How to properly care for a turtle during hibernation? Detailed explanation of husbandry and management key points
How to properly care for a turtle during hibernation? Many families like to keep turtles as pets, but turtles kept by many families often do not live long, and many domestic turtles cannot survive the hibernation period. Turtles are cold-blooded poikilothermic animals, and they hibernate when the weather is severely cold in winter, not waking until the weather warms up the following spring. After a turtle wakes up, it must be cared for properly, otherwise it may die.
How to properly care for a turtle during hibernation?
1. Changes in ambient temperature: Whether a turtle enters hibernation depends on the ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature drops below 15°C, the turtle will enter a hibernation state. 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°C, then the turtle waking up is very likely because the hibernation resting place was accidentally warmed, making the turtle mistakenly think spring has arrived, for example, heating from a space heater causing the turtle pond to warm up. If the outdoor temperature has already exceeded 15°C and the temperature has stabilized, that 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 the turtle, and they often overfeed, which can easily cause the turtle to die after hibernation. In fact, after hibernation, a turtle's waking process 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. It is best not to feed it immediately, and certainly not to overfeed. Instead, let the turtle move around for one or two days to fully wake up.
3. Fully absorbing water: If the turtle hibernated in a relatively dry environment, then after it is fully awake, place the turtle in clean water to swim for one or two days, allowing it to fully absorb water and completely defecate.
4. Controlling the amount of feeding: After the turtle defecates, you can begin feeding. The first feeding after hibernation should focus on restoring the turtle's physical strength, and you should feed the turtle high-energy food, but the first feeding should not be too filling; about two-thirds of the normal food amount is sufficient.
5. Disinfection and sterilization treatment: After the temperature rises in spring, bacteria often begin to breed abundantly. Many turtles are weak after waking in the warm spring, and their resistance declines, making them prone to skin and shell diseases. To eliminate germs, after the first feeding, you can soak the turtle in a potassium permanganate solution for disinfection and sterilization.
How to help a turtle enter hibernation?
In most areas of our country, after mid-September each year, the temperature begins to gradually decline, generally around 25°C. This is also when turtle keepers begin the methods to help their beloved turtles enter the hibernation period more smoothly:
1. Reduce the amount and frequency of feeding
Turtles preparing for hibernation should have their feeding frequency and feeding amount reduced. Entering October (in high-temperature areas such as Hainan, feeding may be temporarily continued), feeding can basically be stopped. If the turtle still has the desire to catch food, it still must not be fed at this time. When the water temperature drops to around 20°C, begin clearing the turtle's intestines. The method is to change the turtle's water and increase the frequency of water changes to stimulate the intestines and stomach and promote excretion. Basically change the water once every 3 to 4 days. At first there will be excrement, then it will gradually decrease until there is no excretion. At this point, the intestinal clearing is basically complete.
In most areas, in early to mid-November, when the water temperature drops below 15°C, place the turtle that has been properly cleared of its intestines into a prepared container, move it to a darker indoor location to enter hibernation. It can also hibernate in the usual rearing box. The following April or May, take it out and release it into the rearing box.
2. Ensure the quality of the rearing water
During hibernation, if the water is found to be dirty or contains excrement, it means the intestinal clearing work was not completed, and the water needs to be changed in time. When changing the water, be careful that the water temperature difference does not exceed 5°C. During your beloved turtle's hibernation, if the water evaporates, replenish it in time. Usually the water level during hibernation should cover the turtle's back or be slightly deeper.
3. Pay attention to whether the intestinal clearing is clean
During hibernation, the turtle relies on consuming stored fat in its body to sustain itself, and during this period the turtle basically does not move, in order to reduce energy consumption. If there is undigested food in the intestines and stomach, during the long winter, as metabolism slows, it cannot be digested, and the food retained in the body will turn into toxins, which in severe cases can cause the turtle to never wake up. Therefore, special attention must be paid to intestinal clearing here!