hi im just asking for a workmate do turtles in chch need to be hibernated if yes how do u do it? i have just explained to her the whole thing about " a reptile flourescent tube is not a basking light" she thinks her female needs hibernating because its hugging the heater all the time , they are red ear turtles

Turtles in captivity generally don't hibernate AFAIK.

And I also don't think they need a basking light either, as such, just needs a place to come out of the water and dry out a bit.

And I also don't think they need a basking light either, as such, just needs a place to come out of the water and dry out a bit.

You put a basking site without a basking lamp and you won't get heaps of basking, with a heat source heaps of basking with legs out stretched, when I have heat lamps on even my 1 year old snake necks clamber over each other for the best spot for heat!

Red ear sliders dont need to hibernate if you have them in a heated tank.And they do need a heat lamp,which helps them dry out and also their dejesting of food.Google has some good turtle sites which will explain better than i can.Its a shame people dont cheak thier requirements before getting them.I think the some pet shops need to inform buyers of requirements.Thse poor things suffer at the hands of people that have not looked into there care and think its just a matter of putting them in a tank.Good on you for helping

You put a basking site without a basking lamp and you won't get heaps of basking, with a heat source heaps of basking with legs out stretched, when I have heat lamps on even my 1 year old snake necks clamber over each other for the best spot for heat!

True, yes I did have a UV light over the basking spot in my turtle tank, but I've seen so many that didn't have a light, so assumed it was all good to not have one. Pet shops are especially bad for this!

Thanks for that info!

nana luke, not sure if you have turtles, if you do with just a uvb bulb then try putting a heat lamp over the basking spot, 100w spotlight is all good for cheap heat, you would see the difference in how long they bask straight away!

te]Red ear sliders dont need to hibernate if you have them in a heated tank.And they do need a heat lamp,which helps them dry out and also their dejesting of food

Your right pet shops are bad at this.and it makes me sick,But all the blame cant be put on them.There are adults that think you just chuck them in a tank,with out researching there needs.They buy them as babies and think how cute.As they get older their not so cute as they require bigger tanks,good filters heat lamp and uvb lamps and cleaning.Sorry im hot under the collar over this.I have taken in a couple of turtles,that have not had their requirements met.One stunted and badly pitted shell.The other lumpy shell,old shutes not shed.

onus is on the pet shops and anyone else selling a turtle or any other animal to ensure it is going to an owner who understands and can provide all its basic needs and requirements

I'm also in CH CH and have had turtles for over 20 yrs. I'd never let them hibernate...even the ones in the pond have a heater added to keep the temp above 16 degrees over winter. They slow down a bit in the coldest time but thrive in the sunlight as its very sheltered etc. At Willowbank wild life park here they don't substitute feed their turtles who live in huge unheated ponds full of fish and natural feed. They hibernate in the mud at the bottom of their ponds over some of the winter, but thats a much more natural environment then a tank. Definately she needs to add a heat lamp (or ordinary light bulb) as well as the uv light, but needs to be careful of the distance to the turtles so they don't get burnt or eyes damaged. how many does she have? Are they all basking? Good Luck!

thank you to all that replied , and thank you donna i will pass ur details onto her

Everyone has their own ideas I guess. I have three adult turtles in a large tank under a window with no heat lamp or UV light and they have been Ok for 10 years. They frequently bask on a platform and dont hibernate in the winter. I drop the temperature from 25 to 22 in the autumn and up again in the spring. I have babies in an area with no windows or natural light and they have a heat lamp, and a UV light on a timer.

nana luke, not sure if you have turtles, if you do with just a uvb bulb then try putting a heat lamp over the basking spot, 100w spotlight is all good for cheap heat, you would see the difference in how long they bask straight away!

Oh true.

I don't have any at the moment, i had to get rid of the last ones as a kid because we had no room in the new house we moved into! I'm looking to get another turtle once i move out of home and I will remember that when i set up the new tank!