New turtle :-) ID please

[leigti]

I just received a rescue box turtle. But I don't know what type it is. Could somebody please tell me, she became homeless when the local aviary in the park closed, a dog chewed on her a little bit but she has recovered. She seems very outgoing and is doing well. I've had her less than 24 hours. Thank you for your input, I have been told she is a female Boxturtle but that's all I know . Also, do you have any idea how old she might be? Thank you.

 

[KevinGG]

Looks like a 3 toed box turtle

 

[dmmj]

Yes the shell does look like a 3 toe's shell.

 

[Yvonne G]

...and the curly toe nails mean she's in pretty desperate need of some good nutrition.

 

[Saleama]

Poor baby. Get her to a vet for a check up as soon as you can. Those nails will do better if you put some terra-cotta saucers in with her for food and water. I had one that was worse than that with a flat shell. Three moths on terra-cotta and the nails are perfect. Her shell is filling in nicely as well! Good luck with her and keep us posted.

 

[leigti]

Thanks everybody. She has actually been living with the vet for about a month now. I don't know what they doing with her at the aviary or anything about her history and the vet knows a little bit about turtles. But she was glad when I could take her. I am reading the section on box turtles and am doing the best I can. She has an indoor and outdoor habitat , see my other thread soon . What do you mean by poor nutrition in the past, like she wasn't getting the right amount of what? Or too much of what? I will definitely put more terra-cotta and rocks in her enclosure. Is there anything specific I can do besides just give her good nutrition now, half proteins half veggies and calcium sprinkled on the food three times a week. Any thoughts on her age? Thanks a lot.

 

[dmmj]

With boxies regarding poor nutrition, it is usually a ton of lettuce, and little else.

 

[leigti]

Okay. I plan on feeding her basically what I feed my Russian but also add some fruit some veggies and some protein so hopefully that will be okay.

 

[leigti]

I hit the send button a little early f my Russian eats mostly weeds with grocery store greens mostly in the winter time and some cactus. Do Boxturtle see cactus?

 

[terryo]

Also her beak is a little overgrown. Try feeding her on a piece of slate or flat stone so it will trim down. Someone had her in not so great conditions for a while, for her beak and nails to look like that. Looks like a TT to me too, and not so young.

 

[lisa127]

Yes, three toed box turtle. Make sure to put a cuttlebone in her enclosure for calcium and to keep the beak trim. She is cute!

 

[leigti]

Yes, three toed box turtle. Make sure to put a cuttlebone in her enclosure for calcium and to keep the beak trim. She is cute!

Thank you, I think she's pretty cute too. There is a cuttlebone in there but so far she is just walked over it a few times

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You can trim her nails yourself, carefully with large toenail clippers. You can see the blood vein inside the nail so just trim off a little at a time. If you make her bleed use styptic powder or flour, they just bleed a little bit. I would feed her lots of berries, bananas, melon, slugs, nightcrawlers, crickets, some dark greens and feed her as much as she'll eat. Give her access to a soaking pool daily and sprinkle powdered calcium on her food 3 times a week. Everybody will tell you something different, but that's just what I would do...she's awful pretty...

 

[leigti]

I actually can't see well enough to cut the nails, I can't see the veins at all. Maybe I can get somebody to help me or have the vet do it. Or could I just use a Dremel on low-power and just take the sharp edges off? Would that work for her beak to her is it too risky? Did she look too skinny to you? Her legs seem so tiny compared to my Russian tortoise who has front legs like Popeyes. I put some nightcrawlers in her indoor pen and will put them in her outdoor pen tomorrow. I bought some melons and strawberries today but I will give her tomorrow. She hasn't eaten the weeds that I put in her enclosure yet, hopefully she will soon. I also got some kale today so I'll try that. I appreciate everybody's input, I need all the help I can get I want her to be healthy and happy.

 

[dmmj]

She does look skinny, wait she? did we sex her yet? but either way you can use a dremel, if you wish.

 

[leigti]

I can try to take pictures of her back end tomorrow. She has a tiny tail if that means anything. I've been told she is female so I just went with it.

 

[terryo]

I doubt if she will eat any weeds alone. The only time I've ever seen any of mine eat greens in the garden is in the early Spring before any little worms or bugs come up. Then they will nibble on early Hosta shoots. Every AM I offer mine a mix of chopped fruit, greens, veggies, and some added ground venison. Each week, I change the mix around and add different things. But I always put ground carrots and sweet potato's.

 

[diamondbp]

It's a 3toed box turtle. Even males will have really small tails when the nutrition is really poor. I suspect it's a male that has somehow survived some very poor keeping

 

[leigti]

Okay here is a picture of her little tushie. So what do you think mail or female?. Is she supposed to have those folds of skin around her legs? She looks really skinny to me but I only have a Russian tortoise to compare her with.

 

[tortoise5643]

Her back end looks fat to me. Almost like she was fed too much or lots of fatty foods. Either way, I believe it is a girl.