NEED HELP/ADVICE for A LITTLE BOX

[Adam90]

I recently became a new FL BOX turtle keeper. Ive been using the "water" method with raising him I keep about ¼ to ½ inches of water in the bin at all times. Ever since I got him it seems like it wants NOTHING to do with the water and will climb out of the water up onto the fake plants where it's dry. Is this normal?!? s far as living conditions go, I've been raising it in a plastic bin inside of a tortoise house so predators arent a possibility. I live where they are from in their natural range so I figured outside would provide the best conditions. It's an"if it ain't broke don't fix it" situation but if I'm wrong let me know!

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not too experienced with box turtles. But I think they're fully terrestrial and only occasionally get into the water. So this behavior might be normal.
I'm curious to see what others have to say.

 

[Adam90]

I'm not too experienced with box turtles. But I think they're fully terrestrial and only occasionally get into the water. So this behavior might be normal.
I'm curious to see what others have to say.

From what I've read their first couple of years they are mostly aquatic and transition to more of a land based turtle. Almost everybody raises them In a tub of water about ½" deep with a hide and a few plants but mine doesn't like to swim or something lolol. I'm very interested as well. It's my first box so I don't want to screw it up.

I've never seen such an active turtle either. This tiny bugger zips around non stop. Never heard of a turtle with the zoomies but I DEFINITELY got one lol.

Look at this little fella mid stride. Magnificent

New item by adam g

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[wellington]

Can you add a thicker layer of plants so he can get up out of the water and think he's on land? Maybe he's like a kid, wanting to grow up too fast lol.

 

[Adam90]

Good call I had the same idea. thats EXACTLY what i did 👍. I put a ball of plants in the enclosure and it spend all of it's time perched up on top of them when it's not hauling *** from end to end.

 

[Ink]

Very cute turtle. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Yvonne G]

I keep my baby box turtles is extremely WET substrate too. Because of their very small size, they dehydrate quite quickly and easily. I also have lots of cover plants for them to hide in.

 

[TammyJ]

I don't think they should be forced to be in even very shallow water all the time. If I had young Box turtles, I would keep them in what I imagine must be their "natural" habitat growing up in the "wild". Deep, loose, moist substrate, natural plants for extra humidity, and half of the enclosure would be a shallow tray of water dug down into the substrate, so they can slide into or out of water when they wish. So they could climb and hide in plants, burrow in the leaves/substrate, or bumble about or bask in the shallow water in the tray/pond. Humidity and temperature would be as recommended here.
That's IF I had any, which unfortunately I do not.

 

[Adam90]

I keep my baby box turtles is extremely WET substrate too. Because of their very small size, they dehydrate quite quickly and easily. I also have lots of cover plants for them to hide in.

I don't think they should be forced to be in even very shallow water all the time. If I had young Box turtles, I would keep them in what I imagine must be their "natural" habitat growing up in the "wild". Deep, loose, moist substrate, natural plants for extra humidity, and half of the enclosure would be a shallow tray of water dug down into the substrate, so they can slide into or out of water when they wish. So they could climb and hide in plants, burrow in the leaves/substrate, or bumble about or bask in the shallow water in the tray/pond. Humidity and temperature would be as recommended here.
That's IF I had any, which unfortunately I do not.

Noted!!! Which species are you keeping?? Living inside the same home range as the species I keep has made climate conditions effortless to maintain lol. I keep it in a sterilite tub which is inside a tortoise house in a very shady area. I'm sure you all know who that wizard by the name of "garden state tortoise" on 6outube is. He also keeps his FL boxes in water full time in sterilite tubs. He put out alot of Awesome box turtle advice/husbandry videos for all the North American species. If you're curious about the "water method " you HAVE to check out this video. This video convinced me lol.

Has anybody tried the freeze dried crickets or the zoo med box turtle diet that comes in a can like cat food ??? I've been wanting to try it. I don't think mine is eating enough at this stage.

 

[Yvonne G]

Terrapene carolina triunguis, Terrapene carolina carolina, Terrapene carolina bauri, Terrapene carolina major, Terrapene ornata (western).

 

[Maggie3fan]

Terrapene carolina triunguis, Terrapene carolina carolina, Terrapene carolina bauri, Terrapene carolina major, Terrapene ornata (western).

I knew you'd do that!!!

 

[Adam90]

Terrapene carolina triunguis, Terrapene carolina carolina, Terrapene carolina bauri, Terrapene carolina major, Terrapene ornata (western).

AWESOME ! Do you ever produce animals for sale??? I haven't checked rules and regs on other species but I'd like to get mine a buddy at some point IF this goes well. I still think the eastern box especially males are the best most beautiful looking turtle/tortoise on the planet.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, I sell or adopt out the babies.