Box turtle hatchling questions

[MissCatsTurtle]

1. Do they hibernate? Cause she's not eating and still hiding, I've tried every food for her.
Worms
Box turtle food
Lettuce
Pill bugs
She opened her mouth and went for a pellet once but then changed her mind
so I'm thinking it's because it's getting cold outside (I'm from North Carolina) or because she's still living off the yoke sac.
I found her on the edge of my dirt road and was worried for her so I took her in.

2. Can someone identify how old she may be by the tiny bit of yoke sac that is left? Like it's almost dried up so I thought she may start eating soon.
She is so tiny. I haven't measured her shell. I've had her for a week and a half and her shell is hard and when Ive brought her out of her terrarium and went out side with her she's active. Because of these things I'm not to worried about her not eating but still curious

I have the uvb bulb and basking lamp and heat lamp. I have her eco dirt and hiding half log on the way in the mail they will be here in two days. I have her clovers and some grass in her terrarium and a shallow dish for her if she decides to go take a dip. I check on her a lot and mist her when the grass looks dry.
I also have her some turtle eye drops on the way. Both of her eyes are open but one looks a bit irritated.

 

[Millerlite]

yes box turtles hibernate. You shouldn't take them out of the wild but whats done is done. If it still has a yolk sac then its a few days to a week old, didn't hatch long ago. First off what are the temperatures of your enclosure? If i were you I would not hibernate the turtle since you don't know much about the animal and hibernation can kill if not done right. Tell us a little more about your set up, substrate temps, other details. We can help you. Also what have you been trying to feed the turtles besides pellets?

Kyle

 

[MissCatsTurtle]

yes box turtles hibernate. You shouldn't take them out of the wild but whats done is done. If it still has a yolk sac then its a few days to a week old, didn't hatch long ago. First off what are the temperatures of your enclosure? If i were you I would not hibernate the turtle since you don't know much about the animal and hibernation can kill if not done right. Tell us a little more about your set up, substrate temps, other details. We can help you. Also what have you been trying to feed the turtles besides pellets?

Kyle

I'm not trying to hibernate her I'm asking if naturally she would do that herself since she clearly hatched close to cold weather

I'm from North Carolina so it's not to hard to keep the temps normal It's never higher than 75 in my house so during the day I have a uvb bulb and a low basking bulb for her.
I didn't take her from a nest she was on my dirt road and she was the only one and she clearly had eye irritation one wasn't even open, so I strongly feel if I didn't remove her she wouldnt even be in the nature anymore any way cause she would've been run over, we found her when we were walking my boyfriend almost stepped on her. Her yoke sac is almost dry I will send a pic in a few.

Also I've tried the pellets, lettuce, tomatoes, worms that I got from pet store, pill bugs, and I believe that's it.

 

[MissCatsTurtle]

yes box turtles hibernate. You shouldn't take them out of the wild but whats done is done. If it still has a yolk sac then its a few days to a week old, didn't hatch long ago. First off what are the temperatures of your enclosure? If i were you I would not hibernate the turtle since you don't know much about the animal and hibernation can kill if not done right. Tell us a little more about your set up, substrate temps, other details. We can help you. Also what have you been trying to feed the turtles besides pellets?

Kyle

I've done a whole lot of researching so I know a whole lot actually. Her set up is perfect it's just grass until I get her eco dirt tomorrow in the mail but I mist it when it starts drying.
I also got her some turtle eye drops coming tomorrow

Here's the pics

 

[MissCatsTurtle]

I mean it's not just grass it's a little water dish for her too and the bulbs and all that jazz . She's active when I bring her out but she likes to hide and not eat a whole lot.

 

[Millerlite]

Never said you didn't know anything. Its good you been doing research. What are the temps of the enclosure? Also the range of temps?. If you do not hibernate the hatching you will need to provide warm temperatures for 12-14 hours. They do slow down in the winter even when not hibernating but will eat and come out still. Also humidity should be pretty high which in NC probably not a huge problem. Hatchling that small will hide and sleep most the time by nature, it can take awhile for them to start eating too. Offer mostly live foods worms, pill bugs till it starts to eat. The substrate change will help to when you get it tomorrow. I would do warm water soaks for 10-15mins each day so you know for sure its drinking water. You seem to be on the right track, just keep offering the bugs and he will eat. The warm soaks will help with his eyes too and even warm him up enough so he might want to eat.

Kyle

 

[MissCatsTurtle]

With the way her yolk sac looks I was thinking she was maybe a couple weeks
She opened her mouth and thought very hard about eating a pellet but didn't
They humidty is pretty easy to keep yes.

I haven't got a thermometer yet but I keep the uvb light and basking light on during day from sunrise to sunset and a black heat lamp on at night
And I do soak her some I put her in her water dish because she can get out but she's so small I think she'd have a difficult time getting in it alone. So good to know that's right and that I'm doing good.
But I got her turtle eye drops so as they come in the mail I'm hoping they'll help more
Her foggy eye looks cleared up more but some days it's worse than others
I've had her a week and a half now
But I just wanted some insight
Thank you!

 

[Lisa Baker]

I am on the same road as you. We've had ours for 3 weeks on Saturday. She still had the egg sack like yours and her egg tooth when we got her.

We soak her for 15 minutes everyday in our kitchen sink, which she enjoys. She refused to eat for the first 17 days and we tried everything. On the 18th day, after her soak I gave her a piece of a small earthworm from a bait shop, yes I cut up a live worm. She went for it in the sink after I drained the water. Then we put her in her container with the rest of the worm pieces and she ate them all.

 

[MissCatsTurtle]

I am on the same road as you. We've had ours for 3 weeks on Saturday. She still had the egg sack like yours and her egg tooth when we got her.

We soak her for 15 minutes everyday in our kitchen sink, which she enjoys. She refused to eat for the first 17 days and we tried everything. On the 18th day, after her soak I gave her a piece of a small earthworm from a bait shop, yes I cut up a live worm. She went for it in the sink after I drained the water. Then we put her in her container with the rest of the worm pieces and she ate them all.

Aww how cute so ours are probably about the same age. I found my little girl about a month ago.
She's very venturous now and eats a lot, she's a quick little thing, and still loves sleeping.
But she finally goes and soaks her self now and finds her worms in her substrate. I'm so proud lol