New Box Turtle Home

[clsanchez77]

I have been a little busy building out the new pen for my box turtle. Here are some progress photos. The pen is 8'x10', with a 3'x3' triangle noticed out closest to my kids play set. The pen will receive direct sunlight in the morning and shade in the afternoon.

I dug 12" down, set a level sand base and laid three rows of treated 4"x4" timber. These were then re-burried and serve as the base for landscape timbers. I will have 6 rows of landscape timbers on top, giving me 16" of height. The turtle is currently 7" in height, so I believe this will be adequate. If it isn't, I can always add more, its just landscape timbers. In the second photo, I put in the turtle for scale.

I also have a small pond liner and pump filter kit I will put in next weekend. Based on the feedback I received from this forum, the pond will only be 3-ft by 6-ft and 18" deep in the middle, to accommodate the filter. The pond will slope from there to the sides relatively flat and I will use pond pebbles for the bottom. The turtle will have easy access in and out of the water. From what I am seeing with the indoor pen, this turtle likes to sleep underwater.

For moisture, I will be adding a small garden misting irrigation system and will run it nightly for a few minutes.

For substrate, the existing soil is pretty sandy. The grass has been removed. I will probably till in some peat moss of some kind. Looking for recommendations.

For plants, my thinking was border the pen with hostas, border the pond with some ferns and then border the interior with some kind of small fruit growing shrub. Any suggestions?

 

[clsanchez77]

I forgot to add, I am only halfway done on the landscape timbers. The chain popped off my chainsaw right before taking this picture, plus it was getting too dark to use the chainsaw anyway.

 

[bouaboua]

Another great project for torts. Working through out the night.

That is how you express your LOVE to them. You have some lucky BT.

 

[clsanchez77]

lol. Well, i have four boys. I can only work on it when they take a nap and when they settle down for the night. I do some layout work with them while they play outside with me. But the chainsaw does not come out until they go in.

 

[bouaboua]

Looking forward to the continues update of this great looking enclosure.

More picture.....Please! ! ! !

 

[leigti]

I don't know what kind of box turtle you have, my box turtle really likes to lay under a bunch of fallen leaves. I just rake them from the yard and pile them up. if you are worried about him climbing out you can put an inWord overhanging lip around the top. It looks like it is going to be a very nice enclosure.

 

[clsanchez77]

More picture.....Please! ! ! !

LOL! Ok, here is my 3-yr old habitat I built last weekend from the same lumber delivery! A roof will be a future project before summer. Also trying to figure out what I want to do for a cover. The box is 6'x8' and accommodates 4 kids with trucks quite well.

Below that is the turtle pen this afternoon in daylight. I was putting in the second row of landscape timbers. The notch in the back right is my patio drain. The small details kill you sometimes.

 

[clsanchez77]

I don't know what kind of box turtle you have, my box turtle really likes to lay under a bunch of fallen leaves. I just rake them from the yard and pile them up. if you are worried about him climbing out you can put an inWord overhanging lip around the top. It looks like it is going to be a very nice enclosure.

I have several maple trees in the yard, so no shortage of leaves!

 

[leigti]

I have several maple trees in the yard, so no shortage of leaves!

That will work

 

[bouaboua]

LOL! Ok, here is my 3-yr old habitat I built last weekend from the same lumber delivery! A roof will be a future project before summer. Also trying to figure out what I want to do for a cover. The box is 6'x8' and accommodates 4 kids with trucks quite well.

Below that is the turtle pen this afternoon in daylight. I was putting in the second row of landscape timbers. The notch in the back right is my patio drain. The small details kill you sometimes.

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View attachment 119364

That is a sand box alright. Wonderfully designed and constructed.

Yes, What kind of Box turtles you have now? And how many of them??

 

[clsanchez77]

I am not 100% of the type. I posted another thread on that here several months back and spoke with some locals who breed box turtles. It is either a Florida and/or a Gulf Box. It is an adult male and only one. I am interested in getting some others since I am building such a large habitat. I would love three. I was told because I have a large male, it would be difficult or risky to introduce others.

 

[bouaboua]

I am not 100% of the type. I posted another thread on that here several months back and spoke with some locals who breed box turtles. It is either a Florida and/or a Gulf Box. It is an adult male and only one. I am interested in getting some others since I am building such a large habitat. I would love three. I was told because I have a large male, it would be difficult or risky to introduce others.

Then.....Best wish to your possible box turtle breeding program! ! !

 

[clsanchez77]

Then.....Best wish to your possible box turtle breeding program! ! !

Oh no! Let me finish my people breeding program first!

 

[bouaboua]

Oh no! Let me finish my people breeding program first!

Hahahaha.....

Best wishes in that department also! ! ! ! !

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Make sure you have a water dish he can soak in. My gulf coast boxie spends a lot of time in the water and loves the rain. Unfortunately his idea of loving the ladies is so rough that I have them in separate habitats.

Do make a leaf pile. It's good for hiding in, attracts bugs & worms for hunting, enriches the soil & gives off heat as it decomposes.

Boxies are great climbers, so cap all corners & make a small overhang. Searching for escaped turtles is no fun at all.

 

[clsanchez77]

Make sure you have a water dish he can soak in. My gulf coast boxie spends a lot of time in the water and loves the rain. Unfortunately his idea of loving the ladies is so rough that I have them in separate habitats.

Do make a leaf pile. It's good for hiding in, attracts bugs & worms for hunting, enriches the soil & gives off heat as it decomposes.

Boxies are great climbers, so cap all corners & make a small overhang. Searching for escaped turtles is no fun at all.

Thanks, see above, I discuss a small pond for his soaking. Mine seems to like to sleep in his water dish!

I have thought about escape. Do you think he can climb a 16" high wall though?

 

[leigti]

I don't know if they climb as good as say a Russian tortoise, but I hear they are good climbers.I would try the lip on top. Or you can put hardware cloth or chicken wire over the time if you want to.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

You'll see how it goes and make changes as you need to. It's hard to think of everything in advance. Real world results don't always meet expectations.

I don't know where you are. Climate matters. Morning sun is important, but check to see if it's enough. Full sun in a large part of the habitat in spring and fall will extend the season.

Walls and plants provide shade, too.

Your proposed water feature seems very large for the size of the enclosure. He needs a lot of space for walking around. Similarly, don't over plant, or don't think you need to landscape completely to begin with.

Box turtles are terrific climbers. Your walls and all the corners are perfect ladders even though the height itself is fine. Plants will also aid his climb.

Use compost as the substrate and add leaves and garden waste. Plant edibles or slug attractors.

 

[tortdad]

lol. Well, i have four boys. I can only work on it when they take a nap and when they settle down for the night. I do some layout work with them while they play outside with me. But the chainsaw does not come out until they go in.

I feel you. It makes projects take way longer than you expected doesn't it. Be sure to post up more pics when you're finished. I had cinder blocks for walls of my box turtle area and my wife hated it. She said all the blocks in my backyard (sulcata pen, Redfoot pen and box turtle pen) made her yard look like a jail cell so I had to get rid of all the blocks. Now I'm trying to find something she likes. She let me give the sully free range of the entire back yard so now I just need to find something for the Redfoots and box turtles. Luckily they are all still small and living in indoor enclosure but this spring is when I was going to start letting them out more often.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think you probably need to put a lip all around the top of the enclosure. Gulf coast box turtles are pretty good climbers. The lip keeps him inside. You project is very nice. I can't wait to see the finished product.