Do I still Try?

[Purplechic]

Okay 4 months ago I got a turtle (Myrtle) that I was told was crossing the street and could have gotten hit by a car and the little kid brought her home and didn't remember where the turtle came from and I wanted a turtle so I was like really excited and I took her in. I've been researching and researching and researching to try and give her the best life. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing because it doesn't seem like she's eating now. Grant you I tried her on lettuce I tried her on every single green every single fruit you could think of with vitamins and calcium sprinkled on the only thing I was ever able to get her to eat were strawberries, mushrooms and carrots and box turtle food, however now it doesn't seem like she's eating now I've been giving her baby nightcrawlers she ate them the superworms she ate them but now she doesn't want them, Grant you there were some times where when she didn't eat them they stayed in the cage so I don't know if she's finding them under the substrate and that's why she's not eating now. I don't know can you please just look at this and tell me if I'm off the beaten path here because I take her out and I let her walk around my kitchen she does laps in fact she sneaks out and she gets on my carpet and then I have to bring her back but she hisses she hisses when I pick her up and she never used to hiss and now it makes me wonder is she mad at me and she unhappy? should I let her go? I talk to a friend that I got the turtle from she informed me, that she found out that this kid just picked up that turtle from his backyard and his pond and now I feel awful so then I'm saying to myself do I trust him to bring her back and will she be okay or is she okay with me? I'm like I'll confused she's healthy looking I think what do you think? Am I wrong? I worked so hard to make her happy she laid four eggs two of them are still buried the other two I had to get rid of because they caved and they broke. At night she used to put her head underneath the substrate so I couldn't even see her but now she's actually laying out with her legs out or head out and she sleeps so I thought I was doing okay but with her hissing as much as she does whenever I go to pick her up, I don't know? By the way that's a little camera that I put on her so that I can see her when I'm at work, Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[wellington]

What's the temperatures and the basking temp? Where do you live? Fall/winter is approaching and she may be trying to get ready to hibernate, which would explain the not eating. I also think you need to stick to a good diet for her which is not a lot of fruit.
She needs a bigger enclosure, remember she came from miles and miles available for her to roam, with a water source she can at least submerge herself into as in the wild they will swim in ponds.
If she can be let go in the place she was found or and it's not too cold yet, it might be best to let her go if you can't offer her a bigger area or an outdoor space. Never roaming the floors of your home.

 

[Purplechic]

What's the temperatures and the basking temp? Where do you live? Fall/winter is approaching and she may be trying to get ready to hibernate, which would explain the not eating. I also think you need to stick to a good diet for her which is not a lot of fruit.
She needs a bigger enclosure, remember she came from miles and miles available for her to roam, with a water source she can at least submerge herself into as in the wild they will swim in ponds.
If she can be let go in the place she was found or and it's not too cold yet, it might be best to let her go if you can't offer her a bigger area or an outdoor space. Never roaming the floors of your home.

I was told that it was ok for her to roam in my kitchen now it's not? She's
given nightcrawlers and superworms and Turtle Box food everyday she does
not like greens, strawberries are the only thing that she will eat other
than mushrooms and carrots but like I said now she's not eating unless
she's eating the worms that is in the substrate I don't know? I was told
that if I did not find the place where she originally was hatched that she
would roam forever until she died. Is that not true? I was also told that
these turtles do not like to go submersed in water they only go up to their
shell and then they put their head in to drink. That is why I have a pond
that she's able to go in and turn around put her head in and it goes up to
her shell. This enclosure is pretty big and I don't know I mean it's more
than 3 ft long and 2 ft wide. Bigger than a regular aquarium. That light
that you see that brings it up to 90 degrees and then outside of the light
she's got 76 degrees. I mist her 3 times a day. I am in Myrtle Beach, SC

 

[wellington]

No, they should not ever roam the house, only their enclosures. I'm sure you didn't get that info from this forum. Too many things to hurt or kill them and we have seen it on this forum. Plus the floor is never properly heated.
They don't need to be put back where they "hatch" but where they were found. That's part of their territory, where they were found. Otherwise, yes they will roam forever to try and find their territory.
They can swim and do like too. However, if you got a big enough "pool" for her, that she can get her whole body into, that will work.
A minimum of a 4x8 enclosure is needed. If you don't have the room for that size, make two levels.
An aquarium is not a good comparison. They are only good for hatchlings, not adults.

 

[Purplechic]

No, they should not ever roam the house, only their enclosures. I'm sure you didn't get that info from this forum. Too many things to hurt or kill them and we have seen it on this forum. Plus the floor is never properly heated.
They don't need to be put back where they "hatch" but where they were found. That's part of their territory, where they were found. Otherwise, yes they will roam forever to try and find their territory.
They can swim and do like too. However, if you got a big enough "pool" for her, that she can get her whole body into, that will work.
A minimum of a 4x8 enclosure is needed. If you don't have the room for that size, make two levels.
An aquarium is not a good comparison. They are only good for hatchlings, not adults.

Thank you Does she look healthy to you? Okay so you're worried you're basically saying don't let her roam in the house because she can get hurt so if I'm with her and I'm talking with her while I have a coffee sitting on the floor that's okay then right?

 

[wellington]

She does look healthy to me.
If you want to sit on the floor with her, but not let her roam, she'll be okay. Just keep in mind, her roaming and even picking up/eating hair, could possibly damage her. Sometimes it will just pass, but there's always a chance it gets wrapped around something within her.
Now, if you want to give her more space for exercise, without building a huge enclosure, you could get a dog exercise pen, the portable collapsible ones, and set that up for her in a warm room and put down a piece of rubber matting for her to walk on. Not carpet or even the reptile carpet isn't good and linoleum is bad for their legs.

 

[JoesMum]

Thank you Does she look healthy to you? Okay so you're worried you're basically saying don't let her roam in the house because she can get hurt so if I'm with her and I'm talking with her while I have a coffee sitting on the floor that's okay then right?

When a tort is out of its enclosure, it is away from the heat, humidity and UVB that it needs to be healthy.

The risks out of the enclosure include:

- Escape or being trodden on. We see both too often on TFO. You only have to be distracted for a moment.

- Eating something it shouldn't, deliberately or by accident, including dust-bunnies and human hair which can cause internal blockages. Again you only have to be distracted for a moment. Tortoises are attracted to bright coloured things to eat as they're often sweet and tasty; they're just not very bright - I have watched mine try to eat red circles printed on a newspaper.

Tortoises are happiest and healthiest with all 4 feet on the ground in a large enclosure that they know is their own where they don't need to be on the lookout for rivals (they are very territorial)

 

[Purplechic]

When a tort is out of its enclosure, it is away from the heat, humidity and UVB that it needs to be healthy.

The risks out of the enclosure include:

- Escape or being trodden on. We see both too often on TFO. You only have to be distracted for a moment.

- Eating something it shouldn't, deliberately or by accident, including dust-bunnies and human hair which can cause internal blockages. Again you only have to be distracted for a moment. Tortoises are attracted to bright coloured things to eat as they're often sweet and tasty; they're just not very bright - I have watched mine try to eat red circles printed on a newspaper.

Tortoises are happiest and healthiest with all 4 feet on the ground in a large enclosure that they know is their own where they don't need to be on the lookout for rivals (they are very territorial)

I don't have a tort Myrtle is an Eastern Box Turtle. I thought posted in turtles?

 

[Purplechic]

She does look healthy to me.
If you want to sit on the floor with her, but not let her roam, she'll be okay. Just keep in mind, her roaming and even picking up/eating hair, could possibly damage her. Sometimes it will just pass, but there's always a chance it gets wrapped around something within her.
Now, if you want to give her more space for exercise, without building a huge enclosure, you could get a dog exercise pen, the portable collapsible ones, and set that up for her in a warm room and put down a piece of rubber matting for her to walk on. Not carpet or even the reptile carpet isn't good and linoleum is bad for their legs.

Thank you That sound awesome

 

[JoesMum]

I don't have a tort Myrtle is an Eastern Box Turtle. I thought posted in turtles?

The same applies

 

[Purplechic]

The same applies

Do you have an Eastern Box Turtle? I really haven't been able to get anybody that has an Eastern Box Turtle enclosure inside to be able to talk about what happens with Myrtle. Also, is there a live plant that can be planted in there so that she can eat it? She refuses greens

 

[ColleenT]

looks like a BOY turtle, but they don't need a lot of heat, as they are native to the USA. Not like a reptile that is from the tropics. If you plan to release, do it soon, so he can hibernate. Otherwise keep him inside until late spring.

 

[JoesMum]

Do you have an Eastern Box Turtle? I really haven't been able to get anybody that has an Eastern Box Turtle enclosure inside to be able to talk about what happens with Myrtle. Also, is there a live plant that can be planted in there so that she can eat it? She refuses greens

I don't, but when it comes to certain behaviours all species are alike... excellent colour vision, the need to defend territory, stubbornness, eating only what they like and know, feeling safest with all 4 feet on the ground and not wandering the house for example.

To introduce a new food you have to take it very slowly. Your turtle is behaving like a child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate - you're the parent in charge!

Here's a step by step guide:

1. Chop the foods your turtle will eat very small and wet them

2. Chop a tiny amount of new food very small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so the new stuff cannot be picked out.

3. If your turtle eats everything, at the next feed increase the amount of new food very slightly and decrease the liked food by the same amount.

4. If your turtle refuses to eat then leave the food in place for 24 hours and then replace with fresh in exactly the same proportions.

Very gradually, over weeks not days, your turtle will start accepting the new food as normal. Take it slowly and don't try to hurry it. A hungry turtle will give in and eat.

Your turtle can go a long time without food, but not water. A thirty minute soak is essential on days when there is a hunger strike.

 

[wellington]

looks like a BOY turtle, but they don't need a lot of heat, as they are native to the USA. Not like a reptile that is from the tropics. If you plan to release, do it soon, so he can hibernate. Otherwise keep him inside until late spring.

In the first post she said she laid 4 eggs. No they don't need a lot of heat, but they do need to bask.
A bit more info/details would help much more here, specially if you own a box.

 

[Maro2Bear]

One thing that might not have been discussed here is artificial lights and timers.

Given that we are heading away from Summer and in to shorter days, how many hours of "daylight" are you providing? When I was keeping Eastern Boxies, before our Sully, at this time of year when I brought them in I had their lights on about 14 hours. Yes, they had shady areas to hide in, but 0600-2000 seemed to keep them active.

If your boxie thinks Winter is coming, might be pepping herself to hibernate.

If you do keep, id definitely try to expand the total surface area she has to crawl about.

 

[Purplechic]

Her light goes on at 6 Am and shuts off at 7 pm by a that time she is buried and asleep.

 

[ColleenT]

In the first post she said she laid 4 eggs. No they don't need a lot of heat, but they do need to bask.
A bit more info/details would help much more here, specially if you own a box.

OH, i missed that. weird. She looks male.

 

[Purplechic]

OH, i missed that. weird. She looks male.

I thought box turtles that are male are not flat on the bottom. Myrtle is very flat. Does anyone have a box turtle indoors like me?

 

[lisa127]

Thank you Does she look healthy to you? Okay so you're worried you're basically saying don't let her roam in the house because she can get hurt so if I'm with her and I'm talking with her while I have a coffee sitting on the floor that's okay then right?

No! She's racing around the kitchen because she feels stressed and vulnerable. Leave her in her enclosure where she feels safe.

 

[lisa127]

I thought box turtles that are male are not flat on the bottom. Myrtle is very flat. Does anyone have a box turtle indoors like me?

My box turtles are indoors. Your enclosure size is slightly small. For one box turtle 9 to 12 square feet is best. IMO, 8 x 4 is not needed. Though with a wild turtle I'd go as big as you can manage. High humidity, temps from low 70s to about 90 under basking area. Diet of 50% protein and 50% veggies_greens/fruit. Do not leave superworms loose in enclosure! You can with nightcrawlers though. Turtle looks female to me. Flat/concave is not always reliable. Position of vent opening is most reliable method.