Baby eastern box turtle eyes shut closed sometimes.

Luke sullivan

New Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland, Severn
image.jpg
The one on the left is having problems of such. Previously as a hatchling the right one had it but the problem was eliminated now. Help
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,386
View attachment 300724
The one on the left is having problems of such. Previously as a hatchling the right one had it but the problem was eliminated now. Help
The enclosure looks dry. The box turtles like it humid and like a moist substrate also. When I have raised baby Eastern box turtles I have kept them in habitats which were roughly half water and half really wet mulch. They did quite well in that situation. You might want to change out the carpeting and use cypress much instead. Keep the mulch pretty damp and the eyes should be fine (assuming their are no other health issues with that turtle).
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Yes, agree with @zovick - you need a good wet marsh land substrate going on in there, not a carpet. Wet leaf litter, cypress mulch. Make sure those boxies can get over and walk down into the water dishes. Try to get large terra cotta plant saucers and sink them down into the substrate so your turtle can crasl over and down into & fully submerge.
 

mark1

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,932
Location (City and/or State)
ohio
i agree with both responses , they do best when kept wet ....... personally i've always been a fan of sphagnum moss ...... i've raised quit a few different types of hatchling turtles in it ....... it's easily cleaned , you clean it like you would a sponge , and replace whatever breaks down(you lose) with fresh moss ...... i soak it so there is standing water , i don't supply a water dish , and i keep the container as small as makes sense , small is much easier to keep clean , and keep one steady temp ......

DSCF1512.jpg

DSCF2588.jpg

DSCF2591.jpg

100-2165a.jpg


DSCF1696.jpg
 

Luke sullivan

New Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Maryland, Severn
i agree with both responses , they do best when kept wet ....... personally i've always been a fan of sphagnum moss ...... i've raised quit a few different types of hatchling turtles in it ....... it's easily cleaned , you clean it like you would a sponge , and replace whatever breaks down(you lose) with fresh moss ...... i soak it so there is standing water , i don't supply a water dish , and i keep the container as small as makes sense , small is much easier to keep clean , and keep one steady temp ......

DSCF1512.jpg

DSCF2588.jpg

DSCF2591.jpg

100-2165a.jpg


DSCF1696.jpg
Thank you I will do this.
The enclosure looks dry. The box turtles like it humid and like a moist substrate also. When I have raised baby Eastern box turtles I have kept them in habitats which were roughly half water and half really wet mulch. They did quite well in that situation. You might want to change out the carpeting and use cypress much instead. Keep the mulch pretty damp and the eyes should be fine (assuming their are no other health issues with that turtle).
i will do this
 

Toddrickfl1

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
7,103
Location (City and/or State)
Ga
i agree with both responses , they do best when kept wet ....... personally i've always been a fan of sphagnum moss ...... i've raised quit a few different types of hatchling turtles in it ....... it's easily cleaned , you clean it like you would a sponge , and replace whatever breaks down(you lose) with fresh moss ...... i soak it so there is standing water , i don't supply a water dish , and i keep the container as small as makes sense , small is much easier to keep clean , and keep one steady temp ......

DSCF1512.jpg

DSCF2588.jpg

DSCF2591.jpg

100-2165a.jpg


DSCF1696.jpg
Mark I'm about to get a group of small ornate wood turtles and was planning a similar setup. How deep is the water level in your enclosures there?
 

mark1

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,932
Location (City and/or State)
ohio
the box and wood turtles is probably 2" of moss , the water doesn't reach the top of the moss , probably about 1/2"-3/4" of standing water , anywhere there's a hole you'll see standing water ....... for the box turtles and wood turtles i do let the standing water dry up before i add water again , not sure why , i just do , seems more sanitary i guess ....... the blandings is mostly water with moss floating in it ..... i've read sphagnum moss has antibacterial and antifungal properties ? never looked into it , but i've also never seen it get mouldy , or stink ......
 

New Posts

Top