Do Turtles Hibernate? How to Keep Them Over Winter Safely

The turtle, also known as the grass turtle (Mauremys reevesii), is a reptile commonly found in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other parts of China. Because it is rich in collagen, protein and various trace elements, it is widely used for medicinal purposes. So do turtles hibernate? How should they be kept in winter to survive the cold safely?

1. Do they hibernate?

1. Hibernation time

(1) Start time

In most areas this is in early to mid-November. Place the turtle, whose gut has already been cleared, into a prepared container and move it to a darker spot indoors to enter hibernation; it can also hibernate in its usual enclosure.

(2) End time

By April or May of the following year, take it out and put it back in the enclosure.

2. Hibernation temperature

The water temperature drops below 15 degrees

3. Do they eat after hibernation?

Turtles preparing to hibernate should have their feeding frequency and amount reduced. Entering October (in warmer regions feeding can be paused a little later, such as in Hainan and other areas), feeding can basically be stopped. Even if the turtle still shows a desire to catch food, it must not be fed at this point. When the water temperature drops to around 20 degrees, begin clearing the turtle's gut. The method is to change the water for the turtle and increase the frequency of water changes to stimulate the digestive tract and promote excretion. Basically change the water once every 3 to 4 days. At first there will be excrement, which will gradually decrease until there is none; at that point gut clearing is basically complete.

4. Hibernation methods:

(1) Natural overwintering

Turtles begin hibernating when the water temperature falls below 15°C, eating nothing and not moving. Overwintering is relatively easy for turtles. In winter, inspect the pond in the morning. Ponds with mixed turtle and fish culture are managed the same way.

(2) Cellar overwintering

Choose a spot sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, and dig an earthen hole at least 30 cm below ground level. The size depends on how many turtles there are; the turtles can overlap each other, but they should not be piled too thickly. Extend 1 ventilation pipe from the hole, with its outer opening facing south, away from the wind. Seal the hole with wooden boards or cement boards, pile earth firmly on top and cover with rice straw. Check once every 20 days. If the temperature inside the hole exceeds 13°C, reduce the insulating material on top; if it falls below 2°C, add more insulation. This overwintering method is simple and safe, and the hole has its own humidity, so no watering is needed. By the same principle, mountain caves and air-raid shelters can also be used for overwintering.

(3) Indoor overwintering

Given the turtle's tenacious vitality and stress resistance, it can be allowed to overwinter naturally indoors. The specific method is: when winter comes each year and the water temperature drops below 13°C, scoop the turtles out of the pond and place them in a quiet, empty room. Stack the turtles in 2 to 3 layers, cover with 30 cm of warm rice straw that has been soaked in advance for half a day, then pour water over it once until it soaks through. Seal the doors and windows and block out light. After that, sprinkle water about once a week so the rice straw does not dry out. According to records, even when the indoor temperature falls below 0°C it is quite safe, with a survival rate exceeding 98%, and breeding the following year is unaffected. The biggest advantage of this method is that the turtles can be tended at any time, and it can accommodate large numbers of turtles for overwintering.

(4) Overwintering with insulation in jars and boxes

Place the turtles in a jar or box, put a lid on top with some ventilation holes left in it. After placing the turtles, add some wet cloth or wet sponge on top of them, and check once every 10 to 15 days. As long as they are not allowed to dry out, they can overwinter. This method is suitable for tortoises (land turtles), semi-aquatic turtles and small to medium-sized turtles. As long as the temperature inside the jar or box is not allowed to fall below 0°C (not below 5°C for tropical turtles), most turtles can overwinter safely and soundly.

In addition, for small-scale household turtle overwintering management, the turtles can be kept in a water container placed indoors; keeping it above 0°C allows them to overwinter safely, and the stocking density can be more than double the usual level, which helps raise the temperature somewhat. If turtles are kept in a small outdoor courtyard pond, covering the pond with plastic film so the pond water does not freeze is a very safe overwintering method. Appropriately deepening the water level also has an insulating effect. The simplest method is to put some foam plastic boards in a small pond and place rice straw on top, which can also let the turtles overwinter safely.

2. How to keep them?

1. Changes in ambient air temperature

Whether a turtle enters hibernation depends on the ambient air temperature. When the ambient temperature falls below 15 degrees Celsius, the turtle will enter hibernation. When a turtle wakes from hibernation, be sure to first measure the indoor temperature to prevent accidental factors from causing the turtle to suddenly interrupt hibernation. If the outdoor temperature is still very low, far below 15 degrees Celsius, then the turtle waking up is very likely because an accidental rise in temperature at the turtle's hibernation spot made the turtle mistake it for spring, for example when a heater preheating causes the turtle pond to warm up. If the outdoor temperature has already exceeded 15 degrees Celsius and the temperature has stabilised, then it proves the turtle has truly woken naturally from hibernation.

2. Whether it has fully woken up:

After a turtle wakes naturally from hibernation, many people think it is very hungry and their first thought is to feed it, and they often overfeed, which can easily cause the turtle to die after hibernation. In fact, a turtle's waking process after hibernation is gradual. When it first starts moving, it has not entered a fully awake state, its digestive capacity is still weak, and it has not defecated, so it is best not to feed it immediately, and certainly not to overfeed. Instead, let the turtle move around for a day or two to fully wake up.

3. Absorb water fully

If the turtle hibernated in a relatively dry environment, then after it is fully awake, place it in clean water to swim for a day or two, so it can fully absorb water and completely defecate.

4. Controlling the amount fed

After the turtle has defecated, you can begin feeding. The first feeding after hibernation should focus on restoring the turtle's strength; give the turtle high-energy food, but the first feeding should not be too filling, about two-thirds of its normal food intake is enough.

5. Disinfection and sterilisation

After the temperature rises in spring, bacteria often begin to breed abundantly. Many turtles are weak after waking in the warm spring, with reduced resistance, and are prone to skin and shell diseases. To eliminate germs, after the first feeding you can soak the turtle in potassium permanganate solution for disinfection and sterilisation.