kingsnake.com - reptile and amphibian classifieds, breeders, forums, photos, videos and more

return to main index

  mobile - desktop
follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on YouTube link to us on LinkedIn
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research  
click here for Rodent Pro
Mice, Rats, Rabbits, Chicks, Quail
Available Now at RodentPro.com!
Locate a business by name: click to list your business
search the classifieds. buy an account
events by zip code list an event
Search the forums             Search in:
News & Events: Herp Photo of the Day: Bearded Dragon . . . . . . . . . .  Tinley Reflections: An open letter from Mom . . . . . . . . . .  Greater Cincinnati Herp Society Meeting - Apr 02, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Calusa Herp Society Meeting - Apr 04, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Southwestern Herp Society Meeting - Apr 06, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Hamburg Reptile Show - Apr. 13, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  St. Louis Herpetological Society - Apr 14, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Apr 16, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  DFW Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Colorado Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Chicago Herpetological Society Meeting - Apr 21, 2024 . . . . . . . . . . 

Re: It's the hibernation thing - how do they do it?


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Painted Turtle Forum ]

Posted by nathana on April 10, 2003 at 07:13:39:

In Reply to: Re: It's the hibernation thing - how do they do it? posted by checker on April 09, 2003 at 20:04:35:

They do breath... sort of.

There are some species that can freeze completely solid and totally shut down, but these are in the northern extremes.

For the rest, their metabolism slows to NEAR nothing. They will take water into their throats and rectums and absorb oxygen from the water in this way. This is one reason you don't want a small pond to freeze over and prevent air exchange with the surface. A larger pond would probably hold all the oxygen it needed for the turtle. In a fridge, you are not sealing them in, because you open the door and check on them. I used a dorm fridge for hibernating boxies when I couldn't put them outdoors one year. I hooked up an air pump to feed in fresh humid air. They don't need much when hibernating.


Follow Ups:




[ Follow Ups ] [ Painted Turtle Forum ]