Q: Do turtles burrow in the ground for winter? Lewis – Lincoln,
VT A: One of the oldest reptile groups on planet earth, cold-
blooded turtles are distinguished by a bony shell that acts like
a super-powerful shield to protect them from predators. Like
birds and reptiles, turtles lay their eggs on land and breathe
air—but they can spend long periods of time underwater,
surfacing at regular intervals to fill their lungs with oxygen.
These terrapins do a great job taking care of themselves (and
have been for the past 200 million years!), but if you have
turtles in your pond or lake, you can be a gracious host by
understanding some basic facts about them. They don’t use a
calendar, but turtles know when it’s time to cozy down for the
winter. They use the air and water temperature as a gauge, which
triggers their instinctual behavioral and physiological
hibernation. Typically, this happens when temperatures reach 50
degrees Fahrenheit or so. Holing Up for the Season Though they
carry a home-sweet-home on their back