Turtle over-wintering

[Toluca]

Hi all, this will be my red-eared slider's 1st winter in her new pond (after living in an indoor tank previously). I took advice I found in prior threads and placed a litter pan filled with sand on the pond floor. The pan has been there for about a month. The past few nights have been in the 30's and the turtle has yet to use the pan. She tucks inside her shell in the fish cave. It will be in the 20's in a couple days. Should I be concerned?

 

[Tula]

I wonder if she likes the cave like feel? Could you place something over the litter pan so it's like a little cave?

 

[Stephen Noble]

Did you prepare the turtle for overwintering outdoors with a temperature and food reduction transition? That might be the issue. But finding a turtle on the bottom when cover is available is not that unusual in the wild. I have been winter scuba diving and observed RES on the lake bottom in clear areas.

 

[Toluca]

Did you prepare the turtle for overwintering outdoors with a temperature and food reduction transition? That might be the issue. But finding a turtle on the bottom when cover is available is not that unusual in the wild. I have been winter scuba diving and observed RES on the lake bottom in clear areas.

Yes, she's been in the pond since April so has had time to adjust to the gradual temperature drop. And she pretty much stopped eating on her own about a month ago. Glad you've witnessed RES on lake bottoms- that's reassuring! I just hope she does okay after all the effort and money we put in to give her this pond. Forgot to add in original post that our pond is about 2.5 ft at deepest.

 

[Lisak1]

Nothing worse than an ungrateful turtle!

 

[rubyduby]

As soon as there is any hint of danger, Percy (my yellow bellied slider) always retreats to the fish cave with the whole school of shubies...When I feed them he is first in the chow line with them...So glad he has "friends" since there are no other turtles. My pond is also 30" deep and my fish cave is at the bottom...Maybe your turtle will brumate in the cave. If it is anything like mine there is probably leaf mulch that has accumulated inside for him...I don't even know if Percy will brumate since I live in Florida and the temp very seldom goes below 40 degrees...

 

[TimsPond]

Your turtle will be fine. They will just submerge to the bottom of the pond, hide under some debris and burmate through the winter. Here's a good YouTube video on aquatic turtle burmation -

 

[rubyduby]

So nice of you to share this video with us all Tim...Very informative

 

[Tula]

Interesting video ! Took a look at some of his many other videos too.