Hibernating Box Turtles (Terrapene species)

　　midity than do turtles or tortoises of other species. Also, the period of hibernation might need to be shorter, regular checks on your box turtle are simple, and will enable you to asses it's overall health status. Weight checks as well as visual examinations to check for respiratory problems during the hibernation period may be performed on a bi-weekly basis with little disturbance to the animal.
The correct hibernation protocols for box turtles should be as follows:
　　a. An area not subject to freezing temperatures. Freezing will kill your turtle. In the wild, these turtles bury themselves deep within the soil, below the frost line, in order to keep from freezing.
　　b. Proper hibernation medium. Many keepers have successfully used a combination of the following for box turtles to hibernate in:
　　c. Organic potting soil, with no polymers, such as Vermiculite? Pearlite? or other additives.
　　d. agnum moss, shredded.

　　
　　盒龟(箱龟)的冬眠（Terrapene species）

　　盒龟要求比其他种类的海龟和龟有较高的湿度。而且冬眠的时间会短一些，定期查看你的盒龟很简单，这样会让你对它的全部的健康状况有个全面的了解。体重检查就象在冬眠期间要视测龟的呼吸一样，每周检测一次不会影响动物。盒龟和冬眠须知如下：
　　a. 冬眠区温度不能到结冰温度，结冰将导致你的龟死亡。在野外，这些龟把自己深埋在土里，在冻土以下来防止冻僵。
　　b. 适当的冬眠介质，许多饲养者成功地使用以下方法让盒龟在其中冬眠:
　　c. 不含聚合物的有机陶土（不含如：Vermiculite(蛭石：与绿混石有关的一组含云母的水合硅酸盐矿物质的统称，并以热膨胀形式用作绝缘材料和种植媒介)? Pearlite(珠光体: 光体，珠铁：在慢慢冷却的碳合金中的层状铁素体和碳素体的混合物)?等物质）。
　　d. 撕成小块的苔藓。
　　
　　All of these items can be mixed together after soaking the sphagnum moss in a bucket of water, then squeezing it out so it is not "soggy," but still quite wet. Combining the sphagnum moss with the organic soil helps it to retain a good level of humidity, but not creating so much that the turtle is exposed to a "wet" environment. In the wild, box turtles are often found hibernating beneath the earth, under fallen logs, under rocks, or other areas that might have been used in the past by other animals. This allows the animals to maintain the humidity they need so they don't become dehydrated, and also provides shelter during rain or snow, at a temperature that is suitable. Depending on the soil temperature, the turtle will move up toward the surface or burrow deeper, keeping itself at a good constant temperature. In captivity, box turtles are often kept in areas that have little or no resemblance to their home territories. In order to ensure safe hibernation, please study the following guidelines.

　　将苔藓浸在一桶水中，然后把水挤干使它不会很湿，但仍然有一定湿度，之后将所有这些东西混在一起，苔藓结合有机土有助于保留好的湿度，但制造的环境不会使其中的龟感到是一个“湿”的环境。在野外，盒龟经常被发现在地下，被伐倒的圆木下，岩石下或其他可能曾被另一些动物使用过的地方冬眠。这些地方能够维持龟所需要的湿度使它们不会脱水，在下雨或雪时也可以作为它们的庇护所，有一个合适的温度。根据土壤的温度，龟可以向地表面移动也可以向更深的洞穴移动，使自己保持一个合适的恒定的温度。在笼养条件下，请遵循以下的要点：

　　DO NOT:
　　1 Hibernate a box turtle that has shown ANY sign of illness, weight loss, or other ailment within the past year.
　　2 Hibernate a box turtle the first season you have it, as potential health problems may be latent and might not have shown as outward symptoms.
　　3 Hibernate a box turtle that hasn't been completely cleared of internal parasites.
　　4 Ever hibernate a box turtle in an area where there is ANY chance of flooding. They can and do drown!
　　5 Hibernate in an area where the temperature is below freezing if they are unable to dig deeply into the soil for protection. This will either kill, cause blindness or limb paralysis.
　　6 DO provide a safe area, protected from rodents of any type. Garages often work well for this purpose, provided the temperatures do not get too low.

　　1 不要让盒龟冬眠，当它表现出一些有病的征兆，如：体重下降或有在过去几年中的其他一些病症。
　　2 不要让盒龟冬眠，当你在冬季刚得到龟时，它可能有一些潜在的健康问题还没有表现出来。
　　3不要让盒龟冬眠，在你的龟没有进行彻底的请除体内寄生虫时。
　　4 绝对不要让龟在有可能发大水的地方冬眠，它们会溺水而死。
　　5龟冬眠地点温度低于冷冻温度，而土壤条件也不允许它们挖向更深的地方去冬眠作为保护，这会使龟死亡、导致失明或肢体瘫痪。
　　6为龟提供一个安全的地方，避开一些啮齿动物。将冬眠箱放在车库里会达到这个目的，要保证车库的温度不要太低。

　　In many areas of the USA, box turtles can safely be hibernated in a place that they choose. If the area is on high ground, the soil is soft enough for them to dig deep enough to avoid freezing, and is an area that stays damp, then a healthy turtle can be hibernated outside. Rainfall is fine, and will not hurt a box turtle unless flooding occurs. You can help the turtle along by covering the area with dry leaves once they have "dug in" to help prevent problems with frost. They often choose an area such as the base of a bush, tree, or other vegetation for their natural hibernaculum.

　　在美国的许多地区，盒龟能够选择适合它们的地方安全地冬眠。如果冬眠地区在高原，土壤足够松软，使龟可以向地下挖深以避免被冻僵，冬眠地同时可以保存一定的湿气，那一只健康的龟就能在室外冬眠。如果雨量不大那降雨也不会伤害龟。霜降以后，一旦龟开始向下挖洞抵御严寒，你可以用干树叶盖住龟冬眠的地方来帮助它。它们常常选择有矮灌木、树木和其他植物的地带作为它们的冬眠场所。

　　The method we have used most successfully for box turtles which cannot hibernate outdoors includes the use of VERY large Rubbermaid type containers that are deep as well as long. After the turtle has stopped eating, or starts to slow down, it is preparing for hibernation. DO NOT offer any more food, it is extremely important that the gut be free of any food items, as they may ferment and rot in the gut during hibernation, often causing death.

　　对于不能在室外冬眠的龟，我们的方法很成功，包括使用长和深度一样的很大的容器，当龟停止吃食或者变得迟钝，就表明它准备冬眠了，不要再给它食物，龟的肠道排空这非常重要，否则肠道中的食物在冬眠的过程中会发酵和腐烂，经常会导致龟的死亡。

　　Add the mixture of sphagnum moss and organic soil. Filling to within roughly 5 inches of the top. Substrate should be at least 2 feet deep. If well mixed, the substrate should remain nice and damp. Occasional spraying or adding of water will keep it moist. With the sphagnum mixed in, a far longer period can pass without having to re-moisten the substrate. Sphagnum moss does not seem to cause any problem with mold or mildew. Place the sleeping box turtle into the container. It will, even if it has fallen asleep for the winter, burrow itself to the level it feels it needs to be.

　　添加到冬眠容器中的苔藓和有机土的混合物，混合物要添充到距离盒顶大约5英寸处，底层至少有2英尺深。如果混合得好，基质应该保持得很好而且有一定的湿度。偶尔喷洒或加点水可以保持湿度，因为有泥碳藓混在其中，可以使基质经过较长时间而不需要给它保湿。泥炭藓块好象不会使土壤出现问题或有霉菌，将冬眠的龟放在它的冬眠箱中，如果它真的正在冬眠，那它会按自己要求把自己埋在合适的深度。

　　We usually allow box turtles to start their hibernation outside, long before freezing weather has a chance to hit, and then transfer them a little later to our chosen area. The transition always seems to go smoothly. Using this method, place a probe thermometer into the soil to monitor soil temperature. Also, another thermometer is used to monitor the temperature of the outside air temperature. Place a thick sheet of cardboard between the floor and the hibernation container, as most floors are either concrete or stone, and can cause problems with the temperatures in the container. The container may also be placed on a shelf.

　　我们经常让盒龟在室外开始冬眠直到霜降来临之前，然后稍微晚一些时候再将龟移到我们为龟准备的地方，这个变换过程要缓慢。使用以下的方法：用一个探针式温度计插到混合土中监测温度。同时使用另一个温度计监测室外空气温度，在地板与冬眠箱之间放一块厚纸板，因为大多数地板是混凝土或石头的，会使冻眠箱的温度发生变化，冬眠箱也可以放在一个架子上。

　　NEVER place a sealed lid on the top of the container! These turtles need to have a good oxygen exchange during hibernation. Sealing a container will cause a build up of lethal gasses. With many of the Rubbermaid type containers, a lid is provided. Holes may be drilled through the lid, at 2" intervals. Make certain the holes are large, but not large enough to let any predator inside! This helps to keep humidity up, keeps rodents and other pests out, and allows for good oxygen exchange.

　　千万不要在冬眠箱顶上放盖子，这些龟在冬眠期间需要有良好的氧气交换，盖住冬眠箱会使箱中产生毒气。许多Rubbermaid式冬眠箱有盖，盖上可能有一些小洞，小洞之间间隔2"。让这些洞足够大，但不能让天敌进入，这样即可以保湿，又可以防止啮齿类动物和其他有害物进去，也可以允许龟有一个良好的氧气交换。

　　Successful hibernation requires free air circulation. 40/45?F is a good temperature to aim for, but the temperature does not need to stay constant, as the turtles will move up and down in the substrate as needed. This method also makes it far easier to carry out regular health status checks. If you do find that one of your turtles has become ill or appears to be dropping too much weight, it is always possible to bring it out of hibernation by letting it slowly warm to room temperature inside. No turtle exhibiting any symptom of illness or weight loss should ever be replaced to the hibernation container.

　　成功的冬眠要求有好的空气循环，40/45?F是理想的温度，但温度不需要保持恒定，因为龟会根据需要在基质中上下移动，这个方法会很容易地进行定期的健康检查。如果你发现你的龟开始有些病症或体重下降很多，经常要让龟停止冬眠，让它慢慢地变暖直到恢复到室温，千万不要把在冬眠中有病症或体重下降的龟再放回冬眠箱里让它继续冬眠。

　　Provided that this is appreciated, then American box turtles can certainly be maintained very successfully, and even bred in captivity.

　　倘若这点能被注意到，那么美国盒龟就可以很成功地被你饲养，还可以繁殖。

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