Is my indoor turtle hibernating or dead? How to know for sure?

Without a physical exam, it is difficult to determine if it is dead or alive. Low temps may cause extreme lethargy in reptiles. Try warming it up slowly, using warm water and a heat lamp, to see if it starts to move. If it was submerged, it may have drowned. To be sure, you can take it to the local veterinary clinic to confirm death.

I am sorry to hear about Nokta. I too, am worried about what you describe. Although when they hibernate their limbs are usually in the shell, not out. I do worry that she could be gravely ill and very weak. It can be hard to tell if a turtle is deceased. It is impossible to find a heartbeat, and reptiles can survive on only breathing very infrequently. I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If that is not available then try to warm her up and see if she will Move. If she is alive she likely needs veterinary care to survive. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

No, please keep your turtle in an appropriate environment with proper water, docking area, basking light, UVB light, thermometer in water and under basking light, and feed mix of fresh vegetables, turtle food pellets, and live prey items. Do not attempt to “hibernate” a turtle in a blanket. This will most likely end up causing illness and maybe death.

As long as the house is between 68 F and 80 F, Mikey should be fine. As a reptile, he does need a basking area to warm up and UVB lighting. Nighttime temps can drop to 60-65 F. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage for 30 minutes. This will warm him up and provide hydration. If he is kept indoors year round at constant temperature s, he does not "need" to hibernate.

Box turtles are so fun to watch in the wild! Your backyard turtle knows exactly when and where it should hibernate, so do not bring it inside. The conditions within your house are likely not ideal for the turtle. Have fun watching him in your backyard and look forward to his re-emergence in the Spring! Thank you for using pet coach.

Hi, That's difficult to say without seeing Donatello. However, if the temperature of his tank is above 68F then he should not be hibernating. You can try warming the water to about 80C and see if it helps. Regards

If kept outdoors, they may hibernate from June to September. A tortoise may burrow into the substrate and remain inactive during this time. It is not recommended to hibernate juveniles, sick tortoises or underweight tortoises. If Franklin is kept indoors at constant temperature or will not be used for breeding purposes, he does not need to hibernate.