Plato Zorba
Member
Just out of curiosity, how deep is the water in your Wood Turtle pen? Is this upcoming winter their first full winter outdoors?Closing in on 2 years of age...View attachment 245029 View attachment 245030
Just out of curiosity, how deep is the water in your Wood Turtle pen? Is this upcoming winter their first full winter outdoors?Closing in on 2 years of age...View attachment 245029 View attachment 245030
Thanks guys for both responses. I've considered adding a wood turtle to my existing eastern box turtle garden but i worry about their size compared to my bogs and the overall depth of the water. I have just over a foot of depth with muck bottom which has been fine for an adult musk turtle and yearly snapper hatchlings, but they are far smaller in size obviously. My goal was to add spotteds next may, but woods have always been a consideration too being that they are native here in NJ.as long as the water doesn't freeze , is well aeriated , and doesn't experience wild temp swings …. 10 degrees in a day being pushing what I am comfortable with … the rivers by me can swing near 10 degrees in a 24-36 hour period … you really don't want the water hitting above 50 in January or February , unless it's naturally a hot short winter , which is hard on all hibernating water turtles anyway , it gets them too active if it last for any length of time …… I've had it happen a few times and they do survive it ……. I've got some wood turtles been hibernating in what I believe is no more than 12" of water for the last 15yrs , might be 10" …… there is a 24" pool in the chain and it seems to be the last choice , the one that gets pushed out of the shallower pools ends up in it ……… in the fridge I hibernate them in about 6" of water ….. if that was the reason for your question , if not excuse the interruption ……..