HELP ID a BOXIE PLEASE !!

[pryncesssc]

Thanks for all the help ! This is from the website u gave me "A minimum sized pen can be made from a 50 gallon Rubbermaid storage container."

Im just really torn .. I don't want to adopt her if she can have a better home somewhere else .. ill try to find some boxie people from CA and talk to them about future enclosure options

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Ambient daytime temperature of 72 to 88, with a nighttime drop of no lower then 60 are most appropriate for box turtles, but they can withstand 40 degree nights as long as the day time temps are warm.. I got this off a care sheet .. I plan to move to san Diego but I don't know if the humidity will b high enough for them to live outside all year ..

A 55-gallon tub is the minimum size, but of course, bigger is usually better for any box turtle or tortoise, and indoor pets should get as much time outdoors as possible in addition to having the right artificial lighting. Three-toed box turtles (T. carolina triunguis) are native to the middle of the USA, so they are adapted to drier environments than their cousins to the south, the Gulf Coast and Florida box turtle (T. carolina major and T. carolina bauri). However, they are not adapted to environments as dry as those of their cousin to the west, the ornate box turtle (T. ornata).

This means that, if you do move to San Diego, you will probably need to provide a covered enclosure to preserve a higher level of humidity for your three-toed box turtle. It's not the most crucial part of their husbandry, but it is good for them, so I would do it if you move to a drier part of the country.

 

[pryncesssc]

http://aboxturtle.com/threetoed.htm. Read this site and see if it helps, not sure though how accurate the site is. Many live in CA and they raise Sulcata and Leopards, which at least as babies need high humidity. Yes easier to maintain when they are small and in small enclosures, but with some rresearch I am sure you would be able to maintain a suitable humidity. Try to find someone with boxies in CA and see what they do.
P.S. I just looked at the boxie on the Facebook. Are you sure it doesn't have shell rot on the bottom. Have they said anything about it? I would post a pic of the underside and see what members here say about it. Also maybe send Maggie3fan a pm, she has boxes and see what she says about the bottom shell and your concerns.

I did inquire about the shell and I was told that she did have shell rot but that it is gone and healing and that the dark on the shell is where it is healing over . I'll try to get the pic link and post it ..

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This is the link to the under shell picture

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...144812_100002917085151_330494_800489803_n.jpg

 

[wellington]

http://aboxturtle.com/threetoed.htm. Read this site and see if it helps, not sure though how accurate the site is. Many live in CA and they raise Sulcata and Leopards, which at least as babies need high humidity. Yes easier to maintain when they are small and in small enclosures, but with some rresearch I am sure you would be able to maintain a suitable humidity. Try to find someone with boxies in CA and see what they do.
P.S. I just looked at the boxie on the Facebook. Are you sure it doesn't have shell rot on the bottom. Have they said anything about it? I would post a pic of the underside and see what members here say about it. Also maybe send Maggie3fan a pm, she has boxes and see what she says about the bottom shell and your concerns.

I did inquire about the shell and I was told that she did have shell rot but that it is gone and healing and that
the dark on the shell is where it is healing over . I'll try to get the pic link and post it ..

As long as they new about it then I am sure all is good with it then. It does take a long time for shell rot to heal. If you get her, I would keep an eye on it though until it is completely healed.

 

[pryncesssc]

A 55-gallon tub is the minimum size, but of course, bigger is usually better for any box turtle or tortoise, and indoor pets should get as much time outdoors as possible in addition to having the right artificial lighting. Three-toed box turtles (T. carolina triunguis) are native to the middle of the USA, so they are adapted to drier environments than their cousins to the south, the Gulf Coast and Florida box turtle (T. carolina major and T. carolina bauri). However, they are not adapted to environments as dry as those of their cousin to the west, the ornate box turtle (T. ornata).

This means that, if you do move to San Diego, you will probably need to provide a covered enclosure to preserve a higher level of humidity for your three-toed box turtle. It's not the most crucial part of their husbandry, but it is good for them, so I would do it if you move to a drier part of the country.

Thanks for the info !!! I will definitly get the largest enclosure that I can and get the boxies outside as much as possible , I just wanted to know for an absolute minimum in 55 gallon ok

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I'd go to a fish store and buy a broken 200 or 250 gallon aquarium and set her up in that. I have 4 box turtles set up that way, each alone in a 250 gallon aquarium and they have a pen outside for the summer and they do quite well. They become very personable when they can see you all the time. I bought my last broken 250 gallon aquarium for $50 and I set up my blind Ornata in that and she is very happy. I have always thought that they enjoy looking out of the aquarium watching me as I go about house work. Anyhow I think she's beautiful and I'd take her in a second! I know I'd have to fight Terry for her...

 

[pryncesssc]

Ok everyone , I am going to adopt her!!!! I'm supposed to pick her up Monday if I can get her cage all ready today and tomorrow ! I have a 55 gallon aquarium for now and I'm going to put some plexiglass on top to help with humidity ! THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

XOXOXOXO

 

[wellington]

WOOHOO Good luck with her. Don't forget pics

 

[pryncesssc]

WOOHOO Good luck with her. Don't forget pics

Thanks I will take a bunch of pics !!! It looks like she needs a good soak first though , she looks a little dry ..

 

[NudistApple]

She's so beautiful! I'm glad that you will adopt her, I'm sure you & your Mom will take good care of her. I don't have any personal experience owning box turtles, but there are absolutely a ton of wild Eastern Boxes where I live, and I have to agree with the others that she must be a Three-Toed, because she doesn't look anything like my lovely native buddies. (-:

 

[pryncesssc]

She's so beautiful! I'm glad that you will adopt her, I'm sure you & your Mom will take good care of her. I don't have any personal experience owning box turtles, but there are absolutely a ton of wild Eastern Boxes where I live, and I have to agree with the others that she must be a Three-Toed, because she doesn't look anything like my lovely native buddies. (-:

Thanks , Im really excited !! Where do u live that u have boxies wandering around ? I'm very jealous !!

 

[NudistApple]

New Jersey! I have to admit that there aren't as many as there used to be (I don't know if there has been a lot of poaching or they are getting hit by cars or what) but I do still see a few each year. My general thinking is that if I see 10, there is probably triple that number around.

 

[pryncesssc]

New Jersey! I have to admit that there aren't as many as there used to be (I don't know if there has been a lot of poaching or they are getting hit by cars or what) but I do still see a few each year. My general thinking is that if I see 10, there is probably triple that number around.

That's super cool that you see them but bad that you see less of them I'm totally against people taking animals from the wild ! I support captive breed animals and adoption !!!

 

[lisa127]

I immediately thought 3 toed when I saw her. And adoreable one at that!

 

[lisa127]

she looks like a beautiful 3 toed boxie to me!

 

[terryo]

We never see Three Toed's here in SI, only Eastern's....but they are few and far between now. We mostly see them in the Spring, early in the AM or just before it gets dark. Most are yellow. I hate when people take them from the wild too....kills me. Good luck with your new TT Box turtle. She's a beauty. When I have to keep any inside ....if they are under weight, or they can't hibernate for some reason, I usually keep them in a glass vivarium. Plenty of plants, large water dish to soak in, low light and high humidity, and a place deep enough to dig into. Those are the basic's.....can't wait to see more pictures!

 

[pryncesssc]

We never see Three Toed's here in SI, only Eastern's....but they are few and far between now. We mostly see them in the Spring, early in the AM or just before it gets dark. Most are yellow. I hate when people take them from the wild too....kills me. Good luck with your new TT Box turtle. She's a beauty. When I have to keep any inside ....if they are under weight, or they can't hibernate for some reason, I usually keep them in a glass vivarium. Plenty of plants, large water dish to soak in, low light and high humidity, and a place deep enough to dig into. Those are the basic's.....can't wait to see more pictures!

What do u mean by low light .. I got a 100 watt basking light and of course UVB lights .. I'm going to cover the vivarium in plexiglass and cut out holes for the lights and UV bulbs . I'm also going to purchase a fogger to keep the humidity up around 70% .. ill post pics as I work

 

[lisa127]

She means that box turtles generally prefer dim lighting. They do not appreciate overly bright lights. What I do is use night bulbs (red/purple lights) for heating and just the UVB tube for lighting on one side of the enclosure. IMO 100 watts is way too much heat for a box turtle anyway. Though I suppose it depends on how far above the turtle the bulb is. I use very low wattage, gentle heat.

 

[pryncesssc]

She means that box turtles generally prefer dim lighting. They do not appreciate overly bright lights. What I do is use night bulbs (red/purple lights) for heating and just the UVB tube for lighting on one side of the enclosure. IMO 100 watts is way too much heat for a box turtle anyway. Though I suppose it depends on how far above the turtle the bulb is. I use very low wattage, gentle heat.

Ok good to know ! I think I might exchange it for a ceramic heat emitter 60 watt .. if I'm gonna use a 55 gallon 48x18 tank , do I need a UV bulb on each side , or is one in the middle enough ?

 

[turtlemann2]

the middle should be fine especially if your going to have her outside in the summer : ) she is absolutly gorgeous she would be a very pretty momma paired with a HC M TTBT : ) cant wait for pictures, and as others have said that size will work but bigger is always better, before you go out and spend alot of money on any setup consider a turtle table, a small book case flipped on its side lined with plastic filled with dirt/substriate is Perfect