All Turtles Message Board

cjbesaw · Level 1 Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 5 Location: CT

Hi,
we have young painted turtle and I think he/she is trying to hybernate. He keeps trying to stick hmself under his basking rock. And quite frankly he scared the heck out of me the other day when we came home and his head was under his rock! I gingerly lifted the rock and he came out all kinds of mad at me for bugging him. I read the article about hybernating and it all sounded a little scary. Is there a safer way of helping him to hypernate or a way to keep him from trying this. I just don't want him to crush his head under his rock or drown himself. When I took his rock away he just sat where it used to be looking pathetic and I felt bad because he couldn't get completely dry and bask. He's gravel and sand are always a little damp.
Carrie

deesygirl · Moderator Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1232

If the temps are warm enough then he won't hibernate or try too.

Turtles like to feel safe the way they do this is to hide. I provide little hiding caves for mine. I made mine out of stones that I put together using aqarium epoxy. Another member on here made a real cute one out of a broken clay flower pot. I also float the plastic plants on the surface for the younger turtles. The aqarium plants are a litle short but, I really liked the ones for iguanas and they are reptile safe.
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http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

Murtle · Level 1 Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 19

My RES likes the cave that was formed by the slightlly submerged platform used for her to climb out of the tank and onto her basking rocks. She hangs out there all morning after she eats. Sometimes she sleeps there at night.