Found a possibly burned box turtle

[B0XTurtl3]

My sister brought home a box turtle see found on a parking lot. He looks like he is burned.
How do I care for him and how do I treat his wounds?

 

[teresaf]

@Yvonne G can tell you better than I

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

Flush the wounds out with peroxide, allowing it to foam out any debris that might be in there. Then wash it with Betadine (you can buy it at the pharmacy). After that dries you can dab on some Neosporin. Its hard for me to know, looking at pictures, if these are old wounds or fresh. If you think they may be old, then you need to do nothing. The turtle will probably be ok. They can withstand much worse injuries to their shells than what you're seeing on this turtle.

 

[B0XTurtl3]

I set him up outside and he's already comfortable eating strawberries.
Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm assuming this is a temporary habitat while you're busy building a more permanent, and larger area for the turtle? They are excellent climbers, and that fencing will not hold her in if she wants to get out. Also, the waterer needs to be sunk into the ground. Because shells don't bend, it's hard for turtles' and tortoises' necks to go up and over then down again to get a drink.

I'm so glad to see you setting the turtle up outside. That's where they belong. This is a very pretty little eastern box turtle. Try giving her some worms or crickets.

 

[Yvonne G]

...oh, and:

​

 

[B0XTurtl3]

Thank you!
What would you suggest for a better home? I cut a hole in the water container so she(?) could climb in and she started swimming around for a bit.
I can easily get crickets and worms as my Axolotl already eats those.

Also, I thought it was a boy.

 

[Yvonne G]

Looks female to me. Males have bigger back legs. But I'd have to see the tail to be sure.

Any solid material for the fence would work (and a bigger area with more shade). Cinder blocks work nicely. I used grape stakes for my box turtle yards:

 

[B0XTurtl3]

Here are some more pictures.
I'm working on get more stuff for a good wall.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yup...female. It does sort of look like acid was dribbled on her plastron, however, it may just be some shell rot. Does it look fresh to you?

 

[B0XTurtl3]

Kinda, her belly was pinkish last night but that seems to have faded.

 

[turtlelady80]

If it were me, I'd release her back into the wild where she belongs.

 

[Yvonne G]

If it were me, I'd release her back into the wild where she belongs.

She wasn't found in the wild, but in a parking lot. Box turtles don't do well if you release them away from their home territory.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey BoxTurtl3: I guess when you get to be 115 years old you can celebrate your birthday two days in a row??? Don't expect double presents from me - not gonna' happen!!!

 

[turtlelady80]

She wasn't found in the wild, but in a parking lot. Box turtles don't do well if you release them away from their home territory.

I don't see the box turtle doing well in that set up either looks pretty sad.
Let me make myself more clear. You find a wild eastern box turtle in a parking lot, I'd scout out the area...look for nearby woods or a field etc and I would have steered it in the right direction
Gotta look out for my wild life friends!!!
LOVE THE EASTERNS!!!

 

[B0XTurtl3]

Haha! I don't know how that happened, but I'll go with it!
She is looking quite well now, and is mostly healed up.
I was thinking of taking her down to a lake only a few miles from where she was found...unless you think that would be a bad idea.

 

[Yvonne G]

I understand, and I totally agree. Normally we DO try to find out if the found animal is indigenous to the state where the member lives, but this one was thought to be injured. I guess that colored my response.

One should always either try to find the animal's owner or release it back where it came from (if it's native)

 

[Yvonne G]

Haha! I don't know how that happened, but I'll go with it!
She is looking quite well now, and is mostly healed up.
I was thinking of taking her down to a lake only a few miles from where she was found...unless you think that would be a bad idea.

First of all find out if eastern box turtles are native to your state. If they are, then find a place real close to the parking lot where you found her that looks like natural box turtle habitat. When box turtles are released away from their home territory they try to find their way back. And if there are streets, etc. in their way chances are they won't make it back.

 

[B0XTurtl3]

She is native to the area and not someone's pet.

 

[B0XTurtl3]

The closest nice area is a residential lake within about 5-10 miles of the parking lot. There are lots of other turtles around there. Would that be okay?