Box Turtle not eating

[D&GScott]

I have what I believe is a juvenile 3 toed box turtle that was given to my son and we have had it since about May of 2024 and i have never had so much trouble getting a turtle to eat in all my life. I have only seen my turtle eat baked chicken a handful of times and some cicadas when they were out this year but that is it, I have tried every vegetable and fruit you can think of as well as mealworms, earthworms, mashed pellet food and canned cat food and no luck at all, last couple months I started putting crickets in there, about 20-30 every couple weeks, I assume he is eating some of them since I dont have an abundance of dead crickets piled up but what can I do? Im stressing out that he is starving and ive exhausted every thing i could think of and found online to try. I have the tank set up with a warm side and cool side with a soaking dish, its about 88 degrees on the warm side and about 60% humidity. My son is still in love with this turtle so im not sure I can nor should release into the wild but I also do not want to think i will be the death of the turtle if he doesnt eat and starves, The enclosure is 1.5ft x 4ft and substrate is a mix of coconut fiber and pine bark

 

[Yvonne G]

No, don't release it. Leave some fruit sitting out on your counter until it's pretty darned ripe, almost rotten. See if that will tempt him.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

should release into the wild but I also do not want to think i will be the death of the turtle if he doesnt eat and starves

He won't necessary make it in the wild anymore. He has been in captivity for too long. Please don't release him, if you decide one day that you can't for some reason keep him anymore adopt him out to a reliable owner.

 

[Ink]

Cute turtle. Welcome to the forum.

 

[D&GScott]

No, don't release it. Leave some fruit sitting out on your counter until it's pretty darned ripe, almost rotten. See if that will tempt him.

ok but say he does, fruit alone is not a good diet for him.....This has me so stressed and feeling terrible

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

ok but say he does, fruit alone is not a good diet for him.....This has me so stressed and feeling terrible

The fruit is just to temporally temp him.

 

[TheTortoiseKing]

They normally hibernate at this time of year so this could be part of his natural cycle that he would have in the wild

 

[TammyJ]

He may need to be kept warmer and more humid. Some people keep their boxies in a large tank or tub with half of it being water they can almost swim in.

 

[TheTortoiseKing]

That enclosure is to small and need to be not glass because it can lead to stress

 

[D&GScott]

They normally hibernate at this time of year so this could be part of his natural cycle that he would have in the wild

This has been an ongoing issue since May and not just recently tho

 

[D&GScott]

That enclosure is to small and need to be not glass because it can lead to stress

Ive read so many threads and posts with conflicting opinions on glass enclosures and this tank is 4ft x 1.5 which i have researched is adequate for the turtles size, Ive had box turtles as pets for over 30 years and never had issues using glass tank. I do plan on a bigger enclosure soon as I will use this current tank for the hatchling i have currently in a slightly smaller enclosure

 

[Ink]

My box turtle loves blueberries. I usually buy the jumbo ones.

 

[D&GScott]

My box turtle loves blueberries. I usually buy the jumbo ones.

ive tried blueberries, raspberries, apples, bananas, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, melon, watermelon, cantaloupe, green pepper, yellow pepper, squash, carrots, dark leafy greens, lettuce, green beans, mealworms, earth worms, canned cat food, mashed pellets, dehydrated shrimp, fish,

 

[Ink]

Have you tried to move the food near a hide? Mine would take the food into the hide to eat. I have a lot of live plants in the enclosure too. It gives him plenty of places to hide.

 

[D&GScott]

Have you tried to move the food near a hide? Mine would take the food into the hide to eat. I have a lot of live plants in the enclosure too. It gives him plenty of places to hide.

yes, I have....he is very active and roams around every morning and I spread food as well as in the hide

 

[mark1]

brighten up the enclosure, a fluorescent fixture with a couple 6500k kitchen and bath tubes, along with the lights you got should be pretty bright...... put a light or che that gives off heat above the water bowl, along with cover so he feels safe in the water bowl........ get the environment wetter, try putting worms in the water with him ...if he has cover he should sitt in the water ... as said, cover is an important element, young turtle are especially skittish, stressed , plastic plants with leaves big enough for him to hide under...... if he can hide in the water dish it'd be a good thing........ substrate , maybe impractical in such a large enclosure , but i'd use soaking wet sphagnum moss, maybe mix some in your substrate to keep it wet ........... if he won't eat small earthworms , something is wrong with how your keeping him, or he's sick....

young turtles need to hide, all the turtles in the top pic are also in the bottom pic, there are actually 7 in the bottom pic...bright , warm and wet like spring.....

 

[D&GScott]

brighten up the enclosure, a fluorescent fixture with a couple 6500k kitchen and bath tubes, along with the lights you got should be pretty bright...... put a light or che that gives off heat above the water bowl, along with cover so he feels safe in the water bowl........ get the environment wetter, try putting worms in the water with him ...if he has cover he should sitt in the water ... as said, cover is an important element, young turtle are especially skittish, stressed , plastic plants with leaves big enough for him to hide under...... if he can hide in the water dish it'd be a good thing........ substrate , maybe impractical in such a large enclosure , but i'd use soaking wet sphagnum moss, maybe mix some in your substrate to keep it wet ........... if he won't eat small earthworms , something is wrong with how your keeping him, or he's sick....

young turtles need to hide, all the turtles in the top pic are also in the bottom pic, there are actually 7 in the bottom pic...bright , warm and wet like spring.....

My turtle im having trouble with isnt a "baby" or hatchling , he is about 4-5 inches in diameter, he is scared of the earthworms and they normally get away before he notices them and he didnt eat cut up worms either, he seems healthy, is active in the mornings , Ive never seen a turtle turn away so many food options

 

[D&GScott]

My turtle im having trouble with isnt a "baby" or hatchling , he is about 4-5 inches in diameter, he is scared of the earthworms and they normally get away before he notices them and he didnt eat cut up worms either, he seems healthy, is active in the mornings , Ive never seen a turtle turn away so many food options

also between all the lights in my house and his heat lamp it is very bright

 

[mark1]

baby doesn't matter, when i bring an adult in for the winter they get kept just the same..... scared of a worm, not a chance, he's scared of you and or his environment ..... good luck with him......

 

[D&GScott]

baby doesn't matter, when i bring an adult in for the winter they get kept just the same..... scared of a worm, not a chance, he's scared of you and or his environment ..... good luck with him......

i appreciate your time and responses but im telling you i watched him flinch and run from worms well after I walked away from him, i even tried feeding him in an enclosure he couldnt see through and while in water to let him soak and he still jumped and flinched away from the worms ......but thank you again for your advice and well wishes