Baby Advise

[kit-e-kat]

Hello All;
I adopted a very young 3 toed boxie that is about 2-3 weeks old. His yolk sac is gone, the oval sac area is still there but closed. I keep him moist and under a infared heat lamp, and take him outside for a while for sun. My concerns are whether or not he is eating. He's very active outside, and his shell seems to be hardening. I soak him in water with some crushed Whiskas, but my main concern is he getting any nutrition. He pooped the other day, it looked like a grain of black rice. I gave him a couple of small mealworms to see what happens. He didn't show any interest. What am I to expect? When should he show interest in live food? Am I panicing over nothing? He appears strong and healthy otherwise. This is my first experience with such a young turtle. Advise greatly appreciated!
Thanks All, John

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I'd offer him some black worms and see if he wouldn't like them instead. But...if he's pooping, he must be eating cuz that's where poop comes from.Try the black worms, they are smaller and wiggle more I think, the movement interests the box turtles...

Oh...they know they are prey and to them you look like a giant predator. So put the food in there and leave the turtle alone...

 

[dmmj]

I wouldn't stress out just yet, baby turtles know thy are food, the fact yours is active is a good sign I believe. they are primarily carnivores right now so meat protein is gonna be their favorite, the meal worms should have worked you might want to try again, I would also suggest earth worms, night crawlers. I would also try mazuri, mine love it though they are a little bit older.

 

[terryo]

Hi John,
In the wild hatchlings would stay under leaf litter and eat any small insect that comes by. They need low light and warm high humidity and a place to dig under and hide. The most important thing is to keep him hydrated. For a hatchling that small I would keep him in a small tank with wet moss. You can get some blood worms and put the baby in a small tub with a little water and some blood worms, or pill bugs, or cut up small worms...something that wiggles. Then put the little tub right in his enclosure. Leave him alone for a while. You could also try soaked water turtle pellets...trout chow...turtle brittle.
I also keep my hatchlings in a planted vivarium. Here's some hatchling pictures that might help. Hope this helps.

 

[dmmj]

terry you should not be showing pics of your enclosures they tend to make me jealous

 

[terryo]

Yeah David, but you have all that space for some big torts and I'm jealous of THAT..

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Nice.

 

[kit-e-kat]

Hi John,
In the wild hatchlings would stay under leaf litter and eat any small insect that comes by. They need low light and warm high humidity and a place to dig under and hide. The most important thing is to keep him hydrated. For a hatchling that small I would keep him in a small tank with wet moss. You can get some blood worms and put the baby in a small tub with a little water and some blood worms, or pill bugs, or cut up small worms...something that wiggles. Then put the little tub right in his enclosure. Leave him alone for a while. You could also try soaked water turtle pellets...trout chow...turtle brittle.
I also keep my hatchlings in a planted vivarium. Here's some hatchling pictures that might help. Hope this helps.

---

Hi John,
In the wild hatchlings would stay under leaf litter and eat any small insect that comes by. They need low light and warm high humidity and a place to dig under and hide. The most important thing is to keep him hydrated. For a hatchling that small I would keep him in a small tank with wet moss. You can get some blood worms and put the baby in a small tub with a little water and some blood worms, or pill bugs, or cut up small worms...something that wiggles. Then put the little tub right in his enclosure. Leave him alone for a while. You could also try soaked water turtle pellets...trout chow...turtle brittle.
I also keep my hatchlings in a planted vivarium. Here's some hatchling pictures that might help. Hope this helps.

How old are these babies?

 

[terryo]

the first picture...the baby is 8 months, the second ...a year old, the third and forth ...about 8 weeks