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They might as well eat them, they are difficult to tame...

Pictures of the damaged area would be helpful for remedial advice...as long as the shell is not bleeding I would suspect very light sanding, to knock off the rough edges, would be OK, but again, pictures...

I guess I am in the distinct minority in these parts. I enjoy seeing cross-bred tortoises; they are quite interesting. We do it with dogs (purposely, and occasionally with randy, fence-jumping males), cattle, etc.

My biggest worry in the "predation" category is the pernicious fire-ant. As you can see from the photos, it's hard to spot all the nests, unless they pop-up in the limited open areas. Then using Orthene poison powder sparingly, and then laying a heavy flagstone over it until the poison...

I've got more than I know what to do with...with loads more growing in the ground.

Box turtles (in the wild) are well experienced with sudden temperature changes, and adapt quite well with them. It is usually a sudden drop in temperatures. Not unusual in my neighborhood to get a 30-40 degree drop in 12 hours. But the hybrid housekeeping - especially since it eliminates the...

Not after I learned to put a latch on the gate! A couple of them learned to climb up on the gate step and nudge the metal gate open and vamoose...but the yard is fenced and I always eventually found them...(notice the green carabiner and screw it holds onto.) They have everything their little...

This is where I keep mine...no covering...but lots of cover. Remember, they are already living outdoors all around you there...

Are you married to the idea of keeping him indoors? They naturally range into your area and would be just fine living outdoors. You would need an enclosure, but no electricity, lights, heaters, etc. would be required. Just a thought...

Apparently so... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25418348/

Honestly - and I will preface this comment with an admission that my veterinarian skills are non-existent - that injury appears to be a death sentence. The dirt - and all the microbes in the dirt - has entered into what was before a sterile chamber. Insects have an opening to invade. The...

There's nothing more exciting than finding box turtles in the wild. They are such unassuming creatures, quietly going about their daily business, willing to let us pick them up and look at them, and then going back to their routine after we pass on along. We humans could learn a lot from these...

To save you time, I've made a comprehensive list of everything that is wrong with that enclosure set-up: 1. It's not at my house. 2. ...well, that's about all I've got. Excellent set-up in all respects. Your torts should love it.

The sides are steep, but box turtles can easily enter and exit. I suspect your fellow will need more gentle sides...

Regarding your pond, I would think long and hard about a drain. I have a little pool in my box turtle pen and I honestly can't imagine not having a drain. It makes it super-simple to clean (a weekly event). I built the pool on the side of a slight incline in the pen, making it easy to have a...

I try to think of tortoises as hard-shelled toddlers. They will gorge on a favorite food, when available. In the wild, a favorite food might only be available a few weeks out of the year, hence they stuff themselves with it, when they can. But once the holiday ends and the treat food is gone...

That log is super...wish I had one.

It strikes me the lengths we will go to to provide the optimal environment and the very best in nutritional offerings - and here's a fellow just making it own his own without human assistance. It does appear his carapace has some issues (that white does not appear to be marbling, but something...

Perhaps a stout stand of Louisiana iris? It's almost impenetrable, don't think it is tasty, and is about as easy to grow as nose hair. I have a mess of it in a fish pond...on the left.

It seems to me that keeping a fully-grown sulcata in the yard (which I have never experienced first hand) is akin to leaving a toddler in the driver's seat of a bulldozer in your yard. Something undesirable is just bound to happen...but, it's bound to provide loads of amusement in the process.