Urgent Care :: 1 year HIBERNATION POSSIBLE???

[desertzoo]

I don't know how to explain this and I need to know what to do. Last March 2006, I built a pond on the side of my house with a garden on the side with dirt, top soil and mulch. The whole area was fenced in with a small rod iron fence. My RES that I had indoors for 4 years finally had an outdoor pond! Well no more than a month later in April 2006 she disappeared. I assumed a Heron or Hawk got her since i didnt put a net over the pond for safety (there is one now of course). Well after digging the pgarden up a lil and searching everywhere...nothing. We were devastated. Since then we have 2 other RES, Koi and Goldfish in the pond (netted) and TODAY MY WIFE FOUND OUR RES comming out of the mulch in the corner section of the garden! IS THIS POSSIBLE???? a year and 3 month hibernation? I mmediately got her 60 gallon tank out of the garage and cleaned it all up. Filled water only about 6" deep put a few KOI PELLETS in and sure enough she's alive and ate the pellets and is walking around. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO? IS THIS SOME KIND OF RECORD?! Mind you I live in ARIZONA where last summer was over 110 degrees and winter in the 30's. I'm so excited, nervous, happy and scared. PLEASE HELP. Thank you.

[marisa]

Welcome to the forum. You're sure it's the same RES? I really don't think the turtle hibernated for a whole year+ nonstop. During hibernation, fat stores are used up, and I really doubt a turtle has a year's worth to use (it would starve).

If you lost your turtle last April, 2006 she probably foraged through the spring, summer and early fall. When it got really hot, she probably did burrow until weather conditions became more favorable, and when it got cold enough to, did hibernate for the winter/part of the winter. She woke up in early spring/warm enough weather and has been somehow surviving until you found her.

At any rate, congratulations on the return of the prodigal turtle. If the turtle really thin? Does she appear otherwise healthy if she is? No signs of any injury? If not, get her some proper food, and carry on. (You had her for 4 years perviously, so you must know what to do.) Just keep an eye out for any possible signs of an RI or other problems.

[desertzoo]

Thank you for the quick response. I am 100% positive its the same turtle. I knew it couldnt off gotten out with the fence i put in but we dug the garden area up and it is small 6 ftx 3 ft. And since, planted and replanted flowers. I think from the looks of it she dig in the garden and under the graveled area, therefore unnoticed in turning the mulch over. We live in ARIZONA and last summer temperatures were in the 100's during June, July and August. In the winter it get's in the 30's. Could the constant watering drip system daily in the garden keep her moist and alive? She looks great and healthy. It really is unbelievable.

[marisa]

I think that's possible. I've read of people keeping RES in basically waterless environments (access to some moisture, but not enough for swimming) for longer than your turtle was out of the pond and they've survived (but not happily). If she's healthy and hasn't lost weight, she's been eating something and has been getting enough moisture.

[SpotsMama]

I'd say your turtle has excellent survival instincts! Congratulations on the return of your turtle!

[musicalturtles]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Ive lost my turtles before. but not that long! usually only a little less than 5 days... still very scary. it was the day right after i got them

[DavidY]

Is it possible she was going back and forth between the pond and her hiding place underground?

[Noobie101]

thats amazing either your turtle has amazing instinct or he has some sort of second owner

[desertzoo]

It really is amazing. I sit here watching her in her tank and it's like it was a blink of the eye. She is just as friendly comming up to the glass following my wife's finger and letting her touch her head and pet her. It's sooooo bizarre. But to answer the question... there is NO WAY she could of gone back and forth the pond is a hard preforma plastic and I netted it with a ton of rocks so my other turtles (2) and koi fish wouldn't get out. Thanks for all the comments. I think I'm going to keep her inside for a week or so and fatten her back up before I let her back out into the pond.

[laturcotte]

Desertzoo,
I thought you were telling my story. In May (to get some natural sun) I took my 2 RES out in my flower garden surrouned by a wrought iron fence. Ten minutes after the last check Moose had dug himself competely under the mulch and Myrtle was gone. Competely gone, I dug up the entire flower garden, my husband pried up some of the decks flooring and crawled under the deck, no Myrtle. Not only was she fenced by the wrought iron fence the entire back yard is fenced in. We never found her, and assumed a hawk got her. Maybe there is still hope!

About 3 years ago my daughter in law had a neighbor that captured a painter from a pond and kept it in a cement tough. The man moved out and winter set in. My grandson found the turtle frozen in a block of ice. Spring thawed him and one day my grandson asked if he could have some bread to feed the turtle. Thinking she shoud go bury the poor thing went out and found it to be alive. She brought it to us, I put it in our small pond, where it stayed for 1 week then escaped. I will tell you this, I am sure that turtle is still around somewhere, he had the will to live that's for sure. True story!

[DavidY]

Yea I've heard about Painted Turtles being able to survive the deep freezes as far north as Canada, but usually it's the hatchlings that have been found to do this because they hatch in late fall then remain in or near their nesting site during the freeze. As soon as they warm up in the spring they head straight for the water. It has something to do with the sugar levels in their blood or something like that. Sort of like natural anti-freeze. I watched a PBS Nature video on Turtles and Tortoises once and they showed a time lapsed video of a Painted turtle frozen under snow and ice on the ground, and as the snow and ice melted and the turtle became exposed to the sun and air, it just started to move and crawled off. Pretty amazing creatures!