i have an idea what to feed eastern box turtles but what do i feed young ones and when they get older i need some tips on a healthy diet
best thing to feed
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Mine eat pretty much what the adults do, only in tinier portions. For really small boxies, anything that wiggles is good. You can put them in a container with some shallow water and feed them blackworms or bloodworms. They also will eat small redworms, mealies, isopods, etc. Particularly anything that wiggles. After a few months I start offering them more greens chopped into tiny pieces with some small pieces of mushrooms and softened Mazuri.
This is where I keep my babies. Nice and humid with leaf litter and lots of hiding places.
This is where I keep my babies. Nice and humid with leaf litter and lots of hiding places.
Once a week I make a big mixture for my box turtles. I feed this to the adults and also to the hatchlings. In a blender I put greens and veggies (this week I used dandelion, escarole, carrots, and grape leaves) I add fruit (berries, melons etc.) two eggs, with the shell, and two sweet potato's cooked in the microwave. Blend this up, but not into liquid. I put it in a bowl, and add some canned venison or canned white fish (dog food, by Wellness). I feed this every day in the morning and in the late afternoon I'll give them worms for a treat. One day a week, they will forage for themselves in their turtle garden. They really love this mix.
ok thanks but
what do you guys recommend for like treats and that good stuff and how often do you guys feed them
what do you guys recommend for like treats and that good stuff and how often do you guys feed them
I don't give them treats. Dogs do tricks. Dogs get treats. Turtles and tortoises are reptiles, and every bit of nutrition is important, there is no tummy space left for treats in my opinion.
I feed daily.
I feed daily.
The only treats mine get are worms.....but it's also part of their daily nutrition. Box Turtles love to eat, and I think anything you give them is a treat. LOL
thats all i need to know thanks for the help if i need anymore ill look for you guys and ask you 
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- Jun 30, 2011
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Oh I love turtles. is any stay tiny and wont eat my interntional waterlilly collection?
treatsthey ctch thselves in th pond right?
treatsthey ctch thselves in th pond right?
River14 said:
sorry cant understand can you refrasie what you said sorry
Thanks for the feeding tips. Now that I am getting my FL box turtle to eat a more natural diet, this really, REALLY helps!
Terry~Do you add the egg raw or hard biol it?
I put the egg in raw...shell too. Protein and calcium.
River14 said:
I think you are talking about water turtles, right? I believe this thread is about land turtles like box turtles. They do like shallow water, but not really deep ponds.
River14 said:
No, these are not water turtles. Box turtles are land turtles. I'm sure they WOULD eat your water lilies, given the chance.
I'll repost my list for those who may be interested.
This list applies to Eastern Box Turtles only Terrapene carolina carolina. non-natives are marked with *
Arthropoda
Gryllus pennsylvanicus complex (Field Cricket)
Achete domesticus (House Cricket)*
Armadillium vulgare (Common Roly Poly)
Biston betularia (Salt and Pepper Moth) larva
Porcellio scaber (Rough Sowbug)
Melanoplus differentialis (Differential Grasshopper)
Schistocerca americana (American Grasshopper)
Ceuthophilus maculatus (Spotted Camel Cricket)
Dysdera crocata (Sow Bug Killer)
Hogna carolinensis (Giant Wolf Spider)
Pardosa species (Thin Legged Wolf Spider)
Achroia grisella (Waxmoth/worm)*
Galleria mellonella (Waxmoth/worm)*
Leiobunum vittatum (Eastern Harvestmen)
Tenebrio molitor (Mealworms)*
Mushrooms
Pleurotus ostreatus complex (Oyster Mushroom)
Amanita bisporigera (Destroying Angel Mushrooms)
Lycoperdon (Puffballs)
Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Manes)
Clavariaceae (Coral Fungi)
Hericium erinaceus (Bearded Tooth Fungus)
Cantharellaceae (Chanterelles)
Boletaceae (Boletes)
Laetiporus sulphureus (Sulfur Shelf Mushroom)
Grifola frondosa (Hen of the Woods)
Worms
Oligochaeta* some native (Earthworms)
Mullusks
Limax maximus (Leopard Slug)*
Philomycus carolinianus (Carolina Mantle Slug)
Succinea ovalis (Amber Snail)
Vertabrates
Anaxyrus americanus americanus (Eastern American Toad),
Anaxyrus fowleri (Fowler's Toad)
Mus musculus (House Mouse)* both scavanged and caught by turtle
Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog) caught and killed. I only witnessed this once.
Lithobates sylvaticus (Wood Frog) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Lithobates clamitans (Green Frog) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Plestiodon fasciatus (Five Line Skink) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Thamnophis sirtalis sitalis (Eastern Garter Snake) in captivity and wild. The captive instance the snake was caught and consummed while living.
Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole) in captivity and wild. Unsure if any of the Anoles eaten were alive at the time of capture by the turtles.
Plants
Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) fruit
Vaccinium corymbosum (Blueberry) fruit
Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry) fruit
Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood) fruit
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit) fruit
Zea maize (Corn)* fruit
Rubus species (Raspberry/Blackberry) fruit
Fragaria virginiana and hybrid (Strewberry) fruit
Potentillia simplex (Common Cinquefoil) fruit
Prunus hybrids (Plums/Cherries) fruit
Prunus americana (American Plum) fruit
Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) fruit
Curcubita pepo (Squash) fruit/flowers
Phaseolus vulgaris (Common Beans) green fruit
Lactuca sativa (Lettuce) This one though eaten by some is not really good for them with the possible exception of the dark green and red types.
Taraxacum species (Dandelions)* Though some are native speces.
Vitis labrusca (Fox Grapes) fruit/leaves
Vitis hybrids (Grapes)*fruit/leaves
Capsicum species (Chillis)*fruit
Asimina triloba (Paw Paw) fruit
Viola species (Violets) flowers/leaves/fruit
Morus species (Mulberry)* native and non-native species fruit
Brassica juncea (Mustard Greens)* This species is okay for them to eat.
Cornus florida (Dogwood) Berries
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Ceder) Fruit (Cones)
Sambucus nigra canadensis (American Elder Berry) Fruit
Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
This list applies to Eastern Box Turtles only Terrapene carolina carolina. non-natives are marked with *
Arthropoda
Gryllus pennsylvanicus complex (Field Cricket)
Achete domesticus (House Cricket)*
Armadillium vulgare (Common Roly Poly)
Biston betularia (Salt and Pepper Moth) larva
Porcellio scaber (Rough Sowbug)
Melanoplus differentialis (Differential Grasshopper)
Schistocerca americana (American Grasshopper)
Ceuthophilus maculatus (Spotted Camel Cricket)
Dysdera crocata (Sow Bug Killer)
Hogna carolinensis (Giant Wolf Spider)
Pardosa species (Thin Legged Wolf Spider)
Achroia grisella (Waxmoth/worm)*
Galleria mellonella (Waxmoth/worm)*
Leiobunum vittatum (Eastern Harvestmen)
Tenebrio molitor (Mealworms)*
Mushrooms
Pleurotus ostreatus complex (Oyster Mushroom)
Amanita bisporigera (Destroying Angel Mushrooms)
Lycoperdon (Puffballs)
Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Manes)
Clavariaceae (Coral Fungi)
Hericium erinaceus (Bearded Tooth Fungus)
Cantharellaceae (Chanterelles)
Boletaceae (Boletes)
Laetiporus sulphureus (Sulfur Shelf Mushroom)
Grifola frondosa (Hen of the Woods)
Worms
Oligochaeta* some native (Earthworms)
Mullusks
Limax maximus (Leopard Slug)*
Philomycus carolinianus (Carolina Mantle Slug)
Succinea ovalis (Amber Snail)
Vertabrates
Anaxyrus americanus americanus (Eastern American Toad),
Anaxyrus fowleri (Fowler's Toad)
Mus musculus (House Mouse)* both scavanged and caught by turtle
Hyla cinerea (Green Treefrog) caught and killed. I only witnessed this once.
Lithobates sylvaticus (Wood Frog) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Lithobates clamitans (Green Frog) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Plestiodon fasciatus (Five Line Skink) I'm unsure if scavanged or caught.
Thamnophis sirtalis sitalis (Eastern Garter Snake) in captivity and wild. The captive instance the snake was caught and consummed while living.
Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole) in captivity and wild. Unsure if any of the Anoles eaten were alive at the time of capture by the turtles.
Plants
Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) fruit
Vaccinium corymbosum (Blueberry) fruit
Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry) fruit
Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood) fruit
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit) fruit
Zea maize (Corn)* fruit
Rubus species (Raspberry/Blackberry) fruit
Fragaria virginiana and hybrid (Strewberry) fruit
Potentillia simplex (Common Cinquefoil) fruit
Prunus hybrids (Plums/Cherries) fruit
Prunus americana (American Plum) fruit
Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) fruit
Curcubita pepo (Squash) fruit/flowers
Phaseolus vulgaris (Common Beans) green fruit
Lactuca sativa (Lettuce) This one though eaten by some is not really good for them with the possible exception of the dark green and red types.
Taraxacum species (Dandelions)* Though some are native speces.
Vitis labrusca (Fox Grapes) fruit/leaves
Vitis hybrids (Grapes)*fruit/leaves
Capsicum species (Chillis)*fruit
Asimina triloba (Paw Paw) fruit
Viola species (Violets) flowers/leaves/fruit
Morus species (Mulberry)* native and non-native species fruit
Brassica juncea (Mustard Greens)* This species is okay for them to eat.
Cornus florida (Dogwood) Berries
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Ceder) Fruit (Cones)
Sambucus nigra canadensis (American Elder Berry) Fruit
Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
Saloli said:
wow thanks im going to use that whenever i need a new food thanks lol
Kristina said:Mine eat pretty much what the adults do, only in tinier portions. For really small boxies, anything that wiggles is good. You can put them in a container with some shallow water and feed them blackworms or bloodworms. They also will eat small redworms, mealies, isopods, etc. Particularly anything that wiggles. After a few months I start offering them more greens chopped into tiny pieces with some small pieces of mushrooms and softened Mazuri.
This is where I keep my babies. Nice and humid with leaf litter and lots of hiding places.
Just out of curiousity, my friend has that plant all the way on the right in the pic and I want it for my Tort. Can I just take a cutting or do I have to dig a piece of it up to replant? Sorry it is a bit off topic
If you mean the pothos...just cut off a bit and put it in water and in a few days you will have roots. If the soil is moist, you can just put it right in the soil. It roots very fast.
depending on the root you may have to dig a whole plant up for it but dig up in the early moring hours or late evening hours because plants will die if you mess with them to much during the middle of the day when its hot remember that so your plant does good
terryo said:
Thanks, we have about 4 of those at my office so I can take a couple clippings and try it out
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