Northern California, central valley

Ignacio

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Aug 27, 2016
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54
Hey guys, as i mentioned in my intro post I'm moving to the valley sometime in the next few months, my question is how you guys that live in the area deal with your torts and/or box turtles during the winter, can they be left outside to hibernate? is there too much rain to do that? or will i need to bring them to inside enclosures during the cold months?
 

Yvonne G

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You mean like the San Joaquin Valley? That's where I live. My box turtle yard is on a slight slope, very minor. I place a pile of garden trash in the upper corner and every year I add to that pile. The box turtles dig under it and safely hibernate with no problems.

The Russians are put into a cinderblock hibernaculum on my carport. I have half 12" PVC's for them to hide in and I fill the hibernaculum up with leaves.

The desert tortoises' house winter, summer and all in between (same house) is cinderblocks placed under a mulberry tree that provides deep shade. When the autumn leaves fall I rake them all up and pile them on the cinderblock house. Eventually, when the tortoises have all decided its time to stay in their house, I block the door and add leaves. They have safely hibernated there for the past 5 or 6 years.
 

Ignacio

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Joined
Aug 27, 2016
Messages
54
thank you so much, yes I am moving to San Joaquin county in the next couple of months, I think I won't be hibernating my lil russian he will be an inside tort in the fall and winter,but i will get a few more boxies who will live only outside from a rescue i found online and they said they always have some adults but they recommend me to wait until next spring to get a few giving time for me to properly turtle proof the yard once i move and also time for the weather to get better since when i move it will be the around the coldest part of the year in the area.
Also side note i got a BT baby today, my first ever hatching :) he/she will also be an inside turtle for a few years
 

Ignacio

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Joined
Aug 27, 2016
Messages
54
@Yvonne G sorry to bother you but would you mind posting some photos of your box turtles and russians' hibernation quarters?
Just planning ahead for next year, i doubt i will ever let my Russian hibernate but I will for future boxies

Also do you do something to protect them from the rain?, I haven't live in the valley for about 8 yrs now, the last few years that i been back to CA i avoided visiting during the Winter (only holidays) because of how much it rains sometimes, but honestly can't remember if it really its that bad compared to the Bay or if I'm just overly complaining
 
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