New Hatchling

[Rhyno47]

I have just received a 2 day old Eastern Box Turtle. He still has some yolk underneath him and some clay still attached to his shell. I have him in a 10 gallon tank with Coconut Fiber for bedding, a hide to sleep in, and a place for him to drink and submerge. He has a UVB bulb and the humidity stays around 80 - 90%. Is there anything else I should do? Im trying to get him to eat some repti-min and lettuce but he doesnt seem hungry yet. Also can you tell what sex it is yet?

 

[terryo]

It will be a few years until you can tell what sex he - she is. I have a Three Toed that is about 2 weeks old. I am keeping him on long fiber moss. I like it because it doesn't get in his eyes or stick to him. I started him on blood worms. I put him in a little plastic tub with a tiny bit of water in it and add the blood worms. He likes those and also tiny meal worms. Today I gave him some pill bugs. So far he has eaten everything I give him. I keep the moss damp, but not soaking wet. He's about the size of a quarter.

 

[Isa]

He is very cute! Congratulations on your new baby

 

[Rhyno47]

Poor little guy has a broken tail, (I think.) You can sorta see it. Towards the end there is a 90 degree angle in his tail. Also he sucks in fast if you touch it, so I'm guessing a pain response since i can rub his head and he doesnt mind.

 

[terryo]

Oh...I can see the little bent part of his tail in the picture. It might be broken. I wouldn't touch it...maybe it will heal itself. He is really adorable. Try the blood worms. They are so tiny at this age it's so hard to get them to eat much.

 

[Rhyno47]

So im switching to Spagnum Moss right now. Good tip terryo! Then I'll go find some small earthworms in my yard. Ive had good luck with babies and earthworms.

 

[Rhyno47]

So this is his updated tank. I also cleaned the dirt and clay off of him. I have never used Spagnum Moss. Should it be soaked or slightly moist? Or somewhere in between?

[/u]

 

[terryo]

I soak the moss is very warm water, than I squeeze it out really hard and then fluff it up. I only use a long tube 5.0 light on one side of the tank and a heat emitter on the other side. No bright lights or basking light. I also add a lot of leaf litter on top of the moss. You never see a hatchling in the wild...they are always buried under and eat any little insect that is under the leaf litter. Most don't start eating greens or veggies or fruit for almost a year. Right now they are only interested in anything that moves. Don't ya just love baby boxies? They are the cutest!

 

[Rhyno47]

Well he has a very small yolk still left. Will he not eat until the yolk has been eaten completely? Also I have decided to name him Eli.

How long would you say it will be until he is eating food? Also, does everything look ok?

 

[Stazz]

Oh my gooooosh ! Baby is so CUUUUTE !!!!!! And so so tiny