Hibernating Early?

[Marty T]

My female GC has been buried for the past three days and has not eaten. Last year she did hibernate until late October. Anybody else seeing this in south Louisiana?

 

[Marty T]

Check that!
She is now out again.
Guess she just needed some extra rest.

 

[Turtle mom]

I live in New Orleans and have 4 GC babies that hatched in January. They are outside now & I can't decide whether I should leave them out for the winter or bring them in. What do you recommend?

 

[terryo]

My GC is 2 now and only goes out during the day in the Summer. Next year I'll start leaving him out day and night, but won't let him hibernate until the following year. I'm in NY and our Winters are VERY harsh. All my outside turtles were under the leaf litter for a few days, but are still coming up for a few hours a day. I stopped feeding them two weeks ago. Still in the high 60's here and down to the 40's at night. Poor things are so confused with the damn weather being so sporadic.

 

[Yvonne G]

I live in New Orleans and have 4 GC babies that hatched in January. They are outside now & I can't decide whether I should leave them out for the winter or bring them in. What do you recommend?

I don't want to de-rail Marty T's thread, but you need an answer. I don't leave my box turtle babies out until they're about 3. During their first 3 years, they go out in the sun, then back in at night. And I don't let them hibernate until their third winter too.

 

[Marty T]

I agree with Yvonne. The first 2-3 years are the toughest. Down here it's cold then not as cold. Some days they are out and then buried again.

 

[Turtle mom]

I don't want to de-rail Marty T's thread, but you need an answer. I don't leave my box turtle babies out until they're about 3. During their first 3 years, they go out in the sun, then back in at night. And I don't let them hibernate until their third winter too.

Thanks for the info.