Habitat - Outdoor :: Still looking for 2 males in yard

[Hydro]

Hi all......thanks for your input and suggestions! Since my last post, the other male got out - again and we haven't found him YET.. 2nd male was never found ..could he really be burrowing in the yard? There is really NOT anything but a LITTLE bit of sand at bottom of pond...The female is starting to stay at the bottom ALL THE TIME.... I worked with my friend to try and clean up his yard and pond area (attempting to find the males) without luck.... So? I don't know if I should tell him to keep looking for the males? The female seems somewhat content - I am getting attached to her- I still think it's TOO cold for her outside....maybe because my tortoise needs heat-and NEVER hybernates... If the female will hybernate, under water? How long for? and If the 2 males are in the yard, burrowed somewhere, How long would they do that? Will they just show up in the pond one day? Seems unlikely...(I think they've gotten behind the 2 barrels that are the pond water source/circulation...that are located directly above pond...but wouldn't they hear the water and get back in )
Any MORE help would be appreciated.

My location - Castro Valley, is in Northern Cal, San Francisco / East Bay area where the temps at night get down to 40 or 50 degrees...so I guess my friend needs to get a pond heater too
Thanks again...

[sonyj]

It's not recommended to hibernate captive RES. Only very experienced keepers do and then it's still risky. Here's the link to what the main site has to say about hibernation: http://www.redearslider.com/index_basic_care_3.html

I'd recommended bringing them in for the winter months. And not sure what to tell you about the males. I'm not sure why they'd be escaping. Usually if turtles are kept outdoors it's important to be sure that they can not escape from the yard or enclosure before keeping them outside.