Indoor Enclosure

[Reptileguy1741]

I was thinking about moving my adult ornate box turtle into a larger enclosure and had some questions. Right now he's in a 40gallon breeder and I want to move him into a 4x2.5 foot wood cage and I saw a video on YouTube of someone who used carpet on the majority of the cage and gave them one area for borrowing. Would this be a good idea? If so what would be the best substrate to use for that spot?

 

[wellington]

As natural of a substrate as possible. The person you seen on YouTube needs to improve his turtles life and remove the carpet. Never seen a reptile, which the carpet is sold for live in the wild on carpet. Dirt, leaf litter, coconut coir, orchard bark or combo of any one. Boxies like to burrow in, so keep that in mind when choosing. Also, a larger enclosure, if it's an adult would be much better too. Like no smaller then a 4x6 minimum. Remember, in the wild they have endless room. Of course we can't do that, but try to give as big as possible. Some build a two level if they don't have room to go big enough in a single level.

 

[Reptileguy1741]

As natural of a substrate as possible. The person you seen on YouTube needs to improve his turtles life and remove the carpet. Never seen a reptile, which the carpet is sold for live in the wild on carpet. Dirt, leaf litter, coconut coir, orchard bark or combo of any one. Boxies like to burrow in, so keep that in mind when choosing. Also, a larger enclosure, if it's an adult would be much better too. Like no smaller then a 4x6 minimum. Remember, in the wild they have endless room. Of course we can't do that, but try to give as big as possible. Some build a two level if they don't have room to go big enough in a single level.

Thanks for the reply, so you think it would be a bad idea to only have substrate in one area?

 

[lisa127]

They need a dirt type substrate in the entire cage. As for the size of the cage, i think the 2.5 x 4 is a decent size myself. I wouldn't go a whole lot smaller. But being some one that has always kept boxies, i don't feel that a minimum of 4 x 6 is necessary for one boxie. Sorry wellington!

Definitely though, no carpet! I myself use 100% organic peat moss kept slightly damp. You can buy a very, very huge bale for 9.99 at lowes or home depot.

 

[Reptileguy1741]

They need a dirt type substrate in the entire cage. As for the size of the cage, i think the 2.5 x 4 is a decent size myself. I wouldn't go a whole lot smaller. But being some one that has always kept boxies, i don't feel that a minimum of 4 x 6 is necessary for one boxie. Sorry wellington!

Definitely though, no carpet! I myself use 100% organic peat moss kept slightly damp. You can buy a very, very huge bale for 9.99 at lowes or home depot.

Right now he is on topsoil covered in leaves and I don't really like it because it gets him all dirty when he burrows and always gets his food dirty because even if I put it in a bowl he still drags it out. It's also I infested with tiny bugs and fruit flies which I had before and I replaced the substrate and they came back after a while. I thought giving him one area full of substrate would be better because in the wild ornates gets their humidity from their burrows so I could keep that side humid and the other with carpet. I don't see what the difference is to the turtle if he still has an area to dig? What do you think?

 

[Reptileguy1741]

Also if it was a smaller area it would be easier to keep clean

 

[lisa127]

My own boxies would be stressed out if most of their enclosure was carpet. As for getting dirty, that's what turtles do!

I've never had a problem with bugs with peat moss.

 

[TLWR]

I think carpet will invite issues into his new digs.
He's going to track whatever you use as substrate onto the carpet. He's going to get stuff on his face when he eats and get that on the carpet. He's going to get water into the carpet. Then you end up with nasty carpet, possibly even mold if he keeps getting it wet.
I can't see a turtle wanting to just hang out on carpet.

 

[Reptileguy1741]

My own boxies would be stressed out if most of their enclosure was carpet. As for getting dirty, that's what turtles do!

I've never had a problem with bugs with peat moss.

Ok thanks for the help I think I'll try using some peat moss covered in cypress mulch. I looked up pictures of peat moss and I kind of looked like coco husk is that the stuff you use?

 

[Yvonne G]

Also if it was a smaller area it would be easier to keep clean

You're not making a habitat for YOUR convenience. You're giving a turtle a home to live in. Everything about it should be for HIS convenience. So you have to work a little harder keeping it clean. That's part of any animal-keeping.

 

[lisa127]

Ok thanks for the help I think I'll try using some peat moss covered in cypress mulch. I looked up pictures of peat moss and I kind of looked like coco husk is that the stuff you use?

Yes, that is it.

 

[Reptileguy1741]

You're not making a habitat for YOUR convenience. You're giving a turtle a home to live in. Everything about it should be for HIS convenience. So you have to work a little harder keeping it clean. That's part of any animal-keeping.

Good point. I will post a new thread when I am done with pictures so I can get some input. Thanks

 

[wellington]

They need a dirt type substrate in the entire cage. As for the size of the cage, i think the 2.5 x 4 is a decent size myself. I wouldn't go a whole lot smaller. But being some one that has always kept boxies, i don't feel that a minimum of 4 x 6 is necessary for one boxie. Sorry wellington!

Definitely though, no carpet! I myself use 100% organic peat moss kept slightly damp. You can buy a very, very huge bale for 9.99 at lowes or home depot.

I don't have Boxies now, but I did a few years ago, just one, lived in an area of 5x5 and still wanted more. Even Boxies deserve a descent size enclosure. My one itty bitty leopard hatchling is in an enclosure that is 2x4 and you want to put an adult Boxie in en enclosure just a little wider. They are like any other turtle/tortoise and come from many miles of ground to cover in the wild. I think they should have the same consideration of a larger enclosure. Sorry , I don't agree at all.

 

[lisa127]

Box turtles don't wander to the extent that tortoises do. My largest boxie enclosure is about 13 square feet and the smallest is about 8 square feet. They act normal, not lethargic and not pacing or climbing walls. IMO, 4 x 6 is what I would recommend for two boxies (female of course). 10 to 12 square feet with proper substrate, temps, and humidity is a great environment.

 

[Reptileguy1741]

Also this is only where he lives for half of the year. In the summer he is in an outdoor pen which was 8x4 last year but I might make it bigger this year.

 

[leigti]

Also this is only where he lives for half of the year. In the summer he is in an outdoor pen which was 8x4 last year but I might make it bigger this year.

Sounds like the outdoor pen is great. I used a combination of coconut coir and orchid bark as well as a whole bunch of leaves for my indoor Boxee enclosure. I used a large rubber stock tank. It was about 15 Square feet. 20 inches tall. It wasn't pretty but it did the job.

 

[lisa127]

Stock tanks are good to use. I have one in use now.