Turtles over winter

[vatman666]

Hi, looking for advice on caring for my turtles in a greenhouse pond over the winter in South Wales, UK.

Firstly, how warm do I need to keep the water, do I need to heat it at all - they live in the wild in canals bit am guessing they just hibernate in the silt at the bottom. My pond I'd about 3ft deep.

Secondly, do I need to heat the air in the greenhouse & if so to what temperature & is it okay to use an oil heater?

Any advice appreciated as they've been kept indoors in a tank for past 4 years so I want to make sure I get it right.

Many thanks.

Martyn

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

I wish I could help, but the only experience I have is with my box turtles……and mine are adapted to my area and climate. My guys are non-aquatic and live outdoors 24/7. This time of year, they are looking for soft and safe places to dig down into the soil for the winter (brumation). Not sure about aquatic turtles in captivity, but if they are like my boxies, they will periodically pop up and appear as the soil warms…..then dig back down.

We do have some members who keep aquatic turtles, so maybe they will chime in.

But my best advice is to find a group that SPECIALIZES IN AQUATIC TURTLES, and overwintering them. Also, where you live, might have different climate patterns than we do in the US.

 

[Toluca]

I have an aquatic turtle (red eared slider) living outside in a pond. We're in Pennsylvania in the US where winters get below freezing. Our pond is about 2.5 ft deep and we don't use a heater. She has done fine overwinter- stays in the fish cave. Last winter I didn't see her for two months straight, but she popped up as soon as the weather warmed a bit.

 

[vatman666]

I have an aquatic turtle (red eared slider) living outside in a pond. We're in Pennsylvania in the US where winters get below freezing. Our pond is about 2.5 ft deep and we don't use a heater. She has done fine overwinter- stays in the fish cave. Last winter I didn't see her for two months straight, but she popped up as soon as the weather warmed a bit.

Thank you Toluca, that sounds like good advice as I'd not thought about creating some sort of cave for them to use overwinter - I'll create something for them