Who keeps their semi aquatic turtles outside?

[Vicious_Fish]

I have 3 northerns and a mississippi DBT. All capable of being outside during winter.

I am not new to turtles. However, even with the winters we have been having lately, I would never want to leave them outside. We have been getting about 4 ft of snow on average a year, and sometimes it's all at once.

I DO NOT want to burmate them because I know that they are safer inside in the winter. I've spent a large amount of money on my turtles, and I wouldn't want to risk their lives on them being outside in winter.

Their new habitat would be suitable for winter, but they will STILL be coming inside. So, no, my ISSUE is WINTER.

Don't get your panties all up in a bunch.

Ok, for starters listen to Creek_Stomper because he knows his stuff. Second, yes you are new to reptiles, you've said this before. Keeping turtles for 6 months does not make you an expert. Listen to advice from people who have years of experience with the questions YOU are asking. I've been holding my tongue for a while now, but you have a habit of quickly jumping down people's throats when you are told something you do not agree with. So in the future please cool down before you jump at the keyboard. Thanks.

I've kept plenty of species outdoors over the years including semi-aquatic and full aquatic turtles. All of them were outdoors all year long, including non-natives. The location you choose is very important. Something that faces south is what you want to aim for. It's good to have shelter on at least one side of the area. This could be trees, shrubs or a building. A pond that gets nothing but full sun can get too warm for the turtles and the algae levels with spike like heck. It's best if the location has morning and afternoon sun. Depth is very important as well. All my ponds were at least 3 feet in the middle but you could probably go a little shallower. Mine never froze very deep because I used a cattle tank deicer in them.

We actually do have a map species native to PA (Graptemys geographica), but besides that your False Maps are very capable of surviving our winters with ease. Heck, I know someone with False and Mississippi Maps that hibernates them outdoors all year in an unheated or deiced pond and they survive every winter with no problem. They come from areas that can have very similar winters as PA so being out of their native area really doesn't phase them.

As for the DBT, I'd be more worried about keeping them outdoors all year long then the maps. They're too nice.

 

[mshill90]

The reason that I can NOT keep them outside in winter is because the pond/enclosure they will be in is completely above ground, and it will freeze solid. I have the means to keep them inside in winter, so I am doing that.. not only to save the turtles from potential death, but also to save electric.

I am NOT new to turtles.

The maps I have are small, still babies.. therefore, I would think that they would have less of a chance to survive winter than the DBTS because all of them are grown. The maps have never been kept outside until I bought them.

They will never have the set up to burmate, so they will always be kept inside.

Why is this such an issue? I don't have the set up to keep them outside, and I DONT want to keep them outside all year.

I have too much $$ and emotion invested in these guys to even risk it.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

The reason that I can NOT keep them outside in winter is because the pond/enclosure they will be in is completely above ground, and it will freeze solid. I have the means to keep them inside in winter, so I am doing that.. not only to save the turtles from potential death, but also to save electric.

I am NOT new to turtles.

The maps I have are small, still babies.. therefore, I would think that they would have less of a chance to survive winter than the DBTS because all of them are grown. The maps have never been kept outside until I bought them.

They will never have the set up to burmate, so they will always be kept inside.

Why is this such an issue? I don't have the set up to keep them outside, and I DONT want to keep them outside all year.

I have too much $$ and emotion invested in these guys to even risk it.

Well you might not be "new" to turtles but 6 months ago you didn't even know what kind of turtle your first DBT was so that tells me you still have lots to learn. Heck, I have turtles that have been in my in my care since you were wearing diapers. Does that mean I know everything there is to know about them? Hell no, but I probably do know a thing or two.

You're right, you don't have to keep them outdoors but this thread was about "outside" setups so one would think that was the plan seeing how you are going to make an outdoor pond, lol. If you have so much money invested in the DBT's then why are you asking about keeping them outdoors if you're scared to do it? And you didn't list that the turtles were babies so I agree with you, you should keep them indoors for at least a year before you attempt to move them outdoors year round (if you ever choose to that). This species native range in the mid-west is actually a more northern latitude then where the whole state of PA lies. All Creek_Stomper addressed was that you "CAN" keep them outdoors, not that you have to.

 

[mshill90]

Do you know how many species of DBTS there are? I had several knowledgeable people give me different answers on what species it was, so yeah.. I didn't know exactly what it was. And because I was sceptical on the species it was, doesn't make me a novice at turtles. Yes, I was new to DBTs, but not new to all turtles. Big difference. I kept the typical turtles when I was younger.. you know RES, and yellow bellies etc..

I do NOT want to keep them outside over WINTER. I have no problem keeping them outside when its WARM OUT. There is a BIG difference in keeping them outside during the winter vs the warmer months. Would you rather keep your dog outside when it's warm out, or in when it's 20 degrees out?

And you are probably not much older than me, so I DOUBT that you had turtles while I was in diapers.

 

[Creek_stomper]

The point of me stating that was that I thought maybe you would, at some point, want to put your turtles outside but were under the impression that they could not go outside. I wanted to correct your mis-information for your benefit. I never said you should put them outside, nor do I care in the slightest if you do. Just wanted you to have the correct information about your pseudogeographica, that's all.

Let it be known from this point forward that mshill90 understands that his turtles can brumate, but he has no intention of doing letting them do so. End of discussion. We now return to our regularly scheduled discussion about habitats or somesuchnonsense.

Josh H

 

[mshill90]

The point of me stating that was that I thought maybe you would, at some point, want to put your turtles outside but were under the impression that they could not go outside. I wanted to correct your mis-information for your benefit. I never said you should put them outside, nor do I care in the slightest if you do. Just wanted you to have the correct information about your pseudogeographica, that's all.

Let it be known from this point forward that mshill90 understands that his turtles can brumate, but he has no intention of doing letting them do so. End of discussion. We now return to our regularly scheduled discussion about habitats or somesuchnonsense.

Josh H

Yes, i did not know that the maps could burnmate.. I knew the DBTS could, but was advised against it, as they have all been indoors for majority of their lives. As I stated, the maps are small, and even if they could, I probably wouldn't because they seem really fragile.

I don't even like the thought of my koi being outside in winter!

But, I have the option to move their stock tank inside, or let them use a portion of the indoor koi tank blocked from the fish.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Do you know how many species of DBTS there are? I had several knowledgeable people give me different answers on what species it was, so yeah.. I didn't know exactly what it was. And because I was sceptical on the species it was, doesn't make me a novice at turtles. Yes, I was new to DBTs, but not new to all turtles. Big difference. I kept the typical turtles when I was younger.. you know RES, and yellow bellies etc..

I do NOT want to keep them outside over WINTER. I have no problem keeping them outside when its WARM OUT. There is a BIG difference in keeping them outside during the winter vs the warmer months. Would you rather keep your dog outside when it's warm out, or in when it's 20 degrees out?

And you are probably not much older than me, so I DOUBT that you had turtles while I was in diapers.

Yes, I know how many species of DBT there are..........one, lol! Now if you mean SUBspecies then there are 7 or 8 I believe.

If you want me to find the thread in which you had no clue what species of turtle it was I can. You weren't looking for the SUBSPECIES then. And so by your philosophy anyone who had a RES for 3 weeks before they killed it as a kid has "experience" with turtles then? Nice! I bet you half of the people on this forum are turtle masters then. I'm not trying to be a jerk but that's what your emphasizing so we can stop that.

Once again no one said you have to keep them outdoors so stop beating a dead horse. And I'm not really sure what my domesticated, warm-blooded dog has to do with turtles naturally hibernating so we'll just leave her out of this.

The point of me using that reference is that I have well over 20 years experience working with turtles (my oldest turtle I've had for 26 years now) and even I would never consider myself an expert. There's always more to learn. Still, you should listen these people and not insult them when they reply to your question. Pretty soon people are going to give you the digital bird and not answer your questions and you'll be stuck with the 12 year old kids you get along with so well. I'm way too nice in this section and I let you guys get away with swearing and insults all the time. Maybe I need to start enforcing the MFK TOS more? And if you want to split hairs, since your boyfriend went to school with my little brother that makes you probably his age or younger so yes, I am probably older then you. Now lets stop this bickering and try to keep this thread going in a positive direction. Thanks!

 

[mshill90]

I knew what SPECIES it was.. I particularly wanted a DBT. The woman told me he was a mississippi, but he was not. that is where I wanted clarification.

And if you really wanna start this, I'll make 1 phone call, and you can say goodbye to your ILLEGAL box turtles. You're a Mod, yet it's OK for you to break the law.. haha.

And as for being older, how old are you? And I HIGHLY doubt my boyfriend went to schl with your little brother, unless your little brother is 30 thank you.. btw, how the hell did my bf get involved here?

You think because you're a mod you can get away with everything... not anymore.

 

[snakefin]

Mshill 90, enough with that threatening. That's just stupid, a clear indication your emotions have made you less sane again. A forum is for discussion, I think we could all care less your attempts to justify your own actions and try to fault someone else for something that has absolutely no link to your topic. Vicious, I think the fundamentals are that the information was presented in a more assertive manner, and mshill90, being the emotional soul she is, took it with her heart. Overall, Mshill, you can CHOOSE what you want, what the other two are simply trying to tell you is that it is POSSIBLE to have your turtles out during winter. By the way, Vicious has always had a clean tongue, it just says quite a bit about the impression you are giving.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Mshill 90, enough with that threatening. That's just stupid, a clear indication your emotions have made you less sane again. A forum is for discussion, I think we could all care less your attempts to justify your own actions and try to fault someone else for something that has absolutely no link to your topic. Vicious, I think the fundamentals are that the information was presented in a more assertive manner, and mshill90, being the emotional soul she is, took it with her heart. Overall, Mshill, you can CHOOSE what you want, what the other two are simply trying to tell you is that it is POSSIBLE to have your turtles out during winter. By the way, Vicious has always had a clean tongue, it just says quite a bit about the impression you are giving.

Thanks for the support. Don't worry, she's not going to last long on this site if she keeps treating people like crap. Hopefully others will see this and avoid her threads. I know I usually do.

I knew what SPECIES it was.. I particularly wanted a DBT. The woman told me he was a mississippi, but he was not. that is where I wanted clarification.

And if you really wanna start this, I'll make 1 phone call, and you can say goodbye to your ILLEGAL box turtles. You're a Mod, yet it's OK for you to break the law.. haha.

And as for being older, how old are you? And I HIGHLY doubt my boyfriend went to schl with your little brother, unless your little brother is 30 thank you.. btw, how the hell did my bf get involved here?

You think because you're a mod you can get away with everything... not anymore.

I think it's pretty safe to say I'm one of the most laid back mods on this site and the amount of infractions I have handed out could be counted on 2 hands. You've just pushed my buttons and it takes a LOT to do that. There are many times I should have infracted you but I didn't and just deleted the post. Well the parties over.

Seriously, you're threatening me? You're totally proving my point about how immature and moody you are. Well the jokes on you because I have permits for all of them. You are allowed have 2 EBT's per person with the proper permit which I got back in 2007 so thanks for playing. But if you do call the SFG tell John and Frank I said "hey". It's been a while since I talked to them, good guys.

If you're boyfriend is B. Sell then it's the same kid. And I hope he's not 30 because that means he sure failed a lot of grades!

Good luck with your turtles even though I'm sure I'll see them on CL in a few months. And because you're being less mature then some of the 14 year old kids we have on here I'm closing this thread. Have a nice day.