Baby Box Turtle

Hello, I am concerned about my box turtle. I have 3 adult turtles so I am not new to the caring for them, and I have cared for the adults for 3 years and then I rescued a baby box turtle from the local shelter. She was growing fast, as she was eating alot of bugs, and she would NOT eat veggies. I know they are omnivores and the only thing I could get her to eat was srawberries. She sleeps alot and I have started to notice her shell is caving in. I am concerned. So I have two questions, what can I do to get her to eat veggies? Another thing is her eyes are puffy as she sleeps. What are some things I can do to help her avoid these symptoms? I will take her to vet but I want tips to encourage her movement and her appetite for veggies. She is an inside box turtle, with the appropriate lighting.

i wouldn't worry about eating veggies, feed live bugs, worms, soaked/softened fish or turtle pellets, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears............ how wet is the enclosure? baby box turtles need kept in a really wet environment, too dry can kill them.......outside is optimum, i suppose they can be kept indoors long term, not something i've ever done.....

Are they all in the same enclosure

mark1 said:

i wouldn't worry about eating veggies, feed live bugs, worms, soaked/softened fish or turtle pellets, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears............ how wet is the enclosure? baby box turtles need kept in a really wet environment, too dry can kill them.......outside is optimum, i suppose they can be kept indoors long term, not something i've ever done.....

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It's temporary that I will keep her inside. I wanted to build the turtle enclosure and I wanted her to grow more. Now, that I feel like she's regressing with a caved in shell, not eating veggies and lethargy, I'm worried about putting her outside with the other turtles.

Ink said:

Are they all in the same enclosure

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Yes. Three are outside and she will join them when I believe her health is better.

rainlilypets said:

Yes. Three are outside and she will join them when I believe her health is better.

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Does she get calcium, and eats it? Can you post a picture of her?

Ink said:

Does she get calcium, and eats it? Can you post a picture of her?

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Yes, she does eat calcium. I give her crickets dusted and she eats them. She has been in brumation for 2 months. I tried to avoid her going into brumation by raising the temperature a little and soaking her in lukewarm water but she would just burrow and id find her asleep.

Here, the pictures may be better.

Hopefully an expert can help you. Was she looking that way when you got her? It looks like MBD, however I am not an expert. @Yvonne G @DoubleD1996!

rainlilypets said:

Here, the pictures may be better.

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rainlilypets said:

Yes, she does eat calcium. I give her crickets dusted and she eats them. She has been in brumation for 2 months. I tried to avoid her going into brumation by raising the temperature a little and soaking her in lukewarm water but she would just burrow and id find her asleep.

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Looks like she's developed mbd and has a respiratory infection.

Good news is, she still has room to grow, so the mbd can be corrected slightly. Get her some outdoor time in the sun. Put her in a bin and use the lid vertically on one end so she can retreat to shade. You can bring her in at night.


This along with some warm soaks will help that respiratory infection as well. You can also use a chlorhexidine solution mixed with the water.

Another thing I've done in the past is use vicks vapor rub...yes Vicks. I didn't apply it directly to the turtle, but smeared it in the upper corner of the turtles enclosure(bin she was in until infection cleared).It help encouraging the sinus to clear. Smear a big global in the upper corner the turtle can't reach and put on the lid. Make sure their is ventilation.

Sounds like she's eating good.My box turtles don't voluntarily go after vegetation. I mix it in a mash I make every year. It includes a protein such as raw ground chicken or turkey, and egg including the shell, a fruit(typically a berry), a tablespoon of olive oil, and some sort of greens such as dandelion. I mix all of this in a food processor and store them in freezer bags flat. When I'm ready to feed, I break off a piece and let it thaw at room temp. I feed this maybe once or twice a week.

Of course you want your temps and humidity correct to ensure proper growth. That is why i typically raise mine in an inch a water in a closed chamber( coukd be as simple as a bin with lights inside) before they transition to a more terrestrial set up.Keep her in something steril and easy to clean for now, such as on paper towel so you can see if there is discharge coming from her nose.Hope this helps.

This is a classic example of lack of calcium, D3, UVB,and inappropriate diet.

If you soak her daily for about an hour, in 50%/50% strained carrot baby food and warm water her eyes will be open at the end of the third daily soak.

For my baby box turtles I take a scoop of the veggies * I chop up for the baby tortoises and mix in the juice from a can of cat food

* This changes depending what I have on hand - chopped into small pieces, collard, mustard or dandelion greens, romaine, green leaf, endive, escarole, radicchio, edible leaves and weeds, grated zucchini and carrots. Sometimes instead of the cat food juice I use a jar of strained baby food fruit.

They always have calcium and UVB from a GOOD light. Besides adding a TINY bit of calcium a couple times a week, I keep a tiny, flat bowl of calcium powder in the enclosure.

rainlilypets said:

It's temporary that I will keep her inside. I wanted to build the turtle enclosure and I wanted her to grow more. Now, that I feel like she's regressing with a caved in shell, not eating veggies and lethargy, I'm worried about putting her outside with the other turtles.

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your box turtle is in rough shape , natural daylight and getting her to eat some kind of quality commercial pellets, keeping her in a wetter environment might help....... i feed my box turtles soaked hikari cichlid gold , worms , beef liver, bugs, fruit, sweet potatoes, bil jac frozen dog food, minnows.... they live outside and may eat some weeds ,but i've never fed them vegetable , ever, not even the babies that i have inside for their first winter...... good luck with her......

@Yvonne G @DoubleD1996! @Ink @mark1

I wanted to thank you guys, I have followed all your advice and she has opened her eyes already. She is also moving around more and more. She is drinking water on her own. I did force feed her box turtle diet dissolved in hot water. These are small steps toward good health, and I am excited to see them.

Thanks again.

rainlilypets said:

@Yvonne G @DoubleD1996! @Ink @mark1

I wanted to thank you guys, I have followed all your advice and she has opened her eyes already. She is also moving around more and more. She is drinking water on her own. I did force feed her box turtle diet dissolved in hot water. These are small steps toward good health, and I am excited to see them.

Thanks again.

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Glad to hear!