In nature, animals must face in many cases the varying conditions of the environment, which can be harsh enough to threaten the very existence of the individual. In this sense, various species have developed adaptive strategies that consist of certain types of behaviors to cope with, for example, changes in temperature and the scarcity of both water and food, such as hibernation.
Some species of tortoises are capable of resisting environmental variables by entering a state of lethargy, which is also carried out by domesticated ones, often leading their keepers to believe that they have died. Therefore, in this article on our site we want to help you recognize if your turtle is hibernating or dead
When do turtles hibernate?
In principle, we want to tell you that the term hibernation, although it is used in a general way for different types of animals that enter a state of numbness, the same, according to some experts [1], is actually associated with certain mammalsthat reach a deep lethargy, with a decrease in temperature very close to 0 ºC. For this reason, true hibernators are considered to be some ground squirrels, jumping mice, marmots, and related groups.
In this sense, in the turtles two processes of lethargy or numbness can occur: one known as brumation, which occurs when there are temperature drops; and another known as aestivation, which occurs in the summer months. As turtles are ectothermic animals, that is, their body temperature depends on the environment, when they cannot thermoregulate with external factors, they use these sleeping strategies, in which they continue with their basic organic functions, but the metabolism is reduced to save energy.
So, turtles have hibernal dreams or aestivate when there are important changes in the temperature of their habitat or environment where they live.
How do you know if a turtle is hibernating?
Not all species of turtles go into hibernation, so in principle it is important to know what type of turtle it is Now, once the species is known, if it has this type of habit and, furthermore, it is in an area with significant temperature variations, then it is very likely that the tortoise begins this state of inactivity. To accurately identify the species of a turtle, it will always be important to consult a specialist, who can do it properly.
Some of the turtle species that hibernate are:
- Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
- Black Tortoise (Testudo graeca)
- Russian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi)
- Turtles of the genus Gopherus
- Spotted Tortoise (Clemmys guttata)
Now, how exactly do you know that a turtle is hibernating and not dead?
Pre-Hibernation Behaviors
There are several previous behaviors associated with this lethargic behavior in a turtle, such as the following:
- You will stop eating for a few weeks before starting the process and completely empty your digestive system. It does this because, as it will be inactive and its metabolism will slow down considerably, it will not be able to carry out the digestion process, so requires this system to be cleanand without the need to process any food.
- It will look for a space that it considers the most appropriate to stay sheltered during hibernal sleep, so it will be noticed that it stays longer in this place until the torpor begins definitively.
Signs that indicate hibernation
Now, to know if the tortoise started torpor, a first aspect to take into account is that it has been days without eating any food and, of course, is totally inactive, without movement. When this happens, to verify that it is alive we can bring a small feather towards the nostrils and with some patience check that it moves. We must remember that the animal decreases its functions, so that, it does not breathe regularly, but much slower.
We can also gently touch its legs or tail to notice if it responds to the touch, since these body parts remain at a certain level alert during this state.
The land turtles, when in hibernal sleep, may require minimal water consumption, so it is important to provide them with a water source very close to where they have taken refuge. In this sense, changes in the space that indicate water consumption can indicate that it is hibernating and nothing else is happening.
How do I know if my turtle is dead?
When a turtle hibernates we may think that it is dead, but we already know how to rule out this situation. Now, although the turtles are usually long-lived, they also suffer from various diseases that ultimately lead to death. To find out if this has happened, you can check your breathing with the pen trick we mentioned in the previous section. In addition, when the turtle dies, a decomposition process begins, producing changes in the color of the skin, rigidity of the body, production of atypical secretions and lack of response to any type of stimulus that is made.
As we already know, turtles stop consuming food before entering torpor states due to temperature variations, however, if the environmental conditions are the same and our turtle suddenly stops eating, it is extremely important that it be examined by a veterinarian because this could be a sign of some pathology that can cause death.
Another aspect to take into account to know if a turtle is hibernating or dead is that, although it is not a fast-moving animal, it is always active throughout the day, so if we see that it is remain motionless, but with signs of life, a visit to the specialist would also be advisable.
In the presence of spots on the skin, wounds, eye inflammation or any atypical sign in the animal, it is essential to consult to a veterinary doctor because in many cases we can prevent the death of the turtle by addressing certain diseases in time.
Turtle hibernating or dead?
As we have seen in this article, there are several differences between whether the turtle is hibernating or dead. Given the former, there are indicative signs such as the species, in addition to signs in their behavior that warn us of hibernationAs for the second, they are unexpected changes and inactivity that results in very different bodily signs than when it is alive and active.
Having an animal at home is a beautiful act, although not all animals can be kept in domestic spaces. In addition, they require responsibility and commitment. An animal must feel safe, have adequate space, water and food. However, it is not the only thing, because we must learn to know our animal companion, know how to identify when it has common behaviors or when it does not, and we only know this if we have regular contact and care with it.
Check the following articles to see if you really offer the best care for your turtle:
- Care of a gopher tortoise
- Caring for a water turtle
