Quick question

[reticguy76]

Those of you that have DT's when they start to go into hibernation (which I believe mine is, he is hardly out at all and slowed waaaayyy down on eating), do you guys turn off all lights (heat and uvb)? Cooter is inside in a cage, the low temps are down in the low 70's and soon to be high 60's, do you just keep daylight temps and light as normal and if they wanna come out, they can and bask, or do you turn off all sources of lights and keep them "in the dark" for the winter ??

In a nutshell, my set-up is as follows, inside cage for hibernation/winter months with no pretreated burmuda grass from my backyard ( a big hunk of it and the soil, like sod), the piece is barely too big and folds over on one side. He has been in that fold over for the last week or so, with barely coming out to eat, if at all. I have overhead heat and uvb sitting on top of the cage. My question: is it better to leave a little heat and light incase he wants to come out, or pretty much when our DT's stop activity and coming out, they are pretty much done for the winter and just leave lights/heat off and let the cage be room temps (68-75, night-day temps average through the winter inside my reptile room)

 

[ascott]

Hi...I went back and read your initial thread....is this the little tort that came into your hospital after dog incident? If so, I would not allow this tort to brumate at all this year....for two reasons, while by all outward appearances the wounds may look good there is no way to know if the tort is completely healed....secondly, you have not had the tort for an entire year to know the torts "normal"...

I would run your enclosure "business as usual" and make sure that the tort has a basking spot of 95-100 and not let the coolest side drop any lower than 78....I would also insist that the tort be bugged each and every day for warm water soaks and food offerings......I would be sure to try everything to keep the tort awake for the season.....

 

[reticguy76]

I dont plan on letting him truly hibernate so to speak. Ive kept everything as is. I do offer food/water but he doesnt eat and just sits in the water with minimal activity. I took him to a vet here that "specializes" in DT's and some things done (as he is perfectly healthy, and got the clear to hibernate). The few reptile vets Ive talked to about this said, do like a "mild" hibernation. Meaning not let him do his normal "outside" in the wild hibernation, but more of a brumation, where the temps drop some but not in sense it does in the winter desert, and he will just slow down, rather than truly stop everything and hibernate. I have had xrays and special probed ulrasound looking for internal issues/trauma from the "attack" he suffered several months ago, and bloodwork and all is very well. He is slowing down on his own (due to the natural drop in room temp, and the shorter days, longer nights beginning, they are good with instints knowing this, even in the house). So, bottom line, thanks Angela, I plan on keeping "business as usual" but let him call the shots based on his natural instincts of all variable surrounding factors

 

[ascott]

I only offer what I would do...or what would concern me also, just so I have removed this additional concern from my mind after reading your reply....CDTs don't perform what is considered true hibernation but rather the down time they do is brumation...mammals that perform a true hibernation, like a bear is different than a torts brumation period

Regardless to what you elect to do....I always wish the best for all our shelled friends...

 

[reticguy76]

So, are CDT's different ssp than natives here in AZ ?

I ask because the people that I know that have AZ native DT's they all go down into their burrows from about mid-November and dont come out at all till end of February, then start coming out gradually. They offer tons of greens and graze heavily on weeds in the yards prior to going "underground" so to speak, and literally do not come out for about 3 months or so.