The cold makes me uneasy.

[Richie_ELP]

I don't recall a day this cold in my life, at least not in my hometown. The temperature outside is expected to fall to 2 miserably cold degrees. I pulled my RES from the pond, but I've never messed with my box turtles over winter unless they were sick. Obviously these animals survive those oddly cold days in nature or they wouldn't be roaming around in spring.
Last night I was uneasy at sixteen degrees. are my fears of having turtles drop dead left and right simply those of a nervous turtle nut? I'd dig them all out if it were possible, but it isn't.

I'd like to sleep not thinking of my babies freezing solid.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

I'd take the Box Turtles inside.

 

[Zfishies]

i left my RES (over 7yrs ago) in cali when the weather was 50F he did fine just had t share that but 55F-2F big diff lol goodluck!

 

[Conner]

I have a res overwintering in my pond right now. The water has been between 32 and 37 for a good 2 months straight, and the air temp has been down into the single digits several times. He/she is still doing fine. I check on it almost daily, and its always in a new position. the only thing I make sure of is that the pond doesn't get covered with ice.

I think its partner probably buried itself under my deck, because I haven't seen it since the first hard freeze.

 

[Richie_ELP]

I'd take the Box Turtles inside.

I can't dig up 20+ turtles, half of whom are buried under a slab of concrete that supports the shed. I guess I will have to hope for the best. How unnerving.

 

[Richie_ELP]

I have a res overwintering in my pond right now. The water has been between 32 and 37 for a good 2 months straight, and the air temp has been down into the single digits several times. He/she is still doing fine. I check on it almost daily, and its always in a new position. the only thing I make sure of is that the pond doesn't get covered with ice.

I think its partner probably buried itself under my deck, because I haven't seen it since the first hard freeze.

This pond at this house is too shallow to over winter in at these low temps, it froze over anyway. I was pulling them out of it last night, five minutes out of the water the net froze solid.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I believe without a doubt that your box turtles will be fine. They're tough reptiles that can take this sort of punishment. But I totally know how you feel. I don't breath a sigh of relief until all of my box turtles wake from hibernation in the spring.....and we've had a very cold winter this year.

 

[Richie_ELP]

That makes me ease up a bit. I love them all and notice when one is missing. I've never lost a turtle to hibernation but did lose one to problems that arose while he was in his torpor. He was at least 52 years old. He was my mothers when she was young.

 

[Otolith]

Unnerving indeed. :/ Hopefully they are buried down deep enough.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

That makes me ease up a bit. I love them all and notice when one is missing. I've never lost a turtle to hibernation but did lose one to problems that arose while he was in his torpor. He was at least 52 years old. He was my mothers when she was young.

I've lost a few turtles over the years during hibernation. They were all rescues that had run-ins with cars. At the time I thought they were healthy enough to make it through the winter but that didn't happen. I learned my lesson after that and kept them indoors if I wasn't 100% sure they'd survive outdoors.

I know I'd be very upset too if I lost any of mine. My 4 I've had between 23-16 years now. If the cold weather continues you can always give them extra protection by covering them with leaf litter/mulch.