Winterizing pond with a red eared slider

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I acquired a 6 inch+ red eared slider this year and would like to let it winter in the pond with the fish. I attended a turtle specific winterizing seminar several years ago through Colorado Reptile Humane Society (Corhs) but am now preparing for the new resident and am after practical advice from others who have successfully wintered their turtles. My pond is 9x10 with varying depths, deepest about 40 inches. I typically keep the aerator going all winter to release gases. We do get a solid 3 inch freeze on top of pond each winter (excluding opening from aerator). I have a shallow bog that's not very big, and a shallow gravel filled shelf that is about 8 inches below water level. I can easily create a mud filled area in the 2'x3' lowest hollow if that would be advisable. I'm still unclear about what a turtle needs to breath during hibernation. Are they after a shallow depth or a deep one and just don't surface during this time?
The Corhs offered two options and one included winterizing in a tote with air supply in the refrigerator. No thank you. I'd prefer the little guy stay outside.
Thanks.
 

Marshall

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I acquired a 6 inch+ red eared slider this year and would like to let it winter in the pond with the fish. I attended a turtle specific winterizing seminar several years ago through Colorado Reptile Humane Society (Corhs) but am now preparing for the new resident and am after practical advice from others who have successfully wintered their turtles. My pond is 9x10 with varying depths, deepest about 40 inches. I typically keep the aerator going all winter to release gases. We do get a solid 3 inch freeze on top of pond each winter (excluding opening from aerator). I have a shallow bog that's not very big, and a shallow gravel filled shelf that is about 8 inches below water level. I can easily create a mud filled area in the 2'x3' lowest hollow if that would be advisable. I'm still unclear about what a turtle needs to breath during hibernation. Are they after a shallow depth or a deep one and just don't surface during this time?
The Corhs offered two options and one included winterizing in a tote with air supply in the refrigerator. No thank you. I'd prefer the little guy stay outside.
Thanks.
They need very little oxygen once the go into brumation but the important thing is they need a substrate such as mud or clay deep enough to dig themselves into. Without this they will die or risk being woken up in winter which again will surely result in their death. If you cant provide the substrate for them to dig into then bring indoors for winter until the temperature averages at least 68 F preferably 72 F As far as breathing they actually breath through their butt or colon using
cloacal respiration
(seriously) and so a simple aerator or small pump should be plenty
 
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They need very little oxygen once the go into brumation but the important thing is they need a substrate such as mud or clay deep enough to dig themselves into. Without this they will die or risk being woken up in winter which again will surely result in their death. If you cant provide the substrate for them to dig into then bring indoors for winter until the temperature averages at least 68 F preferably 72 F As far as breathing they actually breath through their butt or colon using
cloacal respiration
(seriously) and so a simple aerator or small pump should be plenty
what type of clay? can it be kitty litter clay like we use for planting lilies?
 

Marshall

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what type of clay? can it be kitty litter clay like we use for planting lilies?
Not ideal to use that as they may refuse to use it but just good ole red clay/mud is best and should be fairly easy to find. The ability of the material to sustain bacteria and hold in gases is one of the important properties and I am not familiar enough with the kitty clay to know if it would be sufficient in that task.
 

Marshall

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what type of clay? can it be kitty litter clay like we use for planting lilies?
PS: The brumation period is so risky to them and easy to get wrong that I actually offer a wintering service at the rescue for people to leave their semi-aquatics here in the indoor area until winter is over. It also provides a decent portion of my funding too as that is a service we ask for people to pay for but we wont refuse if they cant afford it and it is on a "donation" of whatever is affordable instead of a flat rate and most pay more than they would have to as a way to hel out the rescue and also subsidize those who cant pay.
 

Mmathis

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@Marshall For someone without any "turtle" experience (the OP), what would you recommend? How easy/difficult would it be to brumate indoors? With an unknown pond situation, which would you feel would be less stressful for the turtle?
 
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A local lady told me she puts a dish pan of sand at the bottom of her pond and her turtles winter there. I honestly was surprised, and frankly skeptical....but she's the kind of lady you don't question, or have long conversations with :eek:
 

Marshall

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@Marshall For someone without any "turtle" experience (the OP), what would you recommend? How easy/difficult would it be to brumate indoors? With an unknown pond situation, which would you feel would be less stressful for the turtle?
Well you wouldn't brumate indoors technically as they don't require the process so I would say indoors is always less stressful compared to outside for the winter which is also not good to do when the turtle has not been in the pond for a long time and is therefor not familiar but also not too "tied down" so moving may not be too bad.
 

Marshall

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:ROFLMAO::rolleyes::eek: I know the kind!!
A local lady told me she puts a dish pan of sand at the bottom of her pond and her turtles winter there. I honestly was surprised, and frankly skeptical....but she's the kind of lady you don't question, or have long conversations with :eek:
Sounds like m,y ex-wife. Tell her I didn't say hello :cautious:
 
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How cold it has to be to tricker the brumation?
 

Mmathis

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Well you wouldn't brumate indoors technically as they don't require the process so I would say indoors is always less stressful compared to outside for the winter which is also not good to do when the turtle has not been in the pond for a long time and is therefor not familiar but also not too "tied down" so moving may not be too bad.
Also, dietary changes leading into brumation? I know with my boxies, I start decreasing their protein content and increasing the veggie content. Is there a similar prep for RES's?
 

Marshall

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Also, dietary changes leading into brumation? I know with my boxies, I start decreasing their protein content and increasing the veggie content. Is there a similar prep for RES's?
They really don't need a "special" diet prior to winter but they do need more portions leading up to the time of around October. Once they realize winter is afoot they will begin the eat at a different rate and will begin to slowly shut down their digestive system and go to a nearly zero sum metabolic rate. So the short answer is just feed them the same as always just make sure they are satiated as they will know exactly how much to eat in prep for winter. Generally the amount of food that would normally last them for about 48 hours in warm/active state will be enough to get them through 90 days + of brumation as they barely breath or do much of anything else while in brumation.
 

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