normal for boxie to be active in fridge?

[Loohan]

My 4" 3-toed Felter
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/felter-my-new-3-toed.143001/
stopped eating a couple weeks ago, and i have been subjecting him to cooler temps and scant light. And daily baths. But sometimes he's still been more active than i would expect.

Last night i put him in a place that was down to 47 F this morning. But when i checked on him, he seemed active and trying to get out of his plastic box. The box is 9X9" and 5" high with a bunch of slightly damp coir.
I put him in the fridge anyway. But an hour later, he is still crawling at the corner.
Unlike my other little boxie, who knows how to relax.

Is Felter going to settle down? I guess i'll find out soon.
Hopefully this is not too abnormal.

 

[mark1]

my opinion is 47 is too warm ........ i'd suggest 38-40 degrees

 

[Tom]

He'll settle down when his core temp cool a bit more too. Dark and cool will calm him.

 

[mark1]

it's my understanding that when the ground temperature reaches 45 degrees or more for a 5 consecutive days eastern box turtles will come up ............. I've seen eastern box turtles basking at 47 degrees , n.a.wood turtles will eat at 47 degrees ............. three toeds may be different ?

 

[Loohan]

The fridge is 41 F. Except it occasionally dips down to 39. I had set the fridge 1 notch warmer. I could turn it back down which will probably make it a couple degrees colder.
He seems less animated now.
My only previous experience with refrigerating turtles was last year, with my little 3-toe Rorg. And Rorg just buried himself in the coir and presumably snoozed. I took him out and soaked and weighed him a couple times, but had the impression he was torpid whenever cold.
Now both turtles are sitting on top of their coir instead of digging under. This seems strange because even in the summer, Rorg usually will bury himself in a corner.

 

[mark1]

39-41 degrees would be perfect for an eastern box turtle ..... as Tom said , is it dark ? is the container opague ? i'd certainly keep them damp , but I wouldn't take them out and soak them , I never have , until i'm ready to keep them out .... unless they were dehydrated going into this , they're not going to die from dehydration , if anything they'd die from using up all their energy before they start eating again ................ if your not sure about their health just wake them up a month early and keep them indoors until weather permits putting them out ........ I left some hatchling wood turtles outside this year , small turtles are in greater danger of running out of energy than large turtles , i'll be getting them in the house and eating first decent days we get in march , they haven't eaten since mid October , and the fall has been so warm , they've been very active ...........

 

[Loohan]

I unscrewed the light bulbs in the fridge. I am planning to put a black towel over the containers too. The containers are clear.

I have read that one should warm them up to room temp every 2-4 weeks and soak and weigh them. I did this last year with Rorg and it was unnecessary, as he had actually gained a fraction of a gram each time. But it was good for my peace of mind.
I suppose it is faintly possible a turtle could urinate in the fridge and thus get dehydrated.

I only did Rorg for slightly less than 7 weeks last year. But it made a big difference in his well-being, i think. After a few days recovery, his appetite was great and he showed no desire to brumate anymore. Of course i kept him indoors.

 

[mark1]

when I've put them in the fridge , I just assumed it was easier on them than being left outside , so I never bother them until the weather outside would normally wake them ...... I believe when kept at a proper temp , their kidneys are all but shut down , if not shut down ....... I too believe I have seen what you say you have observed , hibernating turtles that are meant to be hibernated seems to help with their well being ........ I am more comfortable letting them hibernate than bringing them in the house ....... when I've brought mine in , it's like bringing in a wild caught turtle , it's very stressful on them , they are not happy at all ......... the only thing that makes it easier is I know exactly what they have been eating , so they come around a lot easier ............

 

[Loohan]

I have been keeping my little guys indoors except for long soaks in stock tanks outdoors when warm (and this year it was still warm until recently). I do not even have an outdoor habitat for them but they seem content and happy what with all the floating in the sun and shade.
But this coming year i have some outdoor habitats in the works. But even so, i plan to take the little guys in at night.