New member

[gep0322]

Hello everyone, I’m Gerry, I live in Birmingham Alabama. I found a Three Toe Eastern Box Turtle. His name is Max. I found him/her in October, 2021. Turtle care is all new to me, so any advice for proper care is welcome. I will post photos of him and his indoor habitat I built for him, which is 36”x 48”. I went ahead and built the habitat to accommodate him when he is mature in a few years. The whole bottom is about 3-1/2 inches of Reptile Bark and Coca Coir mix. It includes a area for him to forage for live earthworms I added to the area and burrow into the topsoil and coca coir mix, lots of hiding places, a small water pool for soaking and a large pool that is about 4-1/2 inches deep, but for now I have it almost full of small pebbles to keep it shallow for him. A bridge that goes from the large pool to the forage area.
It has a 36” uvb-uva reptile light, temperature controlled heaters at one end, set to 80 degrees and the other end is about 75 degrees. I’m trying to grow live plants, so I have plant grow lighting.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome,
I know very little about box turtle care but there are many experienced members here who will be happy to help. If you look in the species specific section you'll find threads about them too.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Welcome

 

[gep0322]

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you, I’m sure it’s going to be informative.

 

[gep0322]

Hi and welcome,
I know very little about box turtle care but there are many experienced members here who will be happy to help. If you look in the species specific section you'll find threads about them too.

Thanks, I’m looking forward to learning from people with experience,

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Here is the Box Turtle sub forum if you haven't found it.

American box turtles

tortoiseforum.org

 

[gep0322]

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you, looking forward to gaining a wealth of information.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

I'm pretty sure your little guy is a Terrapene carolina triunguis, or three toe box turtle. I also think he's being kept too dry. The substrate should be moist. More live plants will help with humidity.

 

[gep0322]

Hi, and welcome!

I'm pretty sure your little guy is a Terrapene carolina triunguis, or three toe box turtle. I also think he's being kept too dry. The substrate should be moist. More live plants will help with humidity.

Thank you, I added a lot of wet Coca Coir to the substrate this weekend that will add and hold more moisture and plan to keep it sprayed down often to keep it moist. I also made sure he gets good soaks daily. This is the kind of information I need. Good advice.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I can't help with info...I know very little about turtles. But you built a very pretty habitat!

 

[gep0322]

I can't help with info...I know very little about turtles. But you built a very pretty habitat!

Thank you, I know it makes it hard to keep up with where Max is.

 

[jeff kushner]

Hi Gerry,

Wow, quite a home that you've built for your little guy. A lot of care and skill went into designing and building it.

OK, now for the "reality check", PLEASE DON'T get mad......

But the home that you've built while very "fairy tale pretty", is a Death Trap for your guy.............my own experience taught me that any kind of large rock or small wall, or water bowl with sides.....and you'll be walking in the room letting your brain catch up with the fact that your eyes are telling you that your little guy is upside down!

My little girl turtle taught me what to remove from her home<LOL>...

Don't get twisted, just keep a very close eye on him and make sure that where the heat is, the dangers are few....so you won't cook 'em if he flips!


WTTC brother......

Also, you will want to read the sheets in this section;

American box turtles

www.tortoiseforum.org

jeff

 

[gep0322]

Hi Gerry,

Wow, quite a home that you've built for your little guy. A lot of care and skill went into designing and building it.

OK, now for the "reality check", PLEASE DON'T get mad......

But the home that you've built while very "fairy tale pretty", is a Death Trap for your guy.............my own experience taught me that any kind of large rock or small wall, or water bowl with sides.....and you'll be walking in the room letting your brain catch up with the fact that your eyes are telling you that your little guy is upside down!

My little girl turtle taught me what to remove from her home<LOL>...

Don't get twisted, just keep a very close eye on him and make sure that where the heat is, the dangers are few....so you won't cook 'em if he flips!


WTTC brother......

Also, you will want to read the sheets in this section;

American box turtles

www.tortoiseforum.org

jeff

Thanks Jeff, I do have those concerns and have already planned or made changes. Nothing can take the place off experience. I really appreciate you noticing the hazards and pointing them out to me. I welcome any and all input from experienced members.
Thanks again

 

[Ink]

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your turtle

 

[zolasmum]

Thanks Jeff, I do have those concerns and have already planned or made changes. Nothing can take the place off experience. I really appreciate you noticing the hazards and pointing them out to me. I welcome any and all input from experienced members.
Thanks again

I love the way you have used bark and other things to make different textures for him to walk on. They probably all smell different too. I must try to do something like that for Zola in his conservatory.
Angie

 

[gep0322]

I love the way you have used bark and other things to make different textures for him to walk on. They probably all smell different too. I must try to do something like that for Zola in his conservatory.
Angie

Hi Angie, I happened to have a lot of dried bark that comes off of aged firewood, after a year of drying in the wood shed, it comes off real easy. Even the large bark tunnel hide is a large piece of bark that over time curled on it’s on. It’s all real solid red oak bark.
Thanks, Gerry

 

[jeff kushner]

OK, now that you've posted over in the cool section, are you an engineer by trade?

Come on guys, someone had to ask, his turtles home is nicer than MY home!....LOL....just teasing brother......

 

[Cathie G]

Hello I'm Cathie and welcome to the forum ? I wish I could do a cute enclosure like that for my Russian. Unfortunately, he's a Butt-Head and would get himself in so much trouble. I don't dare use anything he can find a way to climb on. I've seen him flip sideways and climb a wall after he pushed his hidey hut where it needed to be to do that.? At one time, I had a box turtle and I never saw her act like my Tortoise butt... I trust them all to be a critter and probably out smart me.

 

[gep0322]

Hello Cathie, thanks for the compliments on the enclosure. Jeff has given me some good advice on things that could be a problem for Max. So I already have possible changes to make, but that’s ok I enjoy building, changing or whatever is needed that will make sure Max is safe.
Gerry