HELP Found Box Turtle: Was It Hibernating or Just Hiding Because It Moved in Its Box & What Do I Do with It - Maryland

[HC-TortoiseFiinder]

Hi everyone. My dog found a young, small box turtle yesterday-in Southern Maryland. We have been having below-freezing temperatures, and the turtle was all closed inside its shell. S/He did not appear injured. I assumed it was hibernating so we placed him/her in a box with a lot of leaves and other dried plant stalks to protect it from the cold and the dogs. We placed the box in our garage. So today, I went to check on the turtle and s/he had moved positions inside his/her box--not far, but movement, nevertheless. S/He was again closed up in the shell. So maybe s/he is not really hibernating? Over the next two days, we expect temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s, but then back to colder temps over the weekend (especially at night). If I release the turtle (near where my dog found it, but on the other side of the fence where the dogs can't go) tomorrow when it is warm, will the turtle dig him-/herself back into a hibernation burrow? Or will s/he be too sluggish to dig a burrow? Will s/he die over the weekend if s/he doesn't burrow in? What should I do to help him/her? We don't want to keep him/her. Thanks for any advice!

 

[wellington]

Put it back where the dogs can't get it and bury it with a bunch of leaves. He will figure it out from there.

 

[jeff kushner]

I work up the road from you in Upper Marlboro.....he's be fine this weekend.

They can actually be frozen to a certain extent and be just fine so don't worry about the temps, he'll be fine.

Congrats on your "Catch & release"!! LOL


Best of luck,
jeff

 

[DoubleD1996!]

^what they said. It'll be fine. Just put it where you found it and cover it with leaves. It will either move to where it finds more suitable or nestle down.

 

[mark1]

put him in a good spot, if it turns cold and stays cold he won't move , he'll just dig in as best he can, he'll make the best of where he is at........ if it's not good enough , well it won't be good enough........

 

[wellington]

Be sure to put it where the dogs can get to it but close to where you found him