Turtle hibernation (wintering) - Turtles.ru - all about turtles and for turtles

Features of hibernation in domestic turtles

Red-eared turtles living at home hibernate only in rare cases.
This condition is observed in single individuals or is achieved artificially due to manipulations by the owner. Turtles hibernate at low temperatures, so comfortable housing conditions that maintain optimal temperatures eliminate this need. Due to the reduction in daylight hours in winter, reptiles sleep more than usual, but do not lose activity.

If you try to lull a turtle at home, you may encounter the following problems:

Deviation of humidity and temperature indicators
. Too low levels can lead to the death of the pet.
Penetration of insects
. Intruders entering the wintering area can damage the sleeping turtle.
Deterioration of condition
. Hibernation takes a lot of resources from the body, so sick animals run the risk of complications.

Rules for caring for a sleeping turtle

If you notice the first signs of the approaching winter in a red-eared slider, be sure to consult with a veterinarian, who will examine it and tell you what needs to be done if the reptile actually hibernates.

During the winter, adhere to the following recommendations:

Lower the water level
. The turtle burrows into the ground, where it can sleep for a long time without rising to the surface. Oxygen is obtained by special membranes in the cloaca and oral cavity.
Turn off additional lighting
. The pet will have to go to the bottom to maintain warmth, so turn off the filtration and monitor the water level. Excessive movement will destroy the thermal layer, and a low water level will lead to freezing to the very bottom.
Avoid feeding
. Thanks to slow digestion, the turtle digests the food eaten the day before over the course of several months.
Monitor your pet's well-being
. Domestic turtles fall asleep as early as November, when daylight hours begin to shorten, and sleep for about 4 months. It happens that the reptile does not wake up even in February. In this case, you have to wake up the pet yourself.

If the turtle looks active or it is February, then gradually increase the temperature and light to normal. The recovery period takes from 5 to 7 days.

You can feed your pet only after returning to normal activity, but not earlier than the 5th day.

IMPORTANT! After winter is over, take your pet to a veterinary clinic for an examination. The doctor will identify possible complications and prescribe timely treatment if necessary.

Not everything is so bad: when a person is a friend to a turtle

Photo: m24.ru/Alexander Avilov

In fact, a turtle can get along well with a person if you care for it properly and do not expose its life to undue risk. The press service of the Moscow Zoo told m24.ru that 16 species of turtles safely exist in their terrarium, including a huge black elephant turtle, the size of which can reach 130 centimeters and weight up to 300 kilograms.

Land turtles in the zoo are fed vegetables and fruits, while freshwater turtles are fed fish, meat, squid and insects. They keep turtles in specially equipped terrariums, providing them with all the conditions for proper habitat and reproduction.

Keeping a turtle, including at home, largely depends on its species

It is important that the home is spacious. Freshwater animals should be kept in an aquarium with water and land areas (for example, in the form of stones), a special filter to purify the water and, preferably, there should be an ultraviolet lamp above the aquarium, which helps strengthen the animal’s skeletal system

Land turtles live well in a terrarium or enclosure with soil and dry grass.

Photo: m24.ru/Lidiya Shironina

Some people love their pets so much that they constantly associate themselves with them - this is noticeable in photographs and cute statuses on social networks. Psychologist Natalya Panfilova explained to m24.ru what this widespread social phenomenon is connected with:

“The explanation is as old as the world: if we take some archaic things, our ancient ancestors often compared themselves to some animals. For example, they took speed from a cheetah, strength from a wolf, and so on. People love to take pictures with cats because many people associate a cat with the warmth of home or with independence. Man tries to associate himself with those characteristics of animals that he himself would like to possess.”

When asked what you associate turtles with, most will answer – with slowness. Therefore, we decided to find out how human slowness differs from real snail speed.

Incorrect content

Keeping reptiles on the floor of a city apartment is categorically unacceptable and will inevitably, sooner or later, lead to a sharp deterioration in the health of the animal and even its death. The Central Asian tortoise can crawl on the floor for a year or two, delighting its owners with activity, but each winter may be its last. But normally this animal lives about 40 years!

If your turtle lives on the floor, the first thing to do is move it into a terrarium, or at the very least, a large box, where half will be heated by an incandescent lamp. It is also worth contacting a herpetologist in order to minimize the risks of the influence of the previous life on the animal’s health.

In conditions of low temperature and humidity, the Central Asian tortoise easily loses valuable moisture. The animal's kidney tubules quickly become clogged with uric acid salts. This is because the excretory system of reptiles is very different from that of mammals and the end product of metabolism is not soluble urea, as in cats, dogs and people, but sparingly soluble salts of uric acid. In addition, turtles also have tens of times less number of kidney units - nephrons - than warm-blooded animals, and kidney problems due to maintenance errors overtake them faster than Barsik or Laika.

Wintering of turtles or hibernation

Turtles are reptiles that are very sensitive to changes in temperature and weather conditions in general. If it becomes too hot or too cold outside in natural conditions, turtles may enter summer or winter hibernation, respectively.

The turtle digs a hole in which it sleeps in the flesh until the temperature changes. Normal hibernation lasts four to six months, usually occurring from December to March. When a reptile notices a change in temperature, which reaches at least 17-18 degrees, it begins to actively prepare for wintering. However, after the temperature mark exceeds these indicators, the reptile wakes up accordingly. The thermoregulation of the turtle's body is designed in such a way that the reptile itself regulates the time of continuous sleep.

However, it is worth noting that all these norms are characteristic of the natural living conditions of reptiles; as for the conditions of home keeping, it is very difficult to properly provide the conditions that are necessary for wintering. If all the regime indicators are not followed correctly, it can be very difficult to bring the reptile out of hibernation, and sometimes it is simply impossible. Therefore, if you are not a professional in keeping reptiles, then it is better not to put them into hibernation mode; it is also not recommended to hibernate weak and sick animals, as this can be fraught with bad consequences for the health of turtles.

It is worth noting the positive aspects of reptile hibernation. Due to the fact that reptiles hibernate in natural conditions, this has the best effect on the functioning of the reptile’s thyroid gland, which significantly affects the life expectancy of the reptile. For males, this is necessary in order to stabilize the function of the genital organs, as well as the formation of follicles in females. This is also a significant measure necessary in order to maintain the hormonal level of the animal’s body at the proper level, as well as to exclude any malfunctions in the functioning of all vital systems of the body. Both freshwater and land turtles can be hibernated.

As for the disadvantages of wintering, it is worth noting that the most severe consequences of improper hibernation can be both illness of the animal and death.

Does a turtle need to hibernate?

Most experts in keeping turtles at home and veterinarians agree that although these creatures plunge into winter sleep in their natural habitat, it is better not to allow this to happen at home. Because you may have problems waking them up. So, it is better to make sure in advance that your pet receives enough light and warmth at any time of the year - this will prevent his desire to sleep. Otherwise, without preliminary preparation and the necessary conditions for winter sleep, the turtle may not wake up.

As for whether the absence of hibernation harms the animal, experts are sure that it does not. The main thing is that the pet is properly cared for and comfortable living conditions are created for it.

Why do turtles need to hibernate?

Many animals living in temperate climates hibernate in order to better survive the winter. During the cold season, the total number and duration of sunny days sharply decreases, and due to the fact that the body temperature of turtles directly depends on the ambient temperature, these animals are forced to hibernate in winter so as not to die from hypothermia. In a state of hibernation, their heart rate noticeably decreases, metabolism and breathing also slow down, and any movement is reduced to a minimum, which allows rational use of fat reserves accumulated during the active period of the year.

The process of hibernation for turtles is extremely important, because it directly affects the production of offspring. Experts say that adults should spend about 6 months sleeping, from approximately October to the end of March, and for young animals, as a rule, this period can be 1-2 months. With age, the duration of the winter sleep period only needs to be increased. If the turtle is unwell, it must be cured before hibernating.

How can you tell if a turtle is sleeping or dead?

Inexperienced turtle lovers often panic when they watch their turtles hibernate. They can remain in one position for a long time without signs of life, which in itself is alarming. First of all, you need to know that this is typical for cold-blooded creatures, because their body temperature depends on the air temperature, and when it decreases, they hibernate.

To be fair, we note that today in city apartments the temperature usually does not fall below 20 degrees. And turtles in such living conditions tend to become more passive and lethargic. Their appetite may decrease. If a reptile does not show signs of life for a long time, then you can understand that everything is fine with it as follows:

Corneal reflex. Check to see if your reptile has it. Take a cold metal spoon and apply it to her eye. A reflexive retraction into the orbit or its opening will demonstrate that everything is fine with it. If this does not happen, then the reptile has died.
Head position. When she and the reptile’s paws are retracted into the shell, then it is most likely alive. Elongated and hanging limbs that do not respond to touch indicate that there are no signs of life in the body.
Retraction of the lower jaw. Try opening the reptile's mouth by gently lowering the lower jaw. A living ward must close her mouth. Otherwise, the reptile would develop rigor mortis.
Reaction to water. When an aquatic representative of reptiles is moved to warm water (30-31 degrees), it will begin to move its legs and swim.
Smell. Within two days you will hear the characteristic stench from a dead turtle. An unpleasant odor accompanies cadaveric decomposition.

Experts emphasize that these reptiles never die immediately and suddenly. As a rule, they get sick, and if the owner does not react in time to the decrease in the reptile’s activity and does not take it to a veterinarian, then it may die. Statistics show that 2% of reptiles die from old age, and 48% from improper transportation and storage in a store.

In the comfort of home, decorative reptiles live quite a long time compared to other popular pets; with decent maintenance and feeding, the lifespan of land and aquatic turtles is about 20-30 years. But most often, turtles do not even survive to maturity and may die due to a banal violation of living conditions, infectious diseases or a lack of vitamins and minerals.

What does it take for a turtle to hibernate?

Experts recommend hibernating your animal because it is very beneficial for its health. However, as mentioned earlier, this is quite difficult to do in room conditions. If the turtle’s habitat is a body of water, then this is a completely different matter. The natural habitat conditions of turtles are the best conditions for introducing wintering. However, it is also worth noting that if you live in a private house, then providing the reptile with the best conditions for wintering will be much easier.

If the behavior of the animal changes sharply, it refuses food, often sits in the corner, and also begins to undermine the soil, all this indicates that it is time to put the turtle to bed, then you should adhere to the following rules in order to ensure a proper bedtime :

You should be completely sure that the species of your pet belongs to those breeds of turtles that can be wintered;
It is worth consulting with a veterinarian in order to exclude any diseases of the animal, since only a healthy turtle should be hibernated. However, you should avoid taking any vitamins immediately before wintering;
It is worth taking care of the animal’s proper diet. This is necessary so that the reptile gains a sufficient amount of fat deposits, which will serve as food for the body during sleep. It is also worth making sure that your pets drink as much liquid as possible.
If your pet's species is a land turtle, then you should bathe it in fairly warm water, then limit its food for several days, this is necessary so that the food that the reptile eats is properly processed by the body. It is also worth slightly reducing the level of fluid consumed, but not limiting it too much.
To properly introduce sleep, it is worth periodically reducing the length of daylight hours. To begin with, you need to gradually reduce the time the lamps turn on, slowly reducing these indicators to a minimum. After the daylight hours are shortened a little, you also need to gradually reduce the air temperature in the room. The temperature should not drop sharply enough, almost the same as it happens in nature. If an animal is subjected to a sharp drop in temperature, this can be fraught with various colds for the reptile.
It is imperative to prepare a box for wintering. This box should not be too large; this is due to the fact that turtles are not active during the wintering period. The bottom of the container should be covered with natural bedding, then the reptile should be placed there and sprinkled with leaves or sawdust on top. The substrate must be constantly moistened, but it should not become completely wet.
The container with the pet should be kept in a cool place during wintering, but the possibility of drafts should be completely excluded.
In order to bring an animal out of hibernation, it is worth performing all of the above actions, only in the reverse order. It is worth regularly taking warm baths and saturating your pet’s body with useful substances.

If all the rules are strictly followed, then the turtle in most cases comes to its senses after five days and begins to lead its usual way of life. If, however, complete recovery does not occur during this time, then you should seek help from a veterinarian.

As for the natural conditions of wintering, in order to understand how turtles winter in a pond, it is worth paying attention to the fact that as soon as an animal determines for itself that wintering time is approaching, it itself begins to prepare for it. The turtle becomes passive, begins to dig the ground, and practically does not eat

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the usual wintering regime lasts from eight to ten weeks for smaller individuals and, accordingly, twelve for larger ones. It is worth organizing wintering with the expectation that the animal should wake up no earlier than February, this is necessary because it is at this time that the length of daylight hours begins to increase

In order to be sure that everything is going well, the animal’s condition should be checked every month. However, it is worth excluding various mechanical damage to the turtle.

However, it is worth noting that if the animal begins to show activity during the wintering process, then it is urgent to stop the reptile’s sleep. This is a mandatory condition, since repeated introduction to sleep can have a detrimental effect on the animal’s condition.

Hibernation of red-eared turtles

As mentioned above, this type of amphibian can fall into suspended animation - a state of reduced activity. Usually this period occurs during the cold season and is a protective reaction of the animal’s body to a decrease in temperature and a decrease in the amount of available food.

How does a red-eared turtle sleep at home? Considering the optimal conditions for keeping the amphibian and the lack of the need to get its own food, domestic red eared cats may not go into suspended animation at all. But since instincts can work at the subconscious level, in winter the turtle may be more lethargic and suffer from poor appetite.

If you notice this behavior in your pet, it is best to take him to the vet, as it may be caused by an illness. How long does a red-eared slider sleep? Typically, the period of suspended animation lasts one to three months, but at home it can be much shorter.

Is hibernation artificially induced in red-eared turtles? Yes, you can deliberately put an animal into a state of suspended animation. To do this, simply lower the temperature and reduce the lighting in the aquarium. However, it is best to consult with your veterinarian about the need for artificial hibernation before taking any action.

So, you have acquired an exotic beauty - a red-eared aquatic turtle. How do you know if red-eared turtles are hibernating? You notice that your pet has begun to behave strangely: yawning, not showing its former activity, and being in a kind of stupor for a long time. This is not a reason for premature excitement. The reptile simply goes into seasonal hibernation. Hibernation of red-eared turtles at home is common, although not always desirable. Remember! Hibernating turtles at home is not necessary for the reptile! This condition is caused by climate change in its natural habitat, and at home it can have a detrimental effect on your pet.

There are also individuals whose natural instinct manifests itself in any microclimate in the house. This is for the better, because such individuals reproduce better. In winter and autumn, daylight hours are significantly reduced, and not only reptiles, but also people lack natural light. If you decide to breed reptiles or simply want to put your pet to hibernation, you need to do this from about November to February, even if the pet does not show obvious signs of sleep.

Diseases and prevention

The land turtle rarely gets sick. Improper living conditions and poor diet can lead to the appearance of some pathologies.

The most common diseases found in these pets are:

Rickets

This disease develops due to a lack of vitamin D and ultraviolet rays. It manifests itself in softening and deformation of the carapace and plastron.

In the early stages, pathology can be dealt with by revising the diet and installing an ultraviolet lamp in the terrarium.

It is much easier to prevent the disease. To do this, you need to take your pet for a walk under the warm rays of the sun. And adjust your diet so that it contains enough calcium and vitamins.

Eye diseases

If your tortoise's eyes begin to water and swell, and the eyelids stick together and are difficult to open, then most likely there is a lack of vitamin A in the diet.

It is necessary to prepare a warm solution of chamomile and wash your pet’s eyes several times a day using a sterile cotton swab. Albucid and Sofradex eye drops are also used. Your veterinarian will likely prescribe multivitamin injections.

Nutrition needs to be reviewed and the diet adjusted.

Helminthiasis

If your pet begins to suffer from diarrhea or constipation, and whitish moving dots are visible in the excrement, then an infection with internal parasites has occurred.

In this case, you should contact a veterinary clinic to prescribe treatment. And as a preventative measure, it is advisable to deworm your pet once every three months.

For turtles, the anthelmintic Wolbazen (Albendazole) is most often used.

acute respiratory infections, pneumonia

The first signs of colds in turtles are pale mucous membranes. Then difficulty breathing, runny nose, drool with white foam, and wheezing appear.

Pneumonia rarely develops in land species; aquatic turtles are more prone to it.

At the slightest sign of a cold, you should contact your veterinarian and begin antibacterial therapy. Antibiotic injections are usually prescribed.

Intestinal obstruction

This problem can arise if the pet has eaten some inedible objects, pieces of rubber, or polyethylene.

A symptom of pathology is stool irregularity. You should try sun and warm water baths; in extreme cases, an enema with chamomile decoction will help.

Infection with external parasites

If small moving dots are found on the turtle's body, then the pet has lice or fleas.

For treatment, a 5% solution of Karbofos is applied to the skin of the reptile and after a while it is washed off with a 0.2% solution of Neguvon.

How to cope with the death of a pet

No matter how much we want it, nothing on this planet lasts forever.

Birth and death are natural processes and should not be feared. The death of a pet is a big loss, but you have to accept it in order to move on with your life.

Here are some tips for coping with loss:

Give vent to your emotions, cry. Tell your family and friends about your problem. Talk about this as much as necessary, your loved ones will understand you.
Distract yourself from something that makes you happy. Play sports, go to a concert or theater, draw, do renovations, or just spend a couple of days lying on the couch watching your favorite films and TV series.
See a psychologist if necessary. There's nothing to be ashamed of.
Wait. Time cures. Everything passes, it's true.

A new pet can help you overcome the pain of the death of your previous one.

Don't despair if an accident happens to your pet. Try to live through the period of acceptance and subsequent adaptation to the maximum benefit. Create and develop. Don't get discouraged, go out with friends, spend time in pleasant company. Later, if you have the strength and desire, you can think about sheltering an animal in need of a roof over your head at home.

Is it possible to sleep in a refrigerator?

Biologists recommend placing turtles in the refrigerator during hibernation, because it is easy to maintain the same temperature. First, the turtle is placed in a cardboard box, which is not much larger in size than the animal, the voids are filled with torn paper, and placed in a refrigerator with a temperature of +12 degrees. The temperature is reduced every day by 1 degree until it reaches +5.

To overwinter in the refrigerator, the turtle can be buried in a substrate of turf soil, sand and fine gravel. The layer of mixture above the turtle should be within 8-9 cm, but to prevent it from suffocating, the refrigerator door must be opened for 10-15 minutes every 2 days.

Pleasant awakening

Coming out of hibernation is an important moment in the life of a turtle, and it needs help to cope with this task. How to bring a turtle out of hibernation? All autumn reserves are used up, the turtle wakes up weak, exhausted and vulnerable to infections. At this moment, she needs care and quality nutrition more than ever.

After the turtle comes out of hibernation, it is warmed with a lamp or fan heater, then a “bath day” is arranged - in a small container with warm water. The turtle should bathe for about 10 minutes, this will restore the water balance in its body.

After hibernation, water procedures must be repeated every day for a week. They can be stopped when the reptile urinates for the first time. At first, her urine will be thick and dark yellow, but gradually the toxins will come out and it will become light in color again.

Now you can “sit down at the table,” of course, if its appetite has awakened along with the turtle. At first, the reptile may refuse food, this is normal, gradually everything will recover.

What signs can be used to determine that a turtle has safely emerged from hibernation? A healthy reptile's tongue will be pink or orange, without a coating. If it is bright red, the animal may be infected with something. The eyes should be clear and clean, also without plaque or discharge.

Turtles sleeping and not sleeping

When buying a turtle to keep at home, you need to find out as much information as possible about it - what does it eat, does it hibernate? If your turtle does without rest in the wild, then you shouldn’t force it to sleep at home, like a naughty child. And if you can’t do without hibernation, you need to try to create all the conditions for this. And then help her come out of hibernation and return to life.

In nature, the following types of turtles hibernate: Central Asian, Mediterranean, Herman's tortoise. Living at home, these turtles can also fall into winter sleep, although this does not always happen.

All types of tropical tortoises, including the Egyptian, Tunisian, Panther, Indian, and African tortoises, as well as the kinix tortoise, do without hibernation. The warm climate and abundance of food help reptiles survive without rest. Biologists warn that if you try to hibernate turtles that do not need wintering, they may die.

Some species, such as red-eared turtles, may or may not sleep in winter, depending on the climate and the area in which they live. As a rule, the red-eared turtle lives in fresh water. If it freezes for the winter, the turtle goes to winter quarters and sleeps peacefully until spring. If the climate is warm and the reservoir is non-freezing, the turtle may not sleep all winter.

At home, hibernation of the red-eared turtle is not a necessary phenomenon. If she likes everything, has enough food and warmth, she can survive the winter without rest. Sometimes individuals that have recently been removed from natural conditions can go into hibernation and continue to live according to the laws of nature. Over time, this goes away for some individuals.

Hibernation is also necessary for the red-eared turtle if they plan to get offspring from it next year.

Death of turtles, signs and ascertainment of death

Like any other creature on the planet, a turtle can die. This happens due to illness, improper maintenance, old age. Death from old age is extremely rare, especially when maintaining a home. Typically, by the time a turtle reaches adulthood, a number of diseases accumulate and make themselves felt. To prevent premature death, you need to carefully monitor the condition of your pet, create all the necessary conditions for keeping and feeding it that are close to natural. And in case of malaise, apathy, lack of appetite or other alarming signs, contact a veterinarian-herpetologist. At the initial stage of the disease, the percentage of successful treatment is higher.

But often in an animal like a turtle it is difficult to determine whether it is really dead or in a state of hibernation or coma. In doubtful cases, it is better to leave the turtle for a day and then identify it again (usually after this period the picture becomes clearer).

To do this, we will describe some criteria by which you can make a conclusion about the condition of the turtle.

If the turtle was kept on a cold floor, terrarium, or was in a state of hibernation, transported in a container without heating, then first such an animal must be warmed by placing it in warm water (but so that the turtle does not drown or choke), and then under a heating lamp . If no activity occurs after this, then evaluate the following points.
Determine the presence of reflexes. Particularly indicative are the corneal reflex and the pain reflex. To determine the pain reflex, you can prick the turtle's paw with a needle; if there is pain, the turtle withdraws its paw and moves it. The corneal reflex is expressed in the closing of the eyelid in response to irritation of the cornea. That is, it is necessary to touch the cornea and determine whether the turtle reacts to this by closing the lower eyelid.
The next thing you can do is open the turtle's mouth and evaluate the color of the oral mucosa. In a living turtle it is pink (can be pale or bright pink depending on the condition), in a dead turtle it is bluish-gray (cyanotic).
When checking the color of the mucous membranes in the mouth, the presence of respiratory movements can be assessed by the opening and closing of the laryngeal slit at the base of the tongue. The laryngeal fissure opens during inhalation and exhalation, the rest of the time it is closed. If there is no movement of the laryngeal slit, or it is constantly open, then most likely the turtle is no longer breathing.
If after you open your mouth, it remains in this open state, this already indicates that the turtle has rigor mortis.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the heartbeat at home without special medical equipment.
Sunken eyes can be an indirect sign of death. But, of course, you shouldn’t use it as the only sign.
At the stage of cadaveric decomposition, a characteristic unpleasant odor appears from the animal.

If you have any questions about the care or your pet requires veterinary care, please call 8 (917) 526-49-72.

Herpetologist Anastasia Agafonova

How to prepare a turtle for hibernation in captivity?

Important: Never try to hibernate a turtle if it has recently eaten. As autumn approaches, turtles eat less and less - this is a natural process

The functioning of the animal's digestive system mainly depends on air temperature. When biological processes slow down, the body needs 2-4 weeks for the last food eaten to completely pass through the digestive tract. Therefore, it is best not to attempt to hibernate a tortoise if there is a possibility that there may be undigested food left in the intestines. This is very dangerous: the gases released can cause potentially fatal colic. To properly prepare your turtle for hibernation, give it a period of fasting that should last at least three weeks. It should be noted here that the exact time depends on the size of the reptile (small turtles need less time for the hunger period, large ones need more). During this period, the animal should be kept at a temperature slightly lower than normal. It is also necessary to gradually reduce the lighting level

As autumn approaches, turtles eat less and less - this is a natural process. The functioning of the animal's digestive system mainly depends on air temperature. When biological processes slow down, the body needs 2-4 weeks for the last food eaten to completely pass through the digestive tract. Therefore, it is best not to attempt to hibernate a tortoise if there is a possibility that there may be undigested food left in the intestines. This is very dangerous: the gases released can cause potentially fatal colic. To properly prepare your turtle for hibernation, give it a period of fasting that should last at least three weeks. It should be noted here that the exact time depends on the size of the reptile (small turtles need less time for the hunger period, large ones need more). During this period, the animal should be kept at a temperature slightly lower than normal. It is also necessary to gradually reduce the lighting level.

Particular care should be taken to monitor the turtle's health during the period immediately preceding hibernation. If you suspect that your turtle is unwell, do not try to hibernate it under any circumstances. This may result in the death of the animal. The same applies to turtles that weigh below normal. If you are not sure of the complete health of the turtle, it is recommended that it overwinter in a warm, dry and ventilated terrarium. It is also undesirable to hibernate animals that you have recently acquired.

Wintering in the refrigerator

Another alternative to a suitable cool room for successful wintering is the use of a refrigerator. In this case, the following factors must be taken into account. First, the refrigerator must be large enough for the drawer to remain freely in it for a long time. And secondly, it should not be used for storing food. However, you should keep in mind that the back wall of the refrigerator is usually colder than the front, so the box with the turtle should not be placed close to the walls. In addition, once a day, you need to open the refrigerator for a while, thus maintaining natural air circulation

The temperature should be kept constantly at +4 – +7C. IMPORTANT!

1. After waking up, the turtle must be bathed in water, the temperature of which should be approximately 24 - 26 C. In this case, the turtle must drink a lot. After this, you should move the animal into a terrarium or a special box and turn on the lighting.

Swamp turtles prefer ponds with stagnant water, where they have a large supply of food, as well as all the conditions for hibernation. Winter cold could kill a turtle unable to maintain its body temperature, but natural self-preservation mechanisms allow turtles to spend all the cold months underwater.

Proper nutrition is the key to longevity

If the turtle died, but the aquarium, temperature conditions and other rules were observed, then perhaps the owner used the wrong diet, which killed the pet. One of the causes of death may be the use of only special reptile food. Such food should not be used as the main diet. It is recommended to use any dry food for fish or turtles as a treat for your pet and give it in dosed form no more than once a week.

An equally common cause of death is frequent consumption of moths. They can cause your pet to become infected with many diseases. If the moth is stored incorrectly or bred in the wrong conditions, then it is not only harmful, but also brings fatal diseases. It is better to completely exclude such a product from the diet if you are not sure about it.

It is recommended to feed your pet raw fish. In this case, you can use both sea and freshwater, preferably low-fat varieties. It is prohibited to feed trout, salmon, capelin and other types of fatty fish. Also, the basis of a proper diet includes poultry and beef by-products; you can give seafood, such as squid or shrimp. When giving your pets fish, you do not need to clean it or remove bones. They contain many useful vitamins and elements.

By using a healthy diet, you can achieve positive results for your turtle's health. It is imperative to remember that it is strictly forbidden to feed lard, skin or meat with greasy streaks. Reptiles are designed in such a way that they will not be able to digest such a product, nor do they have the ability to regurgitate it. As a result, they may become ill, digestion may be impaired, and even death may occur.

From plant foods, you can feed your pet lettuce, carrots, cabbage and dandelions. It is also possible that they may be fed duckweed or various types of algae. During the summer, you can feed some beetles, worms or insects. Such products can be easily stored in a refrigerator in a glass container. For long-term preservation, you should put tea leaves inside. In this case, every day the worms will need to be washed under running cold water and can be used to feed them constantly.

Alternatively, the worms can be frozen. Before serving them to your pet, you will need to rinse them under highly salted water or wash them in a light solution of manganese. Pets get significant amounts of calcium, carbohydrates and proteins from insects and worms. It can also improve and strengthen your pet’s overall health.

For proper and balanced nutrition, it is recommended to make your own food based on gelatin. To do this, you will need to mince carrots (70 g), cabbage and apple (50 g each), any permitted fish (140 g), squid fillet (100 g), and egg (2 pcs.). Then add milk and water (150 g each) to the resulting slurry. You first need to dissolve gelatin (30 g) in them and add Tetravit (20 drops). After this, add a couple of eggs and mix. Then the food is sent to a refrigerator to harden. Before serving, the food should be cut into pieces and allowed to warm up a little. This food is enough for 10 meals for an adult.

As for the feeding schedule, pets under 2 years of age should be given food every day, and the dose should be such that the turtle can eat in a maximum of 30 minutes. For reptiles over 2 years old, food is given 3 times a week, in the same amount. The main thing is to avoid overeating so that your pet does not become obese.

It is better to feed your pet from a separate container so that the water does not become clogged. All products that enter the water turn into a variety of bacteria, fungi and can cause infectious diseases and even death.

Using all the rules described, you can exclude causes of death. And since the pet is not land-dwelling, you should definitely monitor the purity of the water.

How long does the red ear live and where does it live?

This type of turtle can rightfully be considered a long-liver. In favorable conditions, life expectancy is 40 years. An interesting fact is that the red-eared turtle has a high level of intelligence, not typical of other reptiles. These animals are very sensitive to vibrations and their behavior can warn of an impending earthquake or storm. When choosing food, the red-eared turtle first focuses on the color, and only then on the smell and taste of the object.

These reptiles are widespread in nature. They can be found in their natural environment in Central and South America, Israel, South Africa, Spain and even Great Britain. But in Australia, this species is officially recognized as a pest, since it destroys local endemics. The red ear lives in shallow ponds and lakes, and in other bodies of water with swampy shores.

Keeping this exotic animal turns out to be much more difficult than initially thought. These turtles spend most of their time in the water, although they need land. For one adult, an aquaterrarium with a volume of 120-150 liters will be comfortable, while land should occupy no more than 25% of the total area. On the improvised bank, special soil or crushed stone should be poured, making a gentle rise. The turtle's shell must fit completely in the water so that the animal can easily roll over onto its back and back.

For this type of amphibian, the optimal temperature is 25-30 degrees Celsius. When the temperature drops to 20 degrees, hibernation may occur in red-eared turtles. The water in the aquarium is changed as needed, at least once a month. In order for the turtle to be healthy, it also needs to be provided with portioned irradiation with an ultraviolet lamp.

Rules of detention and causes of mortality

No matter how strange it may sound, the main cause of death of red-eared turtles is the breeders themselves. Today, many people have such pets. But unfortunately, novice breeders make a lot of mistakes that lead to death. This is all due to improper maintenance and care of pets. At home, many owners have turtles that are not able to live even 5 years.

Initially, you need to clearly know that turtles are cold-blooded. This means that their existence directly depends on the temperature and microclimate in their terrarium. Animals cannot independently regulate their body temperature, such as dogs or cats. The optimal temperature range for red-eared turtles is from 26 to 35 degrees. This is precisely the value found in natural conditions in ponds and other reptile habitats.

All this means that the temperature regime cannot be left to chance by breeders. The room in which the aquarium with the reptile is located should not be the main indicator for keeping it. After all, if the room is approximately 25 degrees, then the water temperature will be several degrees lower, and this is below the required norm.

When buying red-eared turtles, which live mostly in water, you should carefully approach the issue of maintenance and think through the conditions for this in advance. The reptile's home is a large aquarium with an island of land or a terrarium. For one individual, it will be enough to buy or make an aquarium of 200-250 liters, with 100 liters of volume in water. If there is a pair of reptiles, then the parameters will need to be multiplied in half.

The island itself with land must be located on approximately 3 parts of the entire bottom area. It is made from glass, stone or wood. It all depends on preferences or materials that are available to create with your own hands, in addition, the entrance to the island should be smooth, and all surfaces should be rough. To prevent the turtle from dying prematurely, it is created from natural materials or from those that are not toxic. You also need to additionally equip a ladder for entry.

It is also not allowed to use soil in an aquarium. And if it is used, then it should be twice as large as the reptile’s head. Turtles simply love to taste everything, as a result they can swallow any decorative element or small stones. The result may be suffocation or disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, which ultimately leads to death.

You should be no less careful when handling large elements of decoration. Although turtles are not always large, they are very strong and can break an aquarium with a stone or figurine.

Each island with land must be equipped with special ultraviolet lamps, at a height of approximately 30 cm. They are necessary to maintain the health of the turtle, as well as for the warming up and normal development of the pet. You will definitely need to install a heater in the aquarium. This is because the water must be within a certain temperature range.

All turtles are quite sloppy and create a lot of dirt around themselves. However, they love clean water. Therefore, breeders should buy an additional cleaning filter, which will have double the supply. In other words, if there is 100 liters of water in the aquarium, then the filter should be 200 liters and so on. When changing the water in the terrarium, you should only use settled water. It is prohibited to use water that has been passed through a household filter. Typically, this purification adds silver to the water to remove infections and bacteria. All this slowly poisons the turtles and, as a result, intoxication and failure of the animal’s internal organs begins. After this comes death.

What to do if the turtle falls asleep

Before hibernation, the turtle must eat well

Ideally, the turtle's body should be adequately prepared for hibernation. Because,

Before hibernation, the turtle should stop feeding, but not stop giving it water, give it a final bath (immersion in water) and then put it to sleep in a pre-prepared box. If you did not have time to do all this, however, you are sure that the animal will be able to survive the winter, you will need to place the sleeping turtle in a box, which you previously lined with peat or moss. During the winter, the inside surface of the box will need to be moistened. At the same time, in order for the turtle to sleep soundly and not be tormented by nightmares, during the first 2 weeks of its hibernation, you will have to reduce the temperature in the room where the box is located to 6-10 degrees above zero.

If you think that the turtle is not ready to sleep, then it is better to wake it up as quickly as possible.

Preparation

So, how do red-eared turtles hibernate at home? About 2 months before hibernation, switch your pet to an enhanced diet so that she can store as many nutrients as possible

This is important because during hibernation animals lose weight by almost 2 times. It is useful to give your turtle special nutritional supplements (they are sold at the pet supply store)

But a week before bedtime, the animal needs to stop feeding altogether.

In order for the red-eared turtle to hibernate, gradually reduce the air temperature of the pet to 10 degrees. You cannot sharply reduce the temperature, as this can cause the reptile to die from temperature shock. Just before hibernation, do not forget to bathe your pet; at the same time, it will cleanse the intestines.

The ideal temperature during sleep is from 1 to 6 degrees Celsius. This regime can be ensured by placing the animal, for example, in the basement. However, be careful. Hypothermia is fatal for red-eared turtles. It is also necessary to maintain optimal humidity conditions. It can be provided by moistened moss and leaves. This environment is well ventilated.

The feasibility of artificial hibernation and preparation rules

The hibernation state has a positive effect on the reproductive system of reptiles, so experienced breeders send their pets into hibernation on their own.

IMPORTANT! If you have insufficient experience and there is no good reason, it is not recommended to hibernate a turtle, since caring for it at home is very problematic.

Preparing for hibernation includes the following steps:

Increasing the size of the diet 2 months before falling asleep. During the winter, turtles do not eat and lose almost half of their weight. Without a layer of fat, a supply of nutrients and vitamins, the animal may die.
Canceling feeding 1 week before wintering. Additionally, the water level decreases.
Smooth decrease in temperature over 10 days. Turtles are lethargic at temperatures below 15°, and at temperatures below 10° they go into hibernation.
Gradual reduction of daylight hours over 10 days. Reduce lamp operating hours, turn off filters and increase room humidity.
Bathe your reptile on the last day before wintering. A warm water bath will help you relax and empty your bowels.

IMPORTANT! Check the sleeping turtle every 3 days and spray the soil with water to maintain moisture.

Remember that during hibernation it is prohibited:

wake up and put your pet back to sleep;
awaken the reptile before daylight hours increase;
carry out bathing, which triggers the process of urination when the shell comes into contact with water;
continue sleeping with a strong decrease in body weight (the animal loses more than 10% within 1 month);
Allow long-term cooling below 0°.

In addition to the terrarium, you can use a special plastic container. Before using it you must:

Fill 10-30 cm with substrate (peat, sand, moss, sphagnum), dry leaves or decorative pieces of bark. The selected container should be well ventilated, and the substrate should remain dry even at high humidity.
Cool on the balcony, in the basement or in the refrigerator for several days.
Place in a cool, but draft-free place at a temperature of 6° to 10°. There is no need to warm the hibernation site, as this can provoke early awakening and disorientation of the animal.

After waking up, the turtle is bathed in warm baths to restore its usual temperature and start internal processes.

IMPORTANT! If after wintering the reptile shows lethargy and looks exhausted, then consult a veterinarian to find out the cause of the symptoms.

Both laughter and sin: what you definitely shouldn’t do with a turtle

Photo: still from the movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”

Under natural conditions, representatives of some species can live more than 150 years. In this regard, turtles are ahead of all vertebrates. The famous Madagascan Tui Malila was included in the Guinness Book of Records for her longevity - at the time of her death she was more than 190 years old. In captivity, medium-sized turtles live up to 30–60 years, but large ones can live up to 150. Experts attribute their longevity to a slow metabolism, like all cold-blooded turtles.

However, acquaintance with humanity is not always favorable for turtles. In the 18th century, turtles served as live canned food for sailors. The author of the work “Animal Life”, German zoologist Alfred Brehm, spoke about the relationship of sailors with turtles as follows:

“Captured turtles are usually turned over on their backs. There is no ceremony with them: they are simply put aside somewhere on the deck, a sail is stretched over them to protect them from the sun and they do not care about anything else, relying on their survivability. They are not given any food or drink.”

Today, turtle meat is used to make soup and stew, and the shell is used for decorative items and other trinkets.

Psychologist: where do people become cruel to animals?

Cruelty towards animals speaks of internal aggression. In fact, it has always been there: before in villages, if neighbors were arguing, one of them could calmly go and shoot the dog - however, in essence this is aggression towards the neighbor, and not towards the dog itself. In such cases, people simply project their anger onto animals.

Almost all animals depend on us, many of them get used to us - in this sense, a person acts as a manipulator, and some people enjoy the feeling of power over a weaker creature.

Personally, I am convinced that a person can be dangerous if he kills an animal not for the sake of eating it. Any living creature has a serious barrier to killing just like that. If a person shows unreasonable aggression towards animals, who knows what he might be capable of towards people.

Natalya Panfilova psychologist

Neighborhood with people is sometimes fraught with unintentional killing of turtles: accidentally crushing an animal under a sofa or dropping it from a height of human height is quite a classic outcome for this type of pet. The m24.ru correspondent has heard enough about various horrors and decided to introduce you to the most ridiculous of them.

Top 5 most ridiculous accidental deaths of pet turtles:

Fifth place: eaten by a dog or cat. Not all pets can live under one roof. Cases of turtles being eaten or torn apart by dogs or cats are quite common. There are owners who manage to teach such diverse pets to live in peace and harmony, but this does not always happen;
Fourth place: put it in the refrigerator. Maslova was not the only one who accidentally froze the poor animal. Knowledge about the wintering of turtles is widespread among lovers of these reptiles, but not everyone can use it correctly;
Third place: a land turtle choked in a cup of cola. The owner simply decided to quench his pet's thirst by placing him upside down in a full cup;
Second place: took it and dried it. One of the respondents told how he put a turtle on a radiator to make it warmer. Good intentions led the poor thing to hell - she turned into a mummy. Some experts associate such consequences with dehydration of the body and possible diseases, others argue that under or on the radiator the turtle simply overheats and dies, and drying out as such occurs after death;
First place: unintentional soup. One guy really loved his turtle, which often sat on his shoulder. He also loved dumplings. While preparing the next broth, the turtle was just sitting on his shoulder, and suddenly he fell straight into the boiling water. She was boiled. Dinner did not take place.

Bringing a turtle out of hibernation

Even if the turtle begins to show activity ahead of schedule, begin to bring it out of hibernation. Smoothly raise the temperature to 18-20 degrees (1-2 degrees per day); within a week, the pet should be bathed in warm water. After wintering, the turtle is dehydrated, and during bathing it will absorb the required amount of moisture through its skin. For the first two weeks, she will seem exhausted and inactive; she will start feeding about a week after moving to her previous terrarium.

Animals do not tolerate sudden emergence from hibernation, so if unforeseen complications arise, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. It is worth remembering that only healthy animals can be sent to hibernate, otherwise there is a risk of death.

What can pet turtles die from?

Turtles, even outside the wild, are long-lived.

The causes of death can be divided into two categories: those independent of the pet owner and those dependent.

Independent:

The animal initially had weak immunity and/or a congenital disease.
Poor conditions for breeding and keeping at the supplier, poor quality transportation, non-compliance with sanitary standards in the pet store.

Dependent:

Poorly organized place for reptiles. These include: a small aquarium/terrarium, unsuitable soil, too low/high temperature, excessive/insufficient lighting, drafts in the room with the aquarium/terrarium.
Poor diet. Turtles prefer a variety of plant foods. Her well-being can be harmed by foods such as: bread, eggs, seafood, meat, sausage, milk, cottage cheese, cheese. Feeding frequency has an impact. Young individuals are fed once a day, adults should be fed once every 2 to 3 days. The lack of vitamins also has a detrimental effect on the turtle's health.
Lack of water treatments. If you do not bathe the animal once every 1 - 1.5 weeks, it can get sick and die.
Frequent transportation. A turtle, like any other pet, is best kept alone and not subjected to unnecessary transportation. If this cannot be avoided, then this should be done as carefully as possible in a special container.

At home, with proper care, they can live up to 15 years.

Poor diet can kill your pet