When I got my box turtle 5 years ago, I built an outdoor pen out of cedar for housing him outside during the summer months. I have been housing him outside in that pen every year since during the warm months and inside during the winter.
But now I am reading more about how cedar is toxic to reptiles. He has had no problems thus far. I am just concerned and confused with the HUGE amount of contradictory information available online.
The enclosure is four pieces of cedar nailed together to form a frame box, with chicken wire stapled to the bottom to prevent escape, as well as on top to prevent attacks from predators. I also built him a shelter house out of the remaining cedar wood left. Again, this was done 5 years ago (2006) and the wood is very aged and gray colored now.
Is there still any danger and should I keep using the pen for him or scrap it and build something else? Again, he is not having any health problems that I can tell associated with the cedar.
But now I am reading more about how cedar is toxic to reptiles. He has had no problems thus far. I am just concerned and confused with the HUGE amount of contradictory information available online.
The enclosure is four pieces of cedar nailed together to form a frame box, with chicken wire stapled to the bottom to prevent escape, as well as on top to prevent attacks from predators. I also built him a shelter house out of the remaining cedar wood left. Again, this was done 5 years ago (2006) and the wood is very aged and gray colored now.
Is there still any danger and should I keep using the pen for him or scrap it and build something else? Again, he is not having any health problems that I can tell associated with the cedar.