Reptile & Amphibian Forums

should I take the baby out every 2-3 weeks and soak him? Most sites do say to do this so that its health can be checked and substrate can be checked for dryness. He is in hibernation now and has not moved in several days. His humidity is currently at 70 percent. Does that sound OK?

Thanks, Linda

Linda,

I have three babies who are 4 months old and been sleeping for a month now, every three days I poke them to be sure their alive. About every two to three weeks I soak them for about an hour then put them back to bed, earth dirt and sphagnum moss. Since their only 4 months old
I don’t want to hibernate them, this seemed to work for last year’s clutch and will do so with this group. Not saying it’s the right or wrong way, only it works for me. My wife does take a vitamin E capsule liquid and rubs their shell to keep from getting to dry. They have not eaten since the last week of August but they look great, believe me I’m looking forward to when they start eating. Last years clutch didn’t eat for four months and their doing fine.
I’m sure other members have their methods for newborns.

Alan

Thank you for responding. What you are doing is pretty much what every website says to do while they are hibernating. I am hibernating inside so I do check each day to make sure he has not surfaced.

My turtles are inside and are in our family room. I have four adults, 2 males and 2 females their inside too although I don't poke them I do soak them about every 3 weeks and they go back to sleep. Been doing this four eight years now. So far so good. My turtles where all road saves, all injured somewhere. Since my wife was the nurse for them " they will be where I can see them".

Alan

N/P

I hibernate my baby turtles out side. I keep them separate from the adults, in a small enclosure. Baby box turtles can climb almost straight up the sides of their enclosure, so you have to take extra precautions. In late October I dig a hole in their enclosures about a foot deep and about a foot wide. I will back fill this with soft compost so it’s easy for them to dig down deep. I pile the compost high and in November I place lots of leaves on top. The leaves help to shed water away from were they are. They also help keep the ground from freezing, and they also help keeping the ground cold if we get an early warm spell. In the spring I will start to remove the leaves and wait till they dig them self out of the compost. I have done this for 6 years now and have never last a baby.
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Jack

Linda,
If he's burrowed into the mulch, and the mulch is moist, you don't need to investigate further. If you still want to, it shouldn't bother the little guy as long as you don't warm him up. Use cold water to soak him in. If he is not dehydrated he probably won't drink. Honestly, even if he is dehydrated, he might not drink. But if he seemed visibly healthy when you put him in hibernation, I think he'll be fine.
You might look for a digital kitchen scale that measures in grams. I find this the most useful tool I have for my box turtles and tortoises. Keep track of his weight, so you'll know if he's growing or not, and most importantly, its the best way to measure dehydration. Of course, this won't be very helpful until he weighs 20 grams or so.
The reason most sources are saying to soak during hibernation is because many keepers are not following all the recommendations and this helps those turtles that are being hibernated in too dry an environment.

Hope he does well!

Sorry, I am now reading some of your previous posts. You already are keeping track of weights!

I am feeling more confident with my decision to hibernate him. I truly think that he was left outside too long and could not come back to his pre-hibernation state in spite of everything I have done and I have done everything that people asked me to. He is in a rubbermaid container with a secure lid with air holes punched in it. I did potting soil and sand along with sphagnon moss that I wet well. I am keeping him at about 52-55 degrees and have a temp and humidity gauge in the container with him which I check two times a day without disturbing him. His humidity is staying about 75-80 right now. I did alot of reading and I know how important high humidity is.

Thanks again, this is the first time I have had to hibernate a box turtle and was very frightened by it. In spite of what the outcome is I will have to live with it. I could not sit by and watch him starve to death. He had not eaten in 3 months and had started to lose weight.

Linda

I apologize for the late reply. I personally do not take mine out to soak during hibernation. I would however make sure the substrate is moist but not wet. I have always resorted back to what they would be doing in nature with very good results. However I also know that is easier for me to say as I live in there native range. Mine are all outside dug in and I wont check on them until march or so as I know they will be OK. But to answer your question I do not think I would soak. I would keep the temps around 55 degrees or so and the substrate moist or damp but not wet. I would say if you can squeeze out water in your hand its probably to wet. the humidity you menioned sounds good to me. Feel free to e-mail me at Sheehan.allen@yahoo.com as I can get back to you quicker.

I hope I helped some
Allen Sheehan

Thanks for responding. I will email you if I have any other questions or concerns.

Linda