I’ve recently been given an about 2 year old Eastern Box Turtle. I’m currently building her a tortoise table (before me she was kept in a tank) and I’m curious what to do because she seems dehydrated. I used to have a Hermann tortoise (rescue) and when I got him I took him to a vet and he said if you can pinch the skin and it sticks they are dehydrated. My new little girl has the same thing where I can lightly pinch her leg and the skin stays up. I have given her a bowl of water but I’m not sure what else I can do to assist. She’s only about 3 inches long and her spine on her shell is also still prominent so I think the age I was given was about correct. She’s been getting earthworms to eat about one every 3 days. Is there anything I should change to assist in making sure she stays hydrated and keeps a balanced diet? Once I get the tortoise table set up I’ll work to vary her diet more with things she would naturally come across (crickets and stuff I get from the pet store) but until then I just kinda need some advice.
Maybe Dehydrated Eastern Box
- Thread starter Dunskis13
- Start date
Chubbs the tegu
Well-Known Member
Im no box turtle expert but id give her a nice long soak
They love sitting in the water, so give her a big enough waterer to climb into to soak.
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
Earthworms are the primary food source for box turtles, especially at a young age. They will eat every day if they find food in the wild, so please offer her at least two good-sized worms every day (she may stop eating in the winter, even if kept indoors, so she needs a good weight and body condition by the time daylight shortens). Crickets and other hard-shelled insects are mostly fat, so don't make them the main bulk of meat offerings (they are fun treats). Boxies will take small goldfish, or sliced strips of (thawed frozen) fresh-water fish found in the food store (perch, for ex). Slugs: they love 'em!
Fruit, edible flowers, and dark greens are great additions for a balanced diet...young turts may not favor vegetation over meats, so chop new flora into wee pieces and toss lightly with the worms or slugs to slime everything and get her to at least sample new things.
Box turtles can swim, so they will enjoy a water soak at least once a day (as many times as she likes, really). If you don't have room in the enclosure for a large pan that has a ramp for entering and exiting, use a plastic storage box with about 3/4 of an inch of water (not cold, not hot...lukewarm is fine). Soak for about 20 minutes at a time so she has a chance to drink, absorb, and eliminate urine and stool.
For more detailed info about housing and care:
www.tortoiseforum.org
Fruit, edible flowers, and dark greens are great additions for a balanced diet...young turts may not favor vegetation over meats, so chop new flora into wee pieces and toss lightly with the worms or slugs to slime everything and get her to at least sample new things.
Box turtles can swim, so they will enjoy a water soak at least once a day (as many times as she likes, really). If you don't have room in the enclosure for a large pan that has a ramp for entering and exiting, use a plastic storage box with about 3/4 of an inch of water (not cold, not hot...lukewarm is fine). Soak for about 20 minutes at a time so she has a chance to drink, absorb, and eliminate urine and stool.
For more detailed info about housing and care:
Box Turtle Hatchling Care Sheet
BOX TURTLE HATCHLING CARE INTRODUCTION: Box turtles are native to North America. They are also known as box tortoises, although box turtles are terrestrial members of the American pond turtle family, and not members of the tortoise family. The species commonly kept as pets in the US are the...
www.tortoiseforum.org
Earthworms are the primary food source for box turtles, especially at a young age. They will eat every day if they find food in the wild, so please offer her at least two good-sized worms every day (she may stop eating in the winter, even if kept indoors, so she needs a good weight and body condition by the time daylight shortens). Crickets and other hard-shelled insects are mostly fat, so don't make them the main bulk of meat offerings (they are fun treats). Boxies will take small goldfish, or sliced strips of (thawed frozen) fresh-water fish found in the food store (perch, for ex). Slugs: they love 'em!
Fruit, edible flowers, and dark greens are great additions for a balanced diet...young turts may not favor vegetation over meats, so chop new flora into wee pieces and toss lightly with the worms or slugs to slime everything and get her to at least sample new things.
Box turtles can swim, so they will enjoy a water soak at least once a day (as many times as she likes, really). If you don't have room in the enclosure for a large pan that has a ramp for entering and exiting, use a plastic storage box with about 3/4 of an inch of water (not cold, not hot...lukewarm is fine). Soak for about 20 minutes at a time so she has a chance to drink, absorb, and eliminate urine and stool.
For more detailed info about housing and care:
Box Turtle Hatchling Care Sheet
BOX TURTLE HATCHLING CARE INTRODUCTION: Box turtles are native to North America. They are also known as box tortoises, although box turtles are terrestrial members of the American pond turtle family, and not members of the tortoise family. The species commonly kept as pets in the US are the...
thank you for all the info!!! I have a pan set up for her to soak so I’ve already got one step there but I will definitely take your advice and start feeding her daily. Thank you!
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