How do I keep my red eared slider turtles alive in the pond during the winter months?

I live in the north bay of California, south of San Francisco. Our weather is moderate.

How do I keep my red eared slider turtles alive in the pond during the winter months?
Get a pond heater. As long as the temps are kept up it is fine. Your weather isn't cold enough that it would be difficult to keep the temperatures around 75 or so.
Reply:You could get a pond heater and as long as that kept the water at an average temperature of 75-90F you should be OK. Yet you may also want to keep the water moving that case if it fails it wont freeze or start to ice up. Now you could always also take them inside and not hibernate them in a small aquarium. It is very hard and in most times bad for you to hibernate (or brumation in reptiles/ turtles) while in captivity. Yet many people do it. You just need to read about it and have a basic knowledge on the set up. If you wish you can fill the bottom of the pond with mud and sand and what not as well as muddy banks and let them naturally hibernate. Though if they have always been in captivity and never actually hibernated it ma not be used to having to fatten up before and that can lead into many problem. So out of these recommendations I would choose either the heater or to make a separate inside aquarium for them to be in until it is warm enough for them to go back outside again. Hope I was of assistance and good luck. :)
Reply:You do not need to heat the water. If it doesn't freeze solid, you are good. The turtles will go to the bottom and perhaps burrow, or just hang out in the leaves down there till the weather warms up.





RES are NOT tropical, they come from temperate areas.
Reply:get 5 aquarium heaters



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