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Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:31 pm
by steve
I think that might be your best bet right now. Using some foam insulation might help keep it warm.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:18 pm
by Linus
Make sure to keep the air warm too, or you'll get a respitory infection.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:27 pm
by bradc2014
What's the best method for keeping the air warm?

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:32 pm
by Linus
Keep them in a heated house. If you're going to heat the water, the air has to be warm too, or vice versa. Either they go into hibernation or they don't. You don't want the grey area in between.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:42 pm
by bradc2014
Okay, thanks. I appreciate all your info. There's probably a spot in the house where we can put the trough. I'm not sure my wife will be thrilled about it, but we've already lost one turtle. I hate to lose another (or 2), especially since they're the kids' pets.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 2:18 pm
by bradc2014
Well, my wife wasn't thrilled with bringing the trough inside, but she said we could put the turtles in the large whirlpool tub in our bedroom. It has fixtures for heat bulbs, but they're several feet above the tub. Could those work to provide them with enough warmth, or should I suspend lights closer to them? I still have the lights I used when they were in a tank in the house -- they're one warmth bulb and one sunlight bulb, so I suppose those would be better.

I would just need to figure out how to suspend them over the tub. Sheesh. Hopefully I can get the pond done in the spring and they can live out there for good.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:27 am
by steve
How cold would the garage have been? I think that could have been made to work.

Re: Wintering in a metal trough?

PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:05 pm
by bradc2014
I don't know how cold our garage gets in the winter, but our general temperatures can drop down into the teens or 20s overnight, especially in Dec. and Jan., and during the day it gets into the 40s or 50s. I assume the garage would be warmer than that, but I'm not sure how much warmer.

They can't handle temperatures below the 50s, correct? Although if that's the case, I don't know how they survive outside around here in the winter.

The last couple winters have been a bit warmer and less rainy than usual, though. A guy I spoke with at the store where we got the turtles said that if our winter this year is like last year, they probably wouldn't hibernate. I told him about the metal trough and he said it wouldn't work because they need to come out of the water and burrow into the ground, but obviously he didn't quite know what he was talking about.