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So, I have a question. Figured this was the best place to ask. I have two RES inside, about to upgrade. But Im not gonna talk about them. We have a large, roughly 125' long x 80' wide x 8' deep, pond. We use this as irrigation water for our greenhouses. Well, here in Southern Ontario, our winters can get cold, and we sometimes see up to a foot of ice on the pond. Great for playing hockey. But last summer, a few friends and I started putting fish in there so we would have somewhere to fish. Well, we kept seeing turtles in the water. We are almost positive they were RES, by the colors on their heads. We would only see them pop their heads up once and a while, and they were at least an inch big.
Now my question, Ive been reading on here that you shouldnt keep your turtles outside when its cold and stuff, but how can these turtles survive the cold winter? In the summer, the water temp doesnt get above 65*F, and its freezing in the winter. Sometimes, there is under 5' of water in the winter. How do they survive and keep living? I know they could hibernate, but I dont know too much about wild RES, and figured Id find out a little bit more.
Well, thats my stupid question of the day,
Matt.steve

Hey Matt.steve, not a stupid question at all. Those RES are hibernating, and they absorb oxygen though special membranes around their cloaca. They can survive this way as long as the water is not freezing and has oxygen in it. I think some painted turtles can even survive freezing temperatures.

Hibernation is a very complicated process for captive turtle keepers, so we do not recommend it here. While there are some types of turtles and tortoises who do require hibernation, we are fortunate that RES do not.

As long as they are not disturbed while hibernating, they should be fine.