Bedding concerns

I have five 3 month old boxies, I was using leaves from the back yard until I read that I should be using reptile bark. Now my babies appear dry. They do soak in there pool and after they eat I have them in a wading pond about ankle deep. Now I am really confused. Help!

You should use organic soil and moss mix. Cocofiber works well too. It should hold moisture. Box turtles need higher humiditu. I was never a fan of reptile bark. It doesn't hold moisture and it molds when it's kept moist. With the soil, moss or coco fiber. Make sure you get all layers moist. I usually add water and mix it keep doing it till it's all moist not wet. You should be able to ball up the substrate but not ring it out. Once you get that balance just a matter of spraying it down when it dries out. You can put stringy moss on top of that if you want to help out even more with moisture. Maybe just one side.

Kyle

yeah, babies need a lot of soaking and humidity. Those bark chips are too dry.

I agree with the others. I also cover enclosures so my humidity does not escape out of the top.

Coco fiber, peat moss, long fibres sphagnum, are all good choices and you can mix them together.

I have purchaced the cocofiber and moss. i will be bringing the babies in full time soon. there indoor enclosure is wood. what do y'all use as a liner to aid cleaning and keeping the bottom of the enclosure dry?

Debbie M said:

I have purchaced the cocofiber and moss. i will be bringing the babies in full time soon. there indoor enclosure is wood. what do y'all use as a liner to aid cleaning and keeping the bottom of the enclosure dry?

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Some people use a water base sealer to deal the wood. Or a type of liner like pond liner. Others use a shower curtain. I think others have even used painters plastic. Pond liner would probably last the longest.

Kyle

if you seal it, you need to let it dry outside. better yet, find a cheap rubbermaid container for the babies. Walmart has some large ones that are under $20

y'all have even more help than anyone else . thank you so much. I like the shower curtain idea, just got back from Walmart .

Debbie M said:

y'all have even more help than anyone else . thank you so much. I like the shower curtain idea, just got back from Walmart .

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Here is one of mine that houses a 14 month old. Covered with a clear shower curtain.

Lisa127, I like that. It looks like you have a plastic container inside a wood enclosure ? Am I right?

Take a look, I changed their habitat to the cocofiber and moss. So far it looks like they might enjoy it.

one more question (probably lying ), do y'all take them out to feed them? I have been bc I want to make sure they all eat.

Debbie M said:

one more question (probably lying ), do y'all take them out to feed them? I have been bc I want to make sure they all eat.

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I use a feeding dish. But either way works.

Kyle

Debbie M said:

one more question (probably lying ), do y'all take them out to feed them? I have been bc I want to make sure they all eat.

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I do both for very young turtles. I have a feeding dish in their enclosure so they can eat at will and I add food to the containers I soak the turtles in so I can see who is eating and who isnt.