When do red-eared turtles sleep at home. Hibernation of the red-eared tortoise. Wintering temperature of different species of turtles

Some species of turtles that live in natural conditions hibernate. This helps them survive starvation and other adverse conditions. seasonal changes occurring in nature. But not all turtles living with humans follow their natural instincts, sometimes they do without a long rest. And representatives of some species do not need hibernation at all.

Sleeping and not sleeping turtles

When buying a turtle for keeping at home, you need to find out as much information as possible about it - what does it eat, does it hibernate? If your turtle in nature does without rest, then at home you should not force her to sleep like a naughty child. And if there is no way without hibernation, you need to try to create all the conditions for this. And then help her come out of hibernation and come back to life.

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

All species do without hibernation tropical turtles, Egyptian, Tunisian, panther, Indian, African tortoises, as well as the kinix tortoise. A warm climate and an abundance of food help reptiles do 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 during the winter, depending on the climate where 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 pond is not freezing, the turtle may not sleep all winter.

At home, hibernation of the red-eared tortoise is not an obligatory phenomenon. If she likes everything, enough food and warmth, she can survive the winter without rest. Sometimes hibernation may occur in individuals that have recently been removed from natural conditions and continue to live according to the laws of nature. It goes away with time in some individuals.

Hibernation of the red-eared turtle is also necessary if, in next year from her plan to get offspring.

Training

In autumn, when the turtle is about to hibernate, it starts eating less, no need to be surprised. Metabolism in turtles is truly "turtle", activity digestive system slows down, the body digests food within 2-4 weeks.

It is not necessary to put the turtle into hibernation if undigested food remains in the intestines. The gases that are released during this can cause serious harm to the health of the turtle. If you notice that the reptile has become slow and inactive, stop feeding it, for it during this period, hunger is better than feeding. The ambient temperature can be slightly reduced, and the daylight hours can be reduced.

But 2 months before hibernation, the turtle needs to be well fed so that it can accumulate enough nutrients and nutrients in the body. Indeed, during wintering, the reptile loses up to 50% of its weight.

Warm baths that can be done for the turtle 1-2 days before hibernation will help activate digestion. While bathing, she will be saturated with water, because she has the ability to absorb water with her skin, and get rid of food debris in the intestines.

On the eve of hibernation, the turtle should be healthy, with a normal weight. If the weight and general state animal cause you concern, you should not artificially hibernate it. And if she fell asleep herself, keep her in a warm and dry terrarium with good ventilation.

In nature, the turtle hibernates, burrowing into the sand or silt, the same conditions should be tried to create for her at home. It is not necessary to carry silt home, but dry, clean sand in a box will do just fine. Fallen leaves or moss will be a good material for our purposes, thanks to them in the terrarium there will be normal temperature and air humidity.

You can do without sand and leaves if you put small pieces of paper into the box. The newspaper is not suitable for these purposes - it has harmful printing ink. A box with a sleeping turtle should be in a dry room with a positive temperature.

It is advisable to maintain the temperature during hibernation at the same level, within + 5-6 degrees. Temperature from +2 to +10 degrees Celsius is allowed. If a for a long time keep a sleeping turtle at a temperature of +2 and below, or +10 and above, it can become seriously ill or die.

The duration of wintering depends on the size - 3-3.5 months will be enough for small turtles to hibernate. The red-eared turtle hibernates for 4-5 months.

Can you sleep in the refrigerator?

Biologists recommend placing turtles in the refrigerator during hibernation, because it is easy to maintain the same temperature there. First, the turtle is placed in a cardboard box, which is not much larger than the animal, the voids are covered 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.

For wintering in the refrigerator, the turtle can be buried in a substrate of soddy soil, sand and fine gravel. The layer of the mixture above the turtle should be within 8-9 cm, but so that it does not suffocate, the refrigerator door must be opened for 10-15 minutes every 2 days.

Pleasant awakening

Coming out of hibernation important point in the life of a turtle, and she needs help to cope with this task. How to bring a turtle out of hibernation? All autumn supplies are used up, the turtle wakes up weak, emaciated 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 a fan heater, then they arrange a “bath day” - in a small container with warm water. The turtle should bathe for about 10 minutes, so the water balance in her body will be restored.

After hibernation water procedures should 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 she will again acquire a light color.

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

By what signs can you determine that the turtle has safely emerged from hibernation? A healthy reptile will have a pink or orange tongue with no coating. If it is bright red, the animal may be infected with something. The eyes should be clear and clean, also free of plaque and secretions.

AT recent times it is becoming more and more fashionable to keep red-eared turtles at home. What kind of animal is this and why is it so popular? What are the features of the behavior and maintenance of these animals?

Description of the species

Red-eared turtles in nature reach 30 cm in length (in terms of shell), however, when kept at home, they rarely grow to such sizes. Females are much larger than males. The shell of juveniles is bright green, but as the turtle matures, it becomes brown or olive in color with patterns of bright yellow stripes.

The head, neck and paws of the animal are decorated with a series of white and black stripes. The species got its name due to the bright red spots near the eyes. These "ears" can also be rich orange or juicy. yellow flowers. It is thanks to its striking appearance that the red-eared turtle has become one of the most popular exotic pets.

Prefers to lead a sedentary lifestyle, but swims very quickly in the water, extremely curious. It can hiss and snort, expressing its displeasure and anxiety. In defense of its life, it can inflict serious wounds with the sharp claws of its hind legs. In the cold season, such a phenomenon as suspended animation, or hibernation of red-eared turtles, occurs.

How long does the redwort live and where does it live?

This type of turtle can rightfully be considered a long-liver. Under favorable conditions, life expectancy is 40 years. An interesting fact is that the red-eared turtle has high level intelligence not found in 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 widely distributed in nature. They can be found in 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, as it destroys local endemics. Red-eared lives in shallow ponds and lakes, in other water bodies with marshy shores.

Keeping this exotic animal actually turns out to be much more difficult than it seemed at first. Most These turtles spend 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 total area. On the improvised shore, special soil or gravel should be poured, while making a gentle rise. The tortoise shell must be completely submerged in the water so that the animal can easily roll over onto its back and back.

For this type of amphibian, the optimum temperature is 25-30 degrees Celsius. When the temperature drops to 20 degrees, hibernation can 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.

What to feed the redhead?

When living in captivity, the diet of this species of turtles needs to be without fail include shrimp or any other small crustaceans. The red-eared turtle will happily eat river snails, small pieces of fresh fish or meat, as well as bloodworms and earthworms. Turtles need to get enough calcium, otherwise shell diseases will begin. Poor appetite may indicate a disease. Hibernation in red-eared turtles is also preceded by a decrease in interest in food.

It is worth adding plant foods: duckweed, sea ​​kale, lettuce, spinach, cabbage. Young individuals, due to the active growth of the body, need two daily feedings. Turtles over two years old should be fed no more than three times a week. With a monotonous diet, it is worthwhile to provide top dressing with special vitamins for turtles.

Hibernation of red-eared turtles

As mentioned above, this species of amphibians can fall into suspended animation - a state of reduced activity. Usually this period falls on 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 food available.

How does the red-eared turtle sleep at home? Given the optimal conditions for keeping an amphibian and the absence of the need to get their own food, homemade redworts may not fall into suspended animation at all. But since instincts can work at the subconscious level, then in winter time the turtle may be more lethargic, suffer from poor appetite.

If you notice this behavior in your pet, it is best to take it to the veterinarian as it may be caused by an illness. How long does a red-eared turtle sleep? Usually the suspended animation period 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 enter the animal into a state of suspended animation. To do this, it is enough to 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.

In nature, when it gets too hot or too cold, turtles go into summer or, respectively, hibernation. The turtle digs a hole in the ground, where it crawls and sleeps until the temperature changes. In nature, hibernation lasts approximately 4-6 months at least from December to March. The turtle begins to prepare for hibernation when the temperature in its habitat remains below 17-18 C for a long time, and when it exceeds these values ​​for a long time, it is time for the turtle to wake up.

At home, it is very difficult to hibernate correctly so that the turtle comes out of it healthy and comes out at all, so if you are new to terrariums, then we recommend that you do not hibernate turtles. Definitely do not hibernate sick animals and recently brought from somewhere.

Advantages of wintering: it helps to maintain normal activity thyroid gland and thereby increase the lifespan of the turtle; it synchronizes the sexual activity of males and the follicular growth of females; it prevents overgrowth and helps maintain normal hormonal status. In hibernation, you can put both land and fresh aquatic turtles.

Cons of wintering: the turtle may die or wake up sick.

What mistakes happen when organizing wintering

• Sick or weakened turtles are laid to winter
• Too low humidity during hibernation
• Temperature too low or too high
• Insects that climbed into the wintering container and injured the turtle
• You wake up turtles during hibernation, and then put them back to sleep

How to avoid wintering

In mid-autumn, turtles that overwinter in nature become less active and refuse to eat. If you don't want your turtle to hibernate and can't provide normal conditions to sleep, then increase the temperature in the terrarium to 32 degrees, bathe the turtle more often. If the turtle will not eat, then you should go to the veterinarian and give a vitamin injection (Eleovita, for example).

How to put a turtle to sleep

European keepers strongly recommend hibernating turtles for their health. However, in the conditions of apartments, this is not at all easy. It is much easier to hibernate reptiles for those who have a private house.
If, nevertheless, your goal is to put the turtle to sleep, or the turtle itself wants to go into hibernation (often sits in a corner, digs the ground), then:

It's important to know

The hibernation time of turtles is usually 8-10 weeks for small ones and 12-14 for big turtles. It is necessary to put the turtles in wintering so that they "woke up" no earlier than February, when daylight hours noticeably lengthen. Can be from 3-4 weeks to 3-4 months.
The condition of the turtles is checked every month, trying not to disturb them. The mass of a turtle normally decreases by 1% for each month of wintering. If the weight decreases faster (more than 10% of the weight) or the general condition worsens, wintering should be stopped. It is best not to bathe turtles during the winter, as they usually urinate if they feel water on the shell.
If the turtle began to show activity at a temperature of 11-12 ° C, wintering should also be stopped.
For all hibernating reptiles, the limits of temperature fluctuations are from +1°С to +12°С; in the case of long-term cooling below 0 ° C, death occurs.

Gentle hibernation for turtles

If the general condition of the turtle does not allow for a full wintering or if there are no suitable conditions in the apartment, you can arrange a "overwintering" in a sparing mode. To do this, soil is introduced into the terrarium in which the turtle was kept, which better retains moisture (sawdust, moss, peat, dry leaves, etc.). Level - 5 - 10 cm. The soil should not get wet. The light in the terrarium can be turned on for 2 - 3 hours a day. In the middle of "overwintering" the light can be completely turned off for 2 - 3 weeks. The temperature should be maintained at 18-24°C during the day and fall to 14-16°C at night. After the "peak" of such wintering (when the heating is turned on again for 2-3 hours), you can offer the turtle its favorite food once a week. The beginning of self-feeding is a signal for the end of wintering.

(from D.B. Vasiliev's book "Turtles...")

Wintering temperature different types turtles

K.leucostomum, k.baurii, s.carinatus, s.minor - room temperature (you can put it somewhere on the floor, where it is cooler)
K.subrubrum, c.guttata, e.orbicularis (marsh) - about 9 C
T.scripta (redheads), R.pulcherrima - do not need hibernation

In nature, there are aquatic red-eared turtles of various types and sizes. They are successfully kept in captivity in aquaterrariums. At the same time, hibernation of the red-eared slider under conditions home content represents a certain difficulty for its owners.

Turtle owners have legitimate questions, hibernation related:

How necessary is hibernation for the red-eared turtle at home?

Why do turtles hibernate?

How to hibernate a red-eared turtle?

What effect does the hibernation of the red-eared turtle have on its reproductive functions?

What is the duration winter sleep water turtle?

Hibernation of domestic red-eared turtles

Most captive turtles do not need to hibernate provided they are maintained. stable temperature in the aquarium. These cold-blooded animals will hibernate if the air temperature is too high or too low.

But some individuals, for example, recently caught in nature, are strenuously trying to settle down for the winter, regardless of the conditions of detention, and then they need help with this. organize hibernation red-eared turtles especially recommended if the owner wants to receive from them next year offspring.

Arrangement of hibernation of the red-eared tortoise

The main signs of preparation for hibernation in the red-eared turtle are drastic reduction in activity and frequent yawning. The animal hides in the corner of the aquaterrarium and sits there motionless for a long time. In this case, start preparing your pet for a long sleep. But before you start arranging a wintering place, consult with your veterinarian if this behavior is not.

If everything is in order with the health of the turtle, two months before the start of hibernation increase the amount of food offered to her and the number of daily meals. Before hibernation Pond slider should stock up on all the necessary nutrients, since during sleep she can lose up to half of her previous weight.

All last week animal before hibernation can't feed in general, but a day before long sleep bathe the turtle several times - this will help it completely empty the intestines.

In the room where the turtle sleeps, the air temperature should be maintained within the range of 1 to 6 ° C. Cold basement- the optimal room for hibernation of this cold-blooded animal. Get used to it thermal regime turtle follows gradually, as a sharp drop in temperature can lead to hypothermia and even death of a pet.

Another important requirement is the constant maintenance high humidity air. A mixture of moss and leaves would be the ideal substrate for the red-eared slider to overwinter. By passing moisture well and not retaining it, such a substrate will provide your pet with a comfortable sleep, the duration of which is on average from 3 to 5 months.

Bringing the turtle out of hibernation

Bringing the red-eared turtle out of hibernation gradually. First you need to slightly increase the air temperature in the room, and then bathe the turtle in warm water. Immediately adapt to normal conditions Turtle life is very hard. Therefore, the first 2-3 days after leaving hibernation, her should not be fed, very carefully moving on to the usual diet for the animal.

Hibernation is a completely natural process for turtles living in nature, but wintering is often not relevant for indoor pets. This is a rather complicated procedure and a huge burden for the turtle's body, so it is not recommended to put the turtles into hibernation on their own, only under the supervision of a specialist.

The first signs that it is time for the animal to winter can be observed in late October - early November. The turtle becomes less active, its appetite decreases, it tries to dig into the ground or hardly leaves the shelter. In the natural environment, hibernation lasts from 3 to 5 months, all the vital processes of the body slow down, and the accumulated resources are used to maintain life. There are pluses in wintering: it is shown to turtles, from which the owners plan to get offspring, since the hormonal background is improving, life expectancy increases, and the activity of the internal glands remains.

It is worth remembering that under artificial conditions, hibernation should not be so long: for small breeds this is 8-10 weeks, for large ones - 12-14. The animal must be absolutely healthy, and a suitable microclimate must be constantly maintained, otherwise the turtle may not come out of hibernation. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is easier to maintain normal conditions: the temperature is at the level of 27-28 degrees, frequent bathing, good nutrition. Is the turtle not eating well? - contact the clinic, the specialist will give her an injection of vitamins.

How to prepare a turtle for hibernation?

So, you have decided to send your pet to winter rest. The easiest way is to identify the turtle in the basement or on the glazed balcony and constantly monitor the temperature environment. However, before that, do the preparatory work. For wintering, a wooden house or container is used, on the bottom of which coarse sand is poured, sphagnum, dry leaves, hay and pieces of bark are placed. For aquatic turtles, the substrate should be moist, but not wet, and sprayed from time to time.

The turtle is dewormed, all tests are taken, they are not given food for 2 weeks, but they are bathed in warm water and given a drink so that everything eaten earlier is digested. Mineral supplements and vitamins before hibernation are also not given. In the terrarium, the temperature is gradually lowered by one degree to 10-12 degrees, the lighting is dimmed, but the humidity level is increased. When the pet gets used to the temperature, you can transfer it to the wintering box. Regularly check the condition of the turtle, for each month it normally loses 1% of its body weight. If the weight loss is critical (about 10% of the weight per month), hibernation must be stopped. It is not recommended to disturb and even more so feed or bathe pets. It is worth remembering that 0 degrees is death for a turtle, optimum temperature for hibernating reptiles - +8 degrees, but it can range from +1 to +12.

Bringing the turtle out of hibernation

Even if the turtle began to show activity before the due date, start bringing it out of hibernation. Gradually raise the temperature to 18-20 degrees (1-2 degrees per day), during the week the pet should be bathed in warm water. After wintering, the turtle is dehydrated, and while swimming, it will absorb the right amount of moisture through the skin. For the first two weeks, she will seem emaciated and inactive, she will eat about a week after moving to the previous terrarium.

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