The Texas map turtles went into hibernation one after another after the frost in October. In November, when the water temperature was 13°C, the Texas map turtle entered hibernation and was slow to respond to touch, vibration, and stimuli. In January of the following year, when the water temperature was below 10°C, the Texas map turtle entered deep hibernation without excretion.

When hibernating, the Texas map turtle head shrinks in the shell, and neither the limbs nor the tail shrink in the shell , lying in the deep water of the pool or under the crevices and haystacks on the shore. By mid-April of the following year, when the temperature rose to 18°C, it began to wake up gradually, often opening its eyes and crawling slightly.