Outdoor hibernating?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lucymay

Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
63
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles
I have 3 Russians living in a large outdoor fully enclosed pen. They have several areas (tunnels) where they go at night to sleep and in the summer during the really hot days.

We have them for about 1 1/2 years. Last winter we kept them indoors with lights, heater, etc and did not let them hibernate since it was our first year together.

This year they have been living outdoors full time. We live in So.Ca. so the weather will not get too cold.

My question is ... Can we leave them outside and if they dig down and hibernate that is okay? Or should we bring them inside for the colder months?

We also have a Florida Box Turtle in the same outdoor pen but in his own 'room' which is sectioned off from the other torts. And have the same questions for him.

We hate the idea of bringing them inside since they seem so much happier in their big area to walk around.

Thanks everyone for your help. :)
 

Laura

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
7,502
Location (City and/or State)
Foothills above Sacramento CA
My russian already went to 'sleep'. it was fine, then yesterday i checked where he was digging in and he was gone. he went way deeper,, so i found him, got a big bucket of dirt and brought him inside. in a dark corner in a container. still sleeping. central calif. Nights have cooled off but the days are still nice.. first rain expected tues/wed.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,391
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
The problem with allowing Russians to hibernate outside isn't the cold, its the wet. Here in California we have too much rain during the winter for safe Russian hibernation outdoors. They have to be kept very dry during their winter sleep. Best thing is to box them up and put the box in a cool, quiet place.

Yvonne

(I keep several Florida box turtles and they hibernate outside ok. I live in Central Calif. and the winters are not extremely cold, with most nights down in the low 30's.)
 

Lucymay

Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
63
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles
O.K. thanks. But now I have another question... how do you know for sure they want to hibernate? What if 1 or 2 is ready but the 3rd isn't?

Also thanks so much for the Box Turtle info. He'll stay outside and be fine :)


btw... we're having a drought, no rain in L.A. area. In fact we are having water rationing.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,391
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Are they outside? They just disappear and you don't see them anymore. Out one day and sunning themselves then gone the next day.

YVonne
 

Lucymay

Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
63
Location (City and/or State)
Los Angeles
Well so far they have been coming out every day so I guess they're not ready yet. I guess once they're gone, I will dig them up and bring them inside.

Do you ever have one that will hibernate and the others won't? I will have to make sure that all 3 are coming out for sun.

Thanks again for all your help.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top