How do red-eared sliders overwinter? Master the right methods for a safe winter

More and more people are now keeping turtles as pets, and the red-eared slider is one of the more popular pet turtles on the market today. In winter, red-eared sliders need to hibernate, so how do red-eared sliders overwinter?

1. Provide a comfortable environment with a terrarium

In winter, red-eared sliders need to stay in a warm environment at all times. But since they constantly roam and crawl around, it is hard to find a warm spot in the home to keep them in place, so a relatively spacious terrarium with a constant temperature is needed. For tortoises, you can place some dry leaves in the terrarium, or use crumpled newspaper instead, and sprinkle a little water on the newspaper every few days to keep the environment moist.

2. Provide nutritional support with turtle lamp tubes

For red-eared sliders, sunlight is the best light source. Owners are advised to take the turtle outdoors to bask in the sun on a sunny afternoon. At the same time, to ensure the turtle can take in enough nutrition, a dedicated reptile lamp tube should also be set up at home. This can boost appetite, and the two together have a rather important effect on the turtle's calcium absorption. This kind of lamp tube should be bought from a shop that specializes in reptile supplies.

3. Regulate physiological functions with a heating pad

Like other reptiles, red-eared sliders are ectothermic animals and cannot regulate their own body temperature. When they appear as pets in an indoor space with a uniform temperature, they naturally can no longer regulate their body temperature. But for the turtle, the enzymes in its body need a relatively high temperature to digest food and carry out metabolism. The principle of a heating pad is somewhat similar to the electric blankets we use in winter: it can raise the temperature over a small area. When the turtle lies on it, its body temperature rises accordingly, allowing it to smoothly complete its physiological functions.

4. Replenish energy with calcium powder and vitamins

For red-eared sliders, health is especially important in this season. As a domestic pet, the red-eared slider's food sources are naturally not as rich as those it would get in the wild, so owners need to occasionally provide some calcium powder and vitamins to prevent illness caused by a lack of nutritional elements. For tortoises, the needed food is mainly fruit and vegetables, while the small but omnivorous red-eared slider also needs a comprehensive supply of turtle feed, small fish, small shrimp and other foods. Since adult turtles lean toward a vegetarian diet, you can try fruit and vegetables so they can get through the winter safely.

Red-eared sliders can easily lose their lives in winter, so the care work must be done very carefully, otherwise the red-eared slider will die with one careless mistake.