I acquired 3 baby boxies from HermanniChris several months ago and set them up in a terrarium in my classroom. My students "discovered" that we had turtles when one of them chanced to see a little guy peeking out of the moss. That was an extremely rare occurrence up until Wednesday......
Cares: The little ones are in a 20 gallon tank; they use only a tiny fraction of it at this point. The tank is planted with an arelia, a fern, and two pothos, as well as several different mosses. The lighting is a Reptiglo 2 and a Reptiglo 5, on a timer. There is a small terra cotta saucer for water. I have earthworms and red wigglers in the soil, and have loosed many roly-poly bugs in there. I have an under-tank heat mat on one end of the tank.
One of the little guys was not eating when they first arrived. After observing him for several days, I decided to begin warm baby food soaks for all three little ones. I did baby food soaks every day until the little guy started eating well, then backed off to every couple of days.
Wednesday: Until now, the little guys have been hiding all the time. I have been taking them out to soak and eat, and then letting them scamper back into cover as soon as they're done. On Wednesday, I was spraying the moss and foliage before school and Green Dot came peeking out to see me. He was very interested, so I placed a couple of meal worm pupas on the moss and he gobbled them up. Later in the day, I tried spraying again and Cream Dot emerged. I called the students over and they got to observe Cream Dot creeping into the open and eating pupas.
Thursday: Green Dot was exposed and waiting for me when I got to school. Cream Dot came out when I started spraying, and both were fed.
Friday: Green Dot and Cream Dot both came out when I sprayed. After eating, Green Dot crept down to the water hole and took a drink (the first time I've seen any of them drink anything other than carrot water). Then he got into the water and waded around for five minutes or so, drinking more.
Pink Dot is not coming out on her own yet, but I'm not worried about her. She eats when I drop food in front of her, and I'll keep soaking in baby food every few days.
Left end of tank.
The white things on the moss are pupas.
Green Dot peeking at me
Green Dot and Pink Dot retreating.
Bottom line: As cool as baby box turtles hiding in the moss are, baby box turtles coming out to visit (or be fed) are MUCH COOLER!!!
Cares: The little ones are in a 20 gallon tank; they use only a tiny fraction of it at this point. The tank is planted with an arelia, a fern, and two pothos, as well as several different mosses. The lighting is a Reptiglo 2 and a Reptiglo 5, on a timer. There is a small terra cotta saucer for water. I have earthworms and red wigglers in the soil, and have loosed many roly-poly bugs in there. I have an under-tank heat mat on one end of the tank.
One of the little guys was not eating when they first arrived. After observing him for several days, I decided to begin warm baby food soaks for all three little ones. I did baby food soaks every day until the little guy started eating well, then backed off to every couple of days.
Wednesday: Until now, the little guys have been hiding all the time. I have been taking them out to soak and eat, and then letting them scamper back into cover as soon as they're done. On Wednesday, I was spraying the moss and foliage before school and Green Dot came peeking out to see me. He was very interested, so I placed a couple of meal worm pupas on the moss and he gobbled them up. Later in the day, I tried spraying again and Cream Dot emerged. I called the students over and they got to observe Cream Dot creeping into the open and eating pupas.
Thursday: Green Dot was exposed and waiting for me when I got to school. Cream Dot came out when I started spraying, and both were fed.
Friday: Green Dot and Cream Dot both came out when I sprayed. After eating, Green Dot crept down to the water hole and took a drink (the first time I've seen any of them drink anything other than carrot water). Then he got into the water and waded around for five minutes or so, drinking more.
Pink Dot is not coming out on her own yet, but I'm not worried about her. She eats when I drop food in front of her, and I'll keep soaking in baby food every few days.
Left end of tank.
The white things on the moss are pupas.
Green Dot peeking at me
Green Dot and Pink Dot retreating.
Bottom line: As cool as baby box turtles hiding in the moss are, baby box turtles coming out to visit (or be fed) are MUCH COOLER!!!