Other Turtle Discussion :: Seasonal Behavior?

[SpotsMama]

There was some discussion this winter of turtles slowing down during the winter months. Well, it's spring now and my male turtle seems to have speeded up. Has anyone else noticed this? I don't know how he would even know it's spring outside except that there is a window nearby that he can see out of.

[DavidY]

Hmmm, I've always wondered if animals could sense subtle things like the moons gravitational effect on the earth as it orbits. Like when corals spawn on the reef exactly 4 days after the full moon (or something like that, but it's always at the same time and at the same moment). But then home aquarists started experimenting with artificial moon light and lunar cycles and determined it was by sensing the moon's light intensity and cycle (rising and setting) that triggered their spawning behavior.

And then there's the reptiles that normally go through a cool-down period almost like hibernation (called brumation) during the winter months, and then go into breeding mode when they come out of it. Now in the wild, they have plenty of cues to tell them what time of year it is: daylight, temperature, etc. But in captivity where everything is kept fairly constant year round, they are still able to sense when it's winter time and go into brumation anyway, without any visible cues.

This is kind of a dilemma for me when breeding my bearded dragons. It seems that everyone else's bearded dragons all do the same thing, so during the winter months, it's very hard to find baby dragons, and everyone wants one. But by late spring, baby dragons show up everywhere and the pet stores won't pay as much for them because of the increased supply. Sooo, some of us try to trick our beardies into thinking it's winter sooner in the year. This can be done by gradually adjusting the light timers to shorten the length of the days (there are no windows in my herp room). The temperature is also dropped by as much as 10 or more degrees and feeding is reduced. Sometimes this will work, but a lot of the time it doesn't.

So why doesn't it work all the time? All the visible and thermal cues are there to tell the dragons that winter is coming. Maybe there's something else that triggers their cycle. Maybe they just know when it's supposed to be winter and when it isn't.

Now the really odd thing is...when it's winter here in the upper hemisphere, it's summer in Australia, their native habitat. So whatever the trigger is, it's not a global trigger (like the earth's position in it's annual orbit around the sun). It is definitely a local trigger... but what is it??

[SpotsMama]

Isn't it mysterious!? There's a definite though subtle change in Spot these last few weeks. He's fluttering like mad at his latest rock friend, and he's more active - he does everything with enthusiasm. He's also snapping at my fingers when I put it up to the glass or feed him. So I think he knows it's mating season, but how does he know??? Maybe it's the light from the window. I wonder if the other turtles are behaving like this.

[Hoooneylynn]

WOW! My turt just bit my boyfriend when he didnt have food, which she NEVER does!!!!!!!!!! And she has been a little more aggressive than normal towards any food, even her lettuce!!! crazzzy

[SpotsMama]

Yes - Spot's been very enthusiastic about his food these days. He attacked the anacharis I put in his tank the other day.

[octpusgirl8]

Huh that's funny, i was just posting the other day about how my turtle barely eats his lettuce, and this morning i put a leaf in and went to get dressed. When i came back just now, it's all shredded and he's chowing down on it like theres no tomorrow. I've been noticing a lot of other peoples turtles have been very interesed in their rock "girlfriends" lately too. Silly turtles, i think they have spring fever!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Isn't it mysterious!? There's a definite though subtle change in Spot these last few weeks. He's fluttering like mad at his latest rock friend, and he's more active - he does everything with enthusiasm. He's also snapping at my fingers when I put it up to the glass or feed him. So I think he knows it's mating season, but how does he know??? Maybe it's the light from the window. I wonder if the other turtles are behaving like this.

My male Aquatic frog goes thru a "mating season" every year around now for several months. He ribbits every night, all night long. I sometimes wonder if he even gets any sleep at all!

[DavidY]

he he, get him a girl frog. I lucked out with both my pairs of frogs...or at least I think I did... ...well, I hope I did. They're "acting" like they're boy/girl frogs...

[industrial_girl_2000]

LOL, David. I don't want to have any of those frog eggs though so I think I will stick with just one frog for now. I heard frog eggs are really gross & very messy to deal with (long stringy slimy stuff & lots of it!!!).

[grey goose]

I think captive turtles can act just as strange as wild turtles... Gomez (Little Miss Sourpuss) still is not behaving like she used to but is slowing improving although I'm still waiting for her to start begging like she used to....instead she will walk half way up the ramp and look at me as if to say, "Well, are you going to feed me or what?"

[DavidY]

Ha ha! Isn't it amazing the expressions the turtle's can make? Especially given the fact that they have no facial muscles!

[grey goose]

It's all in the eyes....and a bit of body language.

[DavidY]

yup, and the fact that they're just so darned cute!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Ha ha! Isn't it amazing the expressions the turtle's can make? Especially given the fact that they have no facial muscles!

YEAH! I hear ya there, David!

[Rocky YBS]

yeah, i agree David.
Rocky, my YBS does that a lot to me.
he loves to get out of the tank and when i come close to the tank, i look through the top by lifting the top up and he looks up to me and its like he says " well, are you going to lift me out or am i gunna get fed?"