Hatchling box turtle shell growth?

[CollinsShan]

Good afternoon,
I received a box turtle hatchling from a someone I work with in October. They said they rescued it from some dogs that killed the other hatchlings. They were keeping it in a large bowl of water and feeding it dog kibble they just dropped in the water. They didn't seem very interested in learning how to actually take care of it so I took him home with me. I've never had a hatchling turtle before! I didn't even know what kind of turtle it was! My sister's friend raises box turtles so I sent him a picture and he said it is a gulf coast box turtle. I live in Louisiana. The co worker I got the turtle from lives near a large retention pond that was made when they built the subdivision 20+ years ago. So, I searched the internet for information to get his new home set up. We been through many ups and downs but I got him set up, got him to start eating and he got comfortable and started having a normal routine. I try not to mess with him too much so I don't stress him out but I took him out to weigh him last week and noticed his shell looked different. This is where I need someone help. I have searched everywhere but can't find anyone who has experienced this. It may sound silly but to me is shell look fatter and between the pleural and marginal scores looks like they are separating. Is this how their shell grows? Rot? Mbd? Please help. His enclosure is inside with temp between 75 and 80 with 85 basking spot. Uva/uvb light on basking spot. He eats romaine, butter lettuce, carrots, apples, berries, zucchini, cucumber, turtle chow, red wiggle worms, ham pieces, baked chicken pieces etc... I put multivitamins and calcium/Vit D powder on food 1 per week. He comes out every morning to eat after I turn on the uv light and spray the habitat. He is 13 grams! 2 months ago he was 7 grams! Is he too big? Feeding too much? Today I took his habitat apart, cleaned everything, dumped a bottle of conditioned water in the substrate and mixed it up. Added moist forest floor and sphagnum moss in his hide. I did this because I saw someone on the forum say it's the best to keep them hydrated and increase humidity. Also i could not keep the humidity up in the cage just by spraying it 3 to 4 times per day. Please look at the pic attached. Sorry about this long post! Let me know if more info is needed. Thanks so much! Rashan

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Good afternoon,
I received a box turtle hatchling from a someone I work with in October. They said they rescued it from some dogs that killed the other hatchlings. They were keeping it in a large bowl of water and feeding it dog kibble they just dropped in the water. They didn't seem very interested in learning how to actually take care of it so I took him home with me. I've never had a hatchling turtle before! I didn't even know what kind of turtle it was! My sister's friend raises box turtles so I sent him a picture and he said it is a gulf coast box turtle. I live in Louisiana. The co worker I got the turtle from lives near a large retention pond that was made when they built the subdivision 20+ years ago. So, I searched the internet for information to get his new home set up. We been through many ups and downs but I got him set up, got him to start eating and he got comfortable and started having a normal routine. I try not to mess with him too much so I don't stress him out but I took him out to weigh him last week and noticed his shell looked different. This is where I need someone help. I have searched everywhere but can't find anyone who has experienced this. It may sound silly but to me is shell look fatter and between the pleural and marginal scores looks like they are separating. Is this how their shell grows? Rot? Mbd? Please help. His enclosure is inside with temp between 75 and 80 with 85 basking spot. Uva/uvb light on basking spot. He eats romaine, butter lettuce, carrots, apples, berries, zucchini, cucumber, turtle chow, red wiggle worms, ham pieces, baked chicken pieces etc... I put multivitamins and calcium/Vit D powder on food 1 per week. He comes out every morning to eat after I turn on the uv light and spray the habitat. He is 13 grams! 2 months ago he was 7 grams! Is he too big? Feeding too much? Today I took his habitat apart, cleaned everything, dumped a bottle of conditioned water in the substrate and mixed it up. Added moist forest floor and sphagnum moss in his hide. I did this because I saw someone on the forum say it's the best to keep them hydrated and increase humidity. Also i could not keep the humidity up in the cage just by spraying it 3 to 4 times per day. Please look at the pic attached. Sorry about this long post! Let me know if more info is needed. Thanks so much! Rashan

It is a ornate box turtle they are great pets and they will eat insects and plants and make sure you have available water all the time. Good luck

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Good afternoon,
I received a box turtle hatchling from a someone I work with in October. They said they rescued it from some dogs that killed the other hatchlings. They were keeping it in a large bowl of water and feeding it dog kibble they just dropped in the water. They didn't seem very interested in learning how to actually take care of it so I took him home with me. I've never had a hatchling turtle before! I didn't even know what kind of turtle it was! My sister's friend raises box turtles so I sent him a picture and he said it is a gulf coast box turtle. I live in Louisiana. The co worker I got the turtle from lives near a large retention pond that was made when they built the subdivision 20+ years ago. So, I searched the internet for information to get his new home set up. We been through many ups and downs but I got him set up, got him to start eating and he got comfortable and started having a normal routine. I try not to mess with him too much so I don't stress him out but I took him out to weigh him last week and noticed his shell looked different. This is where I need someone help. I have searched everywhere but can't find anyone who has experienced this. It may sound silly but to me is shell look fatter and between the pleural and marginal scores looks like they are separating. Is this how their shell grows? Rot? Mbd? Please help. His enclosure is inside with temp between 75 and 80 with 85 basking spot. Uva/uvb light on basking spot. He eats romaine, butter lettuce, carrots, apples, berries, zucchini, cucumber, turtle chow, red wiggle worms, ham pieces, baked chicken pieces etc... I put multivitamins and calcium/Vit D powder on food 1 per week. He comes out every morning to eat after I turn on the uv light and spray the habitat. He is 13 grams! 2 months ago he was 7 grams! Is he too big? Feeding too much? Today I took his habitat apart, cleaned everything, dumped a bottle of conditioned water in the substrate and mixed it up. Added moist forest floor and sphagnum moss in his hide. I did this because I saw someone on the forum say it's the best to keep them hydrated and increase humidity. Also i could not keep the humidity up in the cage just by spraying it 3 to 4 times per day. Please look at the pic attached. Sorry about this long post! Let me know if more info is needed. Thanks so much! Rashan

They also have instincts to live for their selves so maybe if its a little bigger you could let it go cause box turtles follow the stars to where they hatched and lay more eggs there.

 

[CollinsShan]

They also have instincts to live for their selves so maybe if its a little bigger you could let it go cause box turtles follow the stars to where they hatched and lay more eggs there.

 

[CollinsShan]

They also have instincts to live for their selves so maybe if its a little bigger you could let it go cause box turtles follow the stars to where they hatched and lay more eggs there.

I was actually going to release turtle in spring near my area when it's warmer and a consistent temperature. I live close to heavy woods and the Pearl River. Since, the place they found him is where the dogs ate the other hatchlings. I want to take good care of him until then. Do u know if the shell is normal?

 

[Thomas tortoise]

Te

I was actually going to release turtle in spring near my area when it's warmer and a consistent temperature. I live close to heavy woods and the Pearl River. Since, the place they found him is where the dogs ate the other hatchlings. I want to take good care of him until then. Do u know if the shell is normal?

The shell looks normal but I would like a few more closer pics to know for sure

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Good afternoon,
I received a box turtle hatchling from a someone I work with in October. They said they rescued it from some dogs that killed the other hatchlings. They were keeping it in a large bowl of water and feeding it dog kibble they just dropped in the water. They didn't seem very interested in learning how to actually take care of it so I took him home with me. I've never had a hatchling turtle before! I didn't even know what kind of turtle it was! My sister's friend raises box turtles so I sent him a picture and he said it is a gulf coast box turtle. I live in Louisiana. The co worker I got the turtle from lives near a large retention pond that was made when they built the subdivision 20+ years ago. So, I searched the internet for information to get his new home set up. We been through many ups and downs but I got him set up, got him to start eating and he got comfortable and started having a normal routine. I try not to mess with him too much so I don't stress him out but I took him out to weigh him last week and noticed his shell looked different. This is where I need someone help. I have searched everywhere but can't find anyone who has experienced this. It may sound silly but to me is shell look fatter and between the pleural and marginal scores looks like they are separating. Is this how their shell grows? Rot? Mbd? Please help. His enclosure is inside with temp between 75 and 80 with 85 basking spot. Uva/uvb light on basking spot. He eats romaine, butter lettuce, carrots, apples, berries, zucchini, cucumber, turtle chow, red wiggle worms, ham pieces, baked chicken pieces etc... I put multivitamins and calcium/Vit D powder on food 1 per week. He comes out every morning to eat after I turn on the uv light and spray the habitat. He is 13 grams! 2 months ago he was 7 grams! Is he too big? Feeding too much? Today I took his habitat apart, cleaned everything, dumped a bottle of conditioned water in the substrate and mixed it up. Added moist forest floor and sphagnum moss in his hide. I did this because I saw someone on the forum say it's the best to keep them hydrated and increase humidity. Also i could not keep the humidity up in the cage just by spraying it 3 to 4 times per day. Please look at the pic attached. Sorry about this long post! Let me know if more info is needed. Thanks so much! Rashan

It does look like it may be a little mbd, but it's too soon to say.He doesn't look terrible but this could be a hydration issue. I keep mine in an inch of water I change regularly or every other day wit the uvb bulb above . You don't have to keep yours like mine, but it may help.You also want to feed more insects than protein. I feed mine a sizable meal every other day rather than every day. I feed dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms, small snails, and occasionally raw chicken heart, raw beef. You could even do pinky mice.

 

[jeff kushner]

Welcome Collinshan and Thomas.... and it sounds like you are taking VERY good care of him! Great diet.....

DD is one who knows, your little guy will do better if you follow his lead.

There are also some excellent care sheets in each section...."look up"...lol

FWIW, I have a weight record for my 18 month old Eastern box turtle on the fridge at home....I'll try to remember to provide you with some frame of reference for your guy when I get home later.


Good luck!

jeff

 

[CollinsShan]

It does look like it may be a little mbd, but it's too soon to say.He doesn't look terrible but this could be a hydration issue. I keep mine in an inch of water I change regularly or every other day wit the uvb bulb above . You don't have to keep yours like mine, but it may help.You also want to feed more insects than protein. I feed mine a sizable meal every other day rather than every day. I feed dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms, small snails, and occasionally raw chicken heart, raw beef. You could even do pinky mice.

U keep them in water all the time? Can u give me specifics please? With kind of container? What do they hide under? Heater and uv bulb? I've seen another person on a YouTube video that keeps us in water too and he swears by it. Thanks.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

U keep them in water all the time? Can u give me specifics please? With kind of container? What do they hide under? Heater and uv bulb? I've seen another person on a YouTube video that keeps us in water too and he swears by it. Thanks.

I could link you a video to what you may be talking about. I believe your speaking of Chris Leones video of how to rear hatchling box turtles. I keep mine similar if not the same way. I do this simple container within a container thing with either a uvb bulb or incandescent light bulb with a thermometer. The water needs to be changed, but algae does accumulate. I use fake plants and a simple hide made with an old worm cup. When they reach a few months of age(maybe 8), and a decent size, I move them to a more terrestrial set up with one container, a substrate similar to what you've described, and a large, shallow water dish. And as they grow they go to their outdoor enclosures.

 

[jeff kushner]

It's not pretty, but it's legible, somewhat...LOL