New to the world of turtles

[RiverSong]

Hello all...I'm new here and to the world of turtles. My children came home from a friends house with a turtle...they didn't know what kind it is or what kind of habitat or the sex...they threw away the encloser so I'm starting from scratch. Im not sure what kind it is...im thinking a three toed box turtle...i don't even know where to go here...help me please!!! Thanks!!!

 

[KevinGG]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Some things you can do immediately:
-lower the water dish so that it sits level with the substrate (terra cotta dishes work best since you'll have to change dirty water daily)
-add a hide or two (upside down flower pots with a hole cut in for entry work well)
-add a uvb strip light (read more about this in attached article)

Here is a nice enclosure idea:



Here is a care sheet to help you out:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-hatchling-care-sheet.97144/

These turtles can live a few decades. You'll need to increase the size of the enclosure as the turtle grows, provide outdoor space for adult turtles, pay for vet bills if anything were to go wrong, etc. Make sure this is a commitment you are willing to make. Let us know of any more questions you have. We're here to help.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

Aw, it's just an itty, bitty baby!

The main thing is to don't let him dry out. because they're so small they dehydrate (and cook) very easily.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[RiverSong]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Some things you can do immediately:
-lower the water dish so that it sits level with the substrate (terra cotta dishes work best since you'll have to change dirty water daily)
-add a hide or two (upside down flower pots with a hole cut in for entry work well)
-add a uvb strip light (read more about this in attached article)

Here is a nice enclosure idea:

View attachment 198059

Here is a care sheet to help you out:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-hatchling-care-sheet.97144/

These turtles can live a few decades. You'll need to increase the size of the enclosure as the turtle grows, provide outdoor space for adult turtles, pay for vet bills if anything were to go wrong, etc. Make sure this is a commitment you are willing to make. Let us know of any more questions you have. We're here to help.

I love your enclosure!!! Mine looks so empty compared to yours. Is there a sheet that lists the ok plants for the habitat? My little one stays buried away. Is that OK? I am having a hard time keeping the humidity up...so I spray at least 3xs a day. And I don't know how much it is eating...we put live worms in there but since he/she is staying buried I don't know if it is eating. I wasn't sure i wanted to keep Speedy, that is what the kids named it, at first but I've decided I like the little guy/gal.

 

[RiverSong]

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

Aw, it's just an itty, bitty baby!

The main thing is to don't let him dry out. because they're so small they dehydrate (and cook) very easily.

Is there a good way to find out the age? We really know nothing about the little thing.

 

[cmacusa3]

Hello and Welcome! Great looking little turtle. I will answer a few of the questions for you.

Pour some water in the enclosure and mix it up with your hands, this will help better than constantly spraying. Get it moist but have a dry area too.

I would suggest fake plants while it's still small, they love to dig and hide and plants will get messed up or you may need to pull them out to find him for soaks

Age is tough to determine because not knowing of the previous care (good or bad)and that could determine growth rates. Sometimes on smaller box turtles you can look at the arrows on the plastron and get a close guess.

Feeding the worms is great and letting him find them, I would also suggest putting him in a small Tupperware bowl with a few in it that can't escape and giving about an hour with out disturbing him in the enclosure

 

[BILBO-03]

Hi and Welcome!

 

[KevinGG]

I love your enclosure!!! Mine looks so empty compared to yours. Is there a sheet that lists the ok plants for the habitat? My little one stays buried away. Is that OK? I am having a hard time keeping the humidity up...so I spray at least 3xs a day. And I don't know how much it is eating...we put live worms in there but since he/she is staying buried I don't know if it is eating. I wasn't sure i wanted to keep Speedy, that is what the kids named it, at first but I've decided I like the little guy/gal.

Unfortunately, not my enclosure. I think it's TerryO's. If you look through my older posts, I had some nice ones. The post I copied for you will have info on proper diet. Try soaking him in lukewarm water up to the bottom of his shell for 15 mins before feeding. This will encourage him to eat. Using small worms will help get him started too. Later on, he'll take pellets and fruit. Baby box turtles will stay burrowed for much of the day (just make sure you have proper temps and lighting). This is how they stay alive in the wild. You'll want to keep the substrate moist/wet. You can help this by adding leaves to act as mulch. I like to use oak leaves. You can use whatever you have on your property. Make sure you don't take them off of a lawn that gets sprayed with pesticides. You can cover the top of the enclosure, over the lighting, to keep humidity higher. In my experience, plants and other cover encourage them to explore. Plants I like to use are pothos, indoor ferns, and snake plant. Here's a nice resource for enclosure design:

http://turtletails.net/raisingbabyturtles/raisingbabyturtles.htm

Post a picture of your turtle next to a ruler. We may be able to give you an idea of how old it is.

 

[Pearly]

http://http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Pearly's-40-gal-tank--covered-top.139373/ perhaps you find something useful in my old thread here and very warm welcome from central Texas

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, River, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum from Melody Pond.
I use spider plants in the enclosure, myself.

 

[RiverSong]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/Pearly's-40-gal-tank--covered-top.139373/ perhaps you find something useful in my old thread here and very warm welcome from central Texas

How long can they stay in an indoor tank before I have to build something for her outside? We live in an apartment complex so my space is limited. I want to make sure she has enough room...and i have time to save and do everything right. I had no idea what i was getting myself into but after getting the first tank and seeing her come out of her shell i fell in love. Anyway...i want to make sure she has enough room.

 

[RiverSong]

Hello, River, and a very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum from Melody Pond.
I use spider plants in the enclosure, myself.

So glad that someone got my reference!!!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

So glad that someone got my reference!!!

Huge fan of the show all of my life.
Watch an episode a day.
Some keepers have their tortoises inside for all their lives, but they need as big a space as possible once adult.

 

[RiverSong]

Huge fan of the show all of my life.
Watch an episode a day.
Some keepers have their tortoises inside for all their lives, but they need as big a space as possible once adult.

So before i found this site I went to pet smart and a gal there helped me try and get everything i need. I was doing reading on the lighting and i am worried that i have the wrong light. It is PetSmarts brand for thr light and the heating pad i have is a small one that is stuck to the bottom. I went the cheaper route to get us started because we werent sure we were going to keep her and she was just in an empty tub for 3 days...i was starting to worry.
.

 

[yillt]

So before i found this site I went to pet smart and a gal there helped me try and get everything i need. I was doing reading on the lighting and i am worried that i have the wrong light. It is PetSmarts brand for thr light and the heating pad i have is a small one that is stuck to the bottom. I went the cheaper route to get us started because we werent sure we were going to keep her and she was just in an empty tub for 3 days...i was starting to worry.
.View attachment 198181

Yes, coiled bulbs are very bad. They can damage the eyes as well. You will need an arcadia or reptisun heat/uvb bulb (or something similar) with a ceramic holder preferably.

 

[KevinGG]

So before i found this site I went to pet smart and a gal there helped me try and get everything i need. I was doing reading on the lighting and i am worried that i have the wrong light. It is PetSmarts brand for thr light and the heating pad i have is a small one that is stuck to the bottom. I went the cheaper route to get us started because we werent sure we were going to keep her and she was just in an empty tub for 3 days...i was starting to worry.
.View attachment 198181

We don't like to use coil bulbs as some can cause blindness. You need a uvb strip light. The care sheet in my first post will have the proper info.

 

[KevinGG]

Yes, coiled bulbs are very bad. They can damage the eyes as well. You will need an arcadia or reptisun heat/uvb bulb (or something similar) with a ceramic holder preferably.

Box turtles, especially young ones, don't typically bask. They need to stay hydrated. So a mercury vapor bulb, like the reptisun, isn't the best choice. I'd recommend a uvb strip light, and depending on temps in your house, a radiant heat panel connected to a thermostat.

 

[cmacusa3]

So before i found this site I went to pet smart and a gal there helped me try and get everything i need. I was doing reading on the lighting and i am worried that i have the wrong light. It is PetSmarts brand for thr light and the heating pad i have is a small one that is stuck to the bottom. I went the cheaper route to get us started because we werent sure we were going to keep her and she was just in an empty tub for 3 days...i was starting to worry.
.View attachment 198181

if you can get them outside time I would just get a regular 65 watt light bulb and use it. They stay hidden most of the time in brush and overgrowth and do not get a lot of UVB

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

So before i found this site I went to pet smart and a gal there helped me try and get everything i need. I was doing reading on the lighting and i am worried that i have the wrong light. It is PetSmarts brand for thr light and the heating pad i have is a small one that is stuck to the bottom. I went the cheaper route to get us started because we werent sure we were going to keep her and she was just in an empty tub for 3 days...i was starting to worry.
.View attachment 198181

Yup, a strip UVB light might be best.
Definitely not the coiled bulbs.
Pet shops often sell people the wrong stuff.
They're just out to make money and usually know nothing of tortoise/ turtle care.