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URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:30 am
by compute
He lives outdoors in a pond, and he was doing fine; but now it's very rainy and he is usually just on the bottom of the pond. I try to add a lot of warm water in his pond, but it doesn't help that much as it is often raining and the pond is also large. I've read up about heaters, but I've heard that they can sometimes electrocute the animals, and I don't want to risk that at all. Any ideas? I really want him to be healthy. Thanks guys!

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:02 pm
by steve
How old/big is he and how many gallons is the pond? Is this his first time outside? Is it in-ground or above ground? How deep is it?

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:33 pm
by compute
I don't know the exact gallons, he's always been outside (we've had him for about 4 months, friend found him on the street and gave him to us).

Here are a few pictures, how they will help (taken when it was much warmer):

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Thanks so much for your help!

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:36 pm
by compute
*hope they will help

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:08 pm
by Jeremiah
Well, I doubt your fountain will freeze over, but it looks only a little past one foot deep. That doesn't provide thermal stability. You could try leaving him out for the winter, but if temperatures fluctuate too strongly then I would recommend bringing the turtle indoors.

That being said, you should invest in a water thermometer--that way, you can monitor how things are going. Healthy RES will slow down at around 60 degrees and be okay, but if you get too much lower it becomes dangerous.

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:04 am
by steve
I agree with Jeremiah. You can use an aquarium heater or two (make sure it's connected to a GFCI outlet) to help bump up the temperatures though I would also carefully monitor the forecast for very cold weather. I would be concerned if he got out of the pond during cold weather and could not make it back in.

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Tue May 12, 2015 1:25 am
by Linus
I'm SUPER late to this but...

Don't add warm water. Let the turtle be. It'll brumate (hopefully). Don't touch, or even disturb the turtle during this. If you used an aquarium heater, it would be bad for the turtle. Coming out of warm water and getting a big breath of cold air could give the turtle a respiratory infection. The southern California winter is fine, trust me.

Re: URGENT: 57 degrees and rainy here in Anaheim, Calif

PostPosted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 7:47 pm
by samstheman
Mine has been in year round pond I'm in whittier he seems fine and happyImage