Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am now in AZ and have the option of keeping Spotteds outside or in a large indoor enclosure.Outside I feel they would get cool enough to produce fertle eggs.My group of albino Red-ears, have been doing fine for years in their pond.But they are red-ears.
I was thinking of keeping the spotteds inside, so that I could enjoy them more, but I was concerned about wheather they could be cooled enough in the winter.
Joe Kahn

Ive got a female spotted adult ive had since 1997. Ive only hibernated her once in 2001. The other years ive kept her active in my house over winter and there have not been any problems. She lays two clutches of eggs a year and appears to be doing fine. My males I do hibernate outside at the bottom of my pond in winter.

To me, that would make sense, I think that the males are the ones that need to be cooled to produce viable sperm. I am curious, just how much cooling is required.

Hi,

I had kept (no longer do) and bred spotteds for many years with and without hibernation. In fact during the years that they did not brumate, the female layed many more fertile clutches, up to eight in one year when heavily supported. good luck.

Will

Hi Will,
What temperatures did you keep them at in the winters?
Thanks, Joe

Hi Joe,

Sorry for the late reply. When I kept 'em and chose not to brumate them, I'd keep the same 100F basking spot, but the water temps would be in the mid sixties to match the air temps in my apartment at the time. The female would drop a fertile clutch every 30 days or so.

Will

Hey Will,
Thanks for the answer."Better late than never"
Thanks, Joe

Could you give us a little insight on hibernating them in the bottom of your pond? I took mine in for the winter, only because I couldn't make a secure lid to my stock tank in time, but I would like to hibernate them outside next year.

Any pictures of your setup would be great too, thanks!

Curtis

Yes Curtis id be happy to send pics. I have had some problems posting them on here however if you sent me and email address I find it much easier to post them there. I have an approximate fenced in enclosure L shape about 20 feet x 10feet and the same the other way. In that enclosure I have a 2ft x18 inch oval preformed pond 24 inches deep. the bottom 18 inches is muck that is rooted with cattails. The other pond is a preformed rubber maid 4ftx4ftx4ft and is filled with rooted mud all but the top six inches. The third pond is a liner pond approx 10ft by 12 feet. In the middle it used to be 4ft deep but ive let it naturally fill with leaves and other debris causing it to be only about 2 foot deep now. The outer sides all have rooted plants. I have never lost a spotted turtle in the winter here in cold ass michigan. I keep the big pond aerated and all three ponds have a disc de-icer in the middle to allow gases to escape. All the three ponds have spotted hibernating in them every year depending on personal preference.This year I decided to keep six females indoors but there are still six other females and about 6 to 7 males out there. Again give me an email address and ill send summer and winter pics