I saw an interesting post on Facebook about Box turtles in brumation in winter. I like these guys, don't you?
During brumation, my metabolism slows to a crawl, letting my body match winter temperatures and conserve energy when food disappears. This is an evolved survival strategy, not sleep. Move me and you erase a lifetime of navigation. Leave me, and spring will do the rest.
Quote from Facebook post
Box turtle brumation is a natural winter cool-down where they burrow into soil or leaf litter, slowing their metabolism. This helps them to survive cold and scarce food by living off stored fat. This allows for minimal movement but requiring deep insulation to prevent freezing. It's a vital survival instinct, not a deep sleep. If you see a turtle in the wild in brumation, leave it alone.
Now let's end with some sky photos from January in weird weather here at the condo complex this past week.
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Beautiful skies! Much of this information about box turtles applies to the desert tortoise as well.
ReplyDeleteGood to know - I just like them a lot
Delete...Carol, few of us have been spared the cold this year. Be warm and well.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the same Tom
ReplyDeleteThis has been most educational for me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
Lovely captures all!
ReplyDeleteTurtles are tougher than I thought!
ReplyDeleteI find them fascinating.
DeleteVery interesting about the box turtles. I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteI think the turtles are cool. You don't see a lot of them here -- sometimes, but not often.
ReplyDeleteI know they're there. I stopped my car often enough to get them out of the road. A coworker who had 5 kids worried I got turtle juice on my hands! I told her I can wash my hands for goodness’s sake.
DeleteSnakes brumate as well. I get more aggressive with my geocaching in the winter compared to warmer seasons.
ReplyDeleteI'll remember that about snakes, but I don't like to see them.
DeleteStunning blue skies! We've had far too many grey ones here in Wales so far this year.
ReplyDeleteOh those sky photos are fabulous! I remember learning a bit about brumation when my boys were studying all the various forms of hibernation and we learned that toads brumate too burrowing under the frost line in the soil for winter.
ReplyDeleteFrom everyone's comments it seems there's a whole group of critter do it.
DeleteBox turtles are amazing little survivors! Thanks for sharing the science behind brumation along with those gorgeous January skies. 💚🐢
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2026/02/from-archives.html
ReplyDelete