How to Hibernate Pet Turtles

It is important for pet owners to recreate the natural state of their pets as much as possible, including allowing cold-blooded animals like turtles to hibernate over the winter. Hibernation is natural for turtles, and creating a special place for those turtles to stay for the winter will help to keep them healthy.

Things You'll Need

  • Wood pieces
  • Fallen leaves
  • Hammer and nails
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Instructions

    • 1

      Create a box or pit using pieces of scrap wood. The box or pit can be any size you like, but it should provide adequate space for the turtles that will be occupying it. Nail the pieces of wood together to form a box.

    • 2

      Fill the box with fallen leaves when the trees in your yard begin to lose their leaves. These leaves will give the turtles plenty of space to hide and stay warm when the winter months arrive.

    • 3

      Make sure the ground under the leaf pile is soft, since the turtles will tend to dig into the ground during their hibernation period. If the ground is hard, raking it can loosen the earth and make it easier for the turtles to burrow into the ground for warmth.

    • 4

      Check on the turtles during their hibernation period. Many ground turtles will dig into the bottom of the leaf pile, then into the ground. You may see your turtles with their legs and lower bodies burrowed into the ground and the tops of their shells sticking up out of the ground. You may also see your turtles emerge from their hibernation when the weather is warm, even in the middle of the winter.