those in the northeast USA-

ColleenT

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Have you stopped offering food? the temps here have fluctuated from 50 during the day to 30 at night. i am not sure if offering food would be a good idea or not. My guys have been under the ground and peeked out on the warmer days. What are you currently doing?
 

Eric Phillips

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I stopped feeding mine 4-6 weeks ago. I seen a couple out a couple weeks ago but now they are all dug in under piles of leaf litter, grass clippings, and eastern pine needles for the winter. Won’t see any again until late April.
 

Eric Phillips

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Thanks. i am hoping my guys ate enough before this cold came. I will keep my fingers crossed.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t seen any of my guys lose a significant amount weight from brumating. They may lose a few grams but nothing striking. The only ones that concern me are the ones that show signs of illness in the fall, the rest of them just do their thing. The ones that show signs of illness need to be brought in.
 

Bunny2746

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So living in the panhandlle of Florida I'm worried about the cold weather we will get. I don't understand the whole hibernation thing. I have a one year old and two year old but I know I'm going to be really nervous if it gets freezing here. Will they be ok?
 

mark1

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So living in the panhandlle of Florida I'm worried about the cold weather we will get. I don't understand the whole hibernation thing. I have a one year old and two year old but I know I'm going to be really nervous if it gets freezing here. Will they be ok?
just make sure they have loose soil covered with a pile of leaves to get under and dig into the ground .... when it gets real cold they will almost for sure get under it , just check and make sure they did ...... turtles do at times pick less than ideal spots to hibernate ......
 

ColleenT

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I am in Eastern PA. Mine successfully hibernated last year. Our weather is much colder than yours. if your turtles have lived outside all year, then i would not be worried.
 

Eric Phillips

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So living in the panhandlle of Florida I'm worried about the cold weather we will get. I don't understand the whole hibernation thing. I have a one year old and two year old but I know I'm going to be really nervous if it gets freezing here. Will they be ok?

The only thing I would add from Mark’s excellent post is to make sure the area for brumation is in a non flood area. I know your in a warmer climate than us snow birds but I would consider bringing them in again for the winter just based off their age. Yes, they can successfully brumate through the winter months but the smaller ones are at a greater risk of failing due to the elements. If you have the room, I would consider 1 more year.
 

mark1

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The only thing I would add from Mark’s excellent post is to make sure the area for brumation is in a non flood area. I know your in a warmer climate than us snow birds but I would consider bringing them in again for the winter just based off their age. Yes, they can successfully brumate through the winter months but the smaller ones are at a greater risk of failing due to the elements. If you have the room, I would consider 1 more year.
that's an excellent point Eric , I was out one winter after a a couple day downpour , on top of a foot or so of snow , in freezing shin deep water trying to dig up box turtles , the ground was frozen so the water couldn't drain off .....I don't know how long they were submerged , but they did all survive
 

Bunny2746

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The only thing I would add from Mark’s excellent post is to make sure the area for brumation is in a non flood area. I know your in a warmer climate than us snow birds but I would consider bringing them in again for the winter just based off their age. Yes, they can successfully brumate through the winter months but the smaller ones are at a greater risk of failing due to the elements. If you have the room, I would consider 1 more year.
So if I did bring them in how much room do two turtles need ? At one time they were in a 20 gallon but that seems too small now. And if they do stay outside and it drops to severe cold, can I find them ,put them in some tubs and keep in my garage until it is better temps?
 

Bunny2746

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So if I did bring them in how much room do two turtles need ? At one time they were in a 20 gallon but that seems too small now. And if they do stay outside and it drops to severe cold, can I find them ,put them in some tubs and keep in my garage until it is better temps?
Here again and it's going to get into freezing temps this it looks like. I just saw both if them roaming around this weekend. If I am to to them in
The only thing I would add from Mark’s excellent post is to make sure the area for brumation is in a non flood area. I know your in a warmer climate than us snow birds but I would consider bringing them in again for the winter just based off their age. Yes, they can successfully brumate through the winter months but the smaller ones are at a greater risk of failing due to the elements. If you have the room, I would consider 1 more year.
So it's going to get into freezing temps it looks like this week and I am going to be a wreck worrying about my turtles so if I bring them in should I keep them in the garage in tubs or bring them in the house and start feeding?
 

ColleenT

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I really don't know. IMO, you either start bringing them in when the temps change, OR you leave them out all year. You don't want to mess with that too much. In PA, my turtles are underground for a while. Probably will come up in April.
 

Bunny2746

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I really don't know. IMO, you either start bringing them in when the temps change, OR you leave them out all year. You don't want to mess with that too much. In PA, my turtles are underground for a while. Probably will come up in April.
I saw one this morning,and they do have plenty to burrow in but it's been in the seventies and is going to drop ,but in a few weeks we could have summer like weather again. I feel outside is better for them with the sun and humidity but this cold will bother me being their first winter. Thanks for your thoughts
 

Eric Phillips

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So if I did bring them in how much room do two turtles need ? At one time they were in a 20 gallon but that seems too small now. And if they do stay outside and it drops to severe cold, can I find them ,put them in some tubs and keep in my garage until it is better temps?

I'd either bring them in for the winter or leave them be. I'd be concerned trying to transition them to your garage to brumate, just due to preparation this late in the season. If your outdoor site is heavily insulated with organic matter and you've loosened the soil down a couple feet then they should be fine. However, if you decide to bring them in for the winter a Christmas Tree storage tote would be sufficient for a couple young adults. Length is around 4ft, width around 18inches and depth around 12 inches or so. It cost around $35. I'm housing 3 juvenile Gulf Coasts around 3 inches long each and its working fine for them.
 

ColleenT

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You think the 70's is too cold? OMG, my turtles come out of hibernation in the 50's. and my turtles are not native to the northeast. they do just fine.
 

Gillian M

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Thanks. i am hoping my guys ate enough before this cold came. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Personally, I do not think you should worry: torts can put up with hunger as far as I know. :)

(And...nice to see you here after so long). :<3:
 

Bunny2746

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Thanks everyone I decided to leave them outside. This morning I was out at 6:30 putting more grass clippings and leaves in the pen and I made sure the dirt was turned up more. Yes it's been in the seventies but it is supposed to drop down in the thirties this weekend just for a couple days. I thought I would rather have them able to be in the sun on warm days then not to if they were inside.
If I may add I think it is interesting that they like sleeping right next to each other. When I set up my first ones habitat I was concerned he was lonely and a lot that I read said "no they are solitary " I think mine love each other. Just sayin
 

ratbones7

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in nj...mine went down weeks ago and haven't seen them since. last offered food around beginning of oct and they all pretty much refused then. i left some vegetables and pellets and always water in pen. but i don't worry anymore. they know what they are doing. added last load of grass clippings and leaves last week. see ya in april/may!!!
 

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