So frustrated. E. box turtle hasn't eaten in over 2 weeks!
- Thread starter tiffew
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Here's an old thread on here that might give you alittle more insight on heating pads. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beware-of-heating-pads-for-box-turtles.66664/ I would advice to read through it.
Hey if there's real plants he might be eating those
I started a thread about the plants--they are super tiny.
I have a thermoregulator for the heating pad. It was set to 85 until I had a long conversation with the box turtle rehabber last night and she said to turn it down to 80. He never goes on that side of his habitat, however.
I have a thermoregulator for the heating pad. It was set to 85 until I had a long conversation with the box turtle rehabber last night and she said to turn it down to 80. He never goes on that side of his habitat, however.
A. I think your are tweaking this so much its not getting a chance to settle in.
B. Heating pads are not the natural way a turtle gets heat, it comes from above. I don't think a single box turtle owner on this site uses them.
C. If this rehabber and Author know so much why are you asking our advice and then not taking it.
D. put worms and crickets inside that enclosure, he will find them and eat them. Today the new extremely small hatchling, (smaller than a quarter) I have was eating a cricket in his enclosure under a hide.
Please don't take any of that the wrong way, it just seems like you ask us questions and then do what some rehabber and author are telling you. I promise there is a lot of experience here that's been helping you.
Do you have to dig around and mess up the enclosure every time to find him?
B. Heating pads are not the natural way a turtle gets heat, it comes from above. I don't think a single box turtle owner on this site uses them.
C. If this rehabber and Author know so much why are you asking our advice and then not taking it.
D. put worms and crickets inside that enclosure, he will find them and eat them. Today the new extremely small hatchling, (smaller than a quarter) I have was eating a cricket in his enclosure under a hide.
Please don't take any of that the wrong way, it just seems like you ask us questions and then do what some rehabber and author are telling you. I promise there is a lot of experience here that's been helping you.
Do you have to dig around and mess up the enclosure every time to find him?
No offense taken. I only just got the advice to not use a heating pad last evening. The vet told me to use one when we got the turtle, which was why we bought and installed one. I unplugged it after I read the comments to not use it late last night.
I'm asking advice on here because there are so many experienced people here who can help rapidly.
I will keep looking for pill bugs outside and buy some crickets tomorrow.
No we don't have to search for him. He almost always is in the same place and the top of his shell is poking out a little.
We haven't changed anything to his habitat in well over a month. We did take him to my in-laws while we were away on vacation but that is the only change for him since two weeks after we got him when we moved him into this smaller container. Is it a bad idea to move him into something bigger because he is stressed?
Should we stop picking him up to soak him and just leave him be since his moss is soggy and he has a water dish?
I appreciate all the help and am not trying to be annoying to anyone. I have been following advice.
I'm asking advice on here because there are so many experienced people here who can help rapidly.
I will keep looking for pill bugs outside and buy some crickets tomorrow.
No we don't have to search for him. He almost always is in the same place and the top of his shell is poking out a little.
We haven't changed anything to his habitat in well over a month. We did take him to my in-laws while we were away on vacation but that is the only change for him since two weeks after we got him when we moved him into this smaller container. Is it a bad idea to move him into something bigger because he is stressed?
Should we stop picking him up to soak him and just leave him be since his moss is soggy and he has a water dish?
I appreciate all the help and am not trying to be annoying to anyone. I have been following advice.
I personally think handling him for soaks is good because, he will start to understand you aren't a predator.
Nobody is annoyed, we want to help you with your frustrations.
When I put crickets in I remove the large legs, it makes it much easier for them to hunt them down and eat. Just leave them in the enclosure and don't worry about looking for them. If the turtle is still pooping some during soaks its eating.
Nobody is annoyed, we want to help you with your frustrations.
When I put crickets in I remove the large legs, it makes it much easier for them to hunt them down and eat. Just leave them in the enclosure and don't worry about looking for them. If the turtle is still pooping some during soaks its eating.
The pill bugs are a great idea if your yard is not treated. Boxies love them and they are quite nutritious!
It's hard to tell the size of that tub but it looks larger than 7 by 14 inches. It looks great with all those plants. A boxie would love all that cover!
It's hard to tell the size of that tub but it looks larger than 7 by 14 inches. It looks great with all those plants. A boxie would love all that cover!
Well our son broke the long legs off a small one and our turtle stared at it for a long time before going in his shell. Not sure if the cricket is even alive because it hasn't moved at all since we put it in the habitat. We will feed the others we bought and put them in the habitat tomorrow.
Tonight he didn't crawl under the moss to go to sleep. I hear if they stay on the surface it's because something is wrong as it's their instinct as babies to bury themselves. Is this true that sleeping in wide open (he is on top of his greenery) is a bad sign?
Just don't leave live crickets to roam loose in the enclosure please.
Yeah I would like to know too? It doesn't hurt a thing, Been doing it for years. It's perfectly fine to put 4-5 in there with the back legs pulled off and leave them in there.
Why Lisa? I do it all the time NEVER an issue. It helps them develop hunting instincts. I have in the neighborhood of 25 turtles and several have been raised from very small size and not once has that been an issue. Even been captive they need to hunt, when they go outside they will have plenty of bigger bugs in the outside enclosure
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I had a few loose crickets turn into a few too many, seemingly over night. They killed and partially ate a Jacksons Chameleon.
Removing the long legs first might have helped. I did not.
tiffew, please don't be upset by this. I'm just relating my experience with crickets "gone wild".
I assume @lisa127 is warning about something similar?
I knew someone who had a hatchling nibbled on by crickets so I won't do it. I do however leave worms and pillbugs loose in the enclosure. Just never crickets, mealworms, or superworms.
She is of course free to do what she wants. But I recommend leaving worms loose in the enclosure over crickets.
