Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently have my turtles outside in a pen. We live in Kansas, near Kansas city, and I am hoping to hibernate my turtles in the pen. They have a barrier on the bottom of their pen to prevent them from digging out, but I was hoping to make a 14" tall leaf/peat moss pile for them to hibernate in above that barrier. I was thinking that I could also add old carpet for protection. Is this sufficient? Has anyone tried something similar?

An alternate strategy would be to hibernate them in our storage unit at a storage facility in the double box method. I would not really be sure when to put them in and take them out however, and I would not be there to listen for them wanting water. I would also not be able to warm them up every couple of weeks to check on them, like I have seen suggested elsewhere. I have four EBTs. I was wondering whether I should hibernate them in separate small boxes in the larger box, or if I should put them in one larger box together (inside another tub or box) with perhaps a crock for water. Can you soak them every few weeks in cold faucet water or luke warm to water them, without warming them up?
This will be my first winter with them, and of course I am nervous about the process, so I am just trying to work out all the details. Thank you!!!!

Hi. I'm in NY and I've been hibernating outside for a long time. I have a long outdoor garden that's about 22ft x 6 ft. In the back on one side about three feet I have a cave. I dig about two feet down and mix the soil with peat moss to loosen it up and then I add about two feet of leaf litter and on top of that I put about 6-7 inches of pine hay (from a dead pine tree). I cover the whole cave with a pice of ply wood that is covered with a piece of pond liner (I staple the pond liner on to the ply wood.) That section is elevated so no rain water or snow will accumulate there.

This is the cave at the end of the turtle garden in the Spring

filled with the leaf litter

the pine hay goes on top

Then the cover

In the Spring when they come up, I leave the cave there for them in case it gets too hot or we have a storm or bad weather. In the Fall I mix everything up and add the leaf litter and the pine hay again.

This is the garden in the Summer

I'm in KS near KC as well. I keep my turtles in a Waterland tub all summer, then bring the whole setup into my basement for the "winter months" (depending on how soon consistent temps in the 30s happen). The basement is generally in the 50s during that time. I keep an incandescent lamp for heat (on a timer with decreasing photoperiod) for two weeks after their last feeding, then turn off the lamp for about 6-8 weeks. They have constant access to water and occasionally a turtle or two may soak for extended periods. I weigh the turtles periodically and some actually gain weight over the brumation period.

Your original question was whether an above-ground outdoor brumation box was a viable option. I wouldn't recommend it; an above-ground box won't afford the protection from freezing that digging below the frost line does. Others' experiences may vary but personally I wouldn't risk it. Do you have a basement?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Hi,
We had an incident that postponed basically all my thoughts on hibernation. A rat chewed its way into my pen and ate off the front scales and part of the nose of one of my turtles. She had various bites on her shell and other limbs as well. I believe that because my other turtles were better at closing their shells they only suffered small bits. I brought them all inside immediately, and unfortunately the worst turtle came down with an infection that she is just now beginning to recover from. I thought I was going to lose her. I am thinking that I am going to try to incubate the turtles in the storage unit- we do have a basement but it never gets below the mid 60's. I will probably put the 3 that were mostly unscathed down for hibernation in late October after I have verified that they are at the correct weights.

Thanks so much for the information!!!

>>We had an incident that postponed basically all my thoughts on hibernation.

Sorry to hear that...are you sure it was a rat, and not a raccoon or skunk? I should mention--I keep my Waterland tub covered when outdoors--bought the "lid" (which amounts to little more than a ring around the edge) and affixed 1/2-inch hardware cloth to act more or less as a screen top.

we do have a basement but it never gets below the mid 60's.

Depending on the construction of your home, you might also have luck using your garage. Regardless of your past experience, I'd measure the temps in both your garage AND your basement...especially at the floor of your basement (where I presume the turtles would be). I have about a 5-degree difference currently between head-height (where my geckos currently live, up on shelves) and the floor. You might be able to get by with keeping the turtles in the garage until it gets REALLY cold outside, then moving them into the basement at that time.

Depending on the primary function of the basement, you might also look into closing the ducts (if present) to keep the temps down (not a good choice if you use the basement as a primary living space!). I keep the ducts closed to help ensure the 50s-range temps; I don't spend a WHOLE lot of time in the basement but in the winter I use a space heater for that area in which I do, and only when I need it.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

We actually live in our basement, so that it is never going to be below the mid 60's. Our storage unit is in a complex so it is not a structure with 4 sides exposed, so it should stay above freezing.
I'm about 90 percent sure that it was a rat, because the hole chewed was just over fist sized. Next summer I will likely use your waterland tub/wire idea, as that seems more secure than the pen, which was frame and wire.

Thanks for all the great information!!!