Urgent Care :: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

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Post Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:16 pm   Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

So I've been taking care of a baby snapping turtle I found on pavement, and I heard that at this time they prepare for hibernation, he hasn't been eating and I have yet to take him to the vet as it's only been two days since finding him, so I don't know if he is sick in any way yet. Any advice is appreciated!
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:37 pm   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

Where are you located? What are your winters like? If you are interested in keeping him, you need to have a plan for the long-term. So you need to factor in the space you have, resources for equipment, etc.
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:56 pm   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

The winters here are pretty cold, and we are expecting a lot of snow this year. I think he still has his yolk but I'm not sure, that could be why he isn't eating, I plan on getting some turtle pellets in the morning and see if he eats those. I also plan on getting a lamp for him. Would a need a water heater at this point, where I don't have an aquarium tank yet? I went to clean his tub and let him walk around a bit outside while I watched him, and after that he was a lot more active , I added sand to the tub, as I noticed when he was walking that he would try and dig. I'm just wondering if I should let him hibernate or not, considering most of the wild snappers around the area just hatched and are preparing for hibernation themselves.
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:34 am   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

I would think he's too young for hibernation. You might want to re-check a forum for snappers, I don't want to leave out any info on his care.
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:08 am   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

Thanks, should I let him continue this habit? Or will he end up falling and breaking his shell/tail/etc ?

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:55 am   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

If the water is too shallow, he can get stuck (and drown) if he flips over and does not have enough depth to up right himself.
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:35 pm   Re: Should I let a rescued baby snapping turtle hibernate?

I'm going out to buy a heater and filter for a big plastic tub I bought that is significantly bigger than what he is now, but I've read about heater breakage and worry about the little one being shocked, any suggestions?
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