Tabron3208
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Please help me figure out what kind of turtle I have
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it's an eastern box turtle ….. he/she needs some better care , there are a lot of people here that keep them …… wetter habitat and better diet appear to be two things , the information is here ……..
here's what they look like , shell shape , beak and nails when they live outside with a natural diet …i'd think you can see the difference ? you can turn your guy around with good care .. it takes some skill to raise them inside like this , but it's doable , the info is available here …… you can see all 3 of these are wet , I just went out and picked them up , eastern box turtles like wet …… good luck
this is 5-7yrs old
these are 2-3yr olds
here's what they look like , shell shape , beak and nails when they live outside with a natural diet …i'd think you can see the difference ? you can turn your guy around with good care .. it takes some skill to raise them inside like this , but it's doable , the info is available here …… you can see all 3 of these are wet , I just went out and picked them up , eastern box turtles like wet …… good luck
this is 5-7yrs old
these are 2-3yr olds
Hi and welcome!
Your young eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is just starting to suffer from the effects of not having UVB and vitamin d3. It starts with the toenails. Notice your baby's long toenails.
Do you feed him animal protein? Is he indoors or outside?
Your young eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is just starting to suffer from the effects of not having UVB and vitamin d3. It starts with the toenails. Notice your baby's long toenails.
Do you feed him animal protein? Is he indoors or outside?
Tabron3208
New Member
Hi, I just got her yesterday and friend gave her to me who had been care of her. They gave me all there supplies which included a lamp that I think needs a different bulb but I dont know what kind, and Aspen bedding, crickets, worms, and fruit. I really need help I want to be able to care for it and make sure its healthy just dont where to start. This is the cage its in
Tabron3208
New Member
Hi, please have the money and the means to take care of her I just dont know how and what I should get if there is advice you have I would really appreciate it
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The turtle will do much better, health-wise and mentally, if it's set up in an outdoor pen. Something like this:
or something like this:
If you're really dedicated to keeping it indoors, then get something twice as large as that aquarium. Then you'll need a GOOD UVB light:
Or this kind:
Instead of wood trimmings, since they like to bury in dirt, it would be better to replace the substrate with dirt or coco coir, and keep it moist.
For water, you can use either a paint tray or a clay saucer:
These are sunk down into the substrate so the turtle doesn't have to climb to get in.
Put quite a few plants around in the enclosure. It helps them to feel safe, plus it helps to keep up the humidity in the enclosure. He'll also need a couple of hiding places:
I like to use a tile to place the food on:
Then when you have it all set up, cover the whole thing to keep the warm, moist air inside.
or something like this:
If you're really dedicated to keeping it indoors, then get something twice as large as that aquarium. Then you'll need a GOOD UVB light:
Or this kind:
Instead of wood trimmings, since they like to bury in dirt, it would be better to replace the substrate with dirt or coco coir, and keep it moist.
For water, you can use either a paint tray or a clay saucer:
These are sunk down into the substrate so the turtle doesn't have to climb to get in.
Put quite a few plants around in the enclosure. It helps them to feel safe, plus it helps to keep up the humidity in the enclosure. He'll also need a couple of hiding places:
I like to use a tile to place the food on:
Then when you have it all set up, cover the whole thing to keep the warm, moist air inside.
Tabron3208
New Member
Thank you! Do you know how often I should be feeding her and how much? Also what kind of water should she be in? Whenever I put her in water she just wants get out
If you have a big enough waterer, she can get into it as she feels the need.
I feed every day. Here's a link showing what to feed your new turtle:
http://boxturtlesite.info/diet.HTML
I feed every day. Here's a link showing what to feed your new turtle:
http://boxturtlesite.info/diet.HTML
Yvonne raises them , and provided good information ...….worms is good food for her … sweet potatoes , I put out softened hikari cichlid food and kenzen koi food for them , strawberries , blueberries , bil jac dog food , tomatoes , mulberries , bananas , frozen pinkie and fuzzy mice , squash , mine have access to whatever weeds grow here , dandelion , plantain , rose of Sharon and wild grape , never seen them eating weeds , but I hear they do and they have access to plenty , whatever bugs they may find , once in a while beef liver , and occasionally minnows … do you have a yard ? a proper outdoor enclosure is the easiest way to care for her , you live well within her range , with proper care your year around weather is perfect for her ……… inside you'll need some stuff like Yvonne posted ……. outside make sure the enclosure walls go 4-6" into the ground is 2x the length of the turtle in height with a slight overhang on the top , and something to protect her from dogs and anything you got there that can carry her off ……….
I am so glad they gave her to you. I think you will do a much better job. Here is what I built for my Russian tortoise. I think it could work for you too but with a bigger water area. It has a lid on top. We added an extension yesterday but haven’t finished it. We attached wire on the bottom to keep him from digging out and escaping and then put lots of dirt on top so he can still dig, but not get out. Keep us posted on your improvements and welcome to the forum.
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Tabron3208
New Member
Thank you! I'm afraid I will have to keep her inside, bc it's getting cold soon and theres dogs in my neighborhood. But I've done a lot of research today and im buying a huge container then going to fill it with the right kind of dirt and give her a larger water area that she doesn't have to climb into, and if course a lamp that provides the light she needs, I also want to get her more hiding spots than just the one leg. I take her outside for about 30 minutes 2x a day, but if there is anything else you guys think would help PLEASE let me know, I dont know much about turtles but I want to get her as healthy as she can be.
ColleenT
Well-Known Member
Yes, she needs moist bedding, not dry. Good luck.
Tabron3208
New Member
[QUOTE="TammyJ, post: 1656320, member: 89776"
Will her nails get shorter as she gets healthy, should I just leave them alone or do something there very long so sometimes when she going in her shell I see her struggle for a second to get her nails in
Will her nails get shorter as she gets healthy, should I just leave them alone or do something there very long so sometimes when she going in her shell I see her struggle for a second to get her nails in
No, you'll need to clip them eventually. You can wait a while.
Tabron3208
New Member
Will it hurt her?
It shouldn’t as long as you don’t cut to the quick. It will bleed if you do.
Sounds like you are on the right track. Doing research, discovering the turtles needs, and willing to invest in the infrastructure to provide them. The nails can wait, get everything else right first.
Tabron3208
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