold pouring rain a few weeks ago while the male who knew better stayed underground. She now has a respiratory infection & is being treated by a vet.
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PHRatz