Tortoise house for boxies?

[Elliriyanna]

I am considering 1-2 3-toed box turtles from a friend. They would be hatchlings so they will be inside for the first year and brought in at night and in the winter once they are older. yess I know at night is odd.

this enclosure is 2ftx3 ft http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00167S5EY/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

How long would this enclosure be ok for? I am planning a large outdoor pen. But this still needs to be a suitable actual habitat for a while. since they will be wintering in it. I am thinking I will have to upgrade in time.

 

[StarSapphire22]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/boxie-hatchling-care.95351/

Boxies need wetness and humidity, especially as hatchlings. Wooden, open topped enclosures do not facilitate this. Check out the thread above.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Ok well what about for an older animal? I can of course do a humid hide instead of the built in hide. I am more worried about size. IMO everything else can be fixed with some rigging.

the only other option is a tank ... I have spare tanks and I can easily cover the sides but that wont be good long term. i would like to figure out an adult enclosure before i even get the babies.

 

[Elliriyanna]

I would love if someone could point me to a dependable care sheet rather than a thread. every care sheet is different it seems and I dont want to waste time with bad information.

 

[lisa127]

The tanks you have would work better for humidity and temps than the tortoise house while they are babies. Or you can use a 55 gallon Rubbermaid tote. I used those and covered the open part of the top with a clear shower curtain from the dollar store to hold in heat and humidity. I still have a 3 year old in one of those, though it is time to look for something larger. My other boxie is pretty big so I took an old dresser and laid it on it's back after taking out the draws and ribs. I put a tarp cut to fit on the bottom and that became her enclosure. The Rubbermaid tote does hold humidity and temps better than the wooden dresser enclosure though I will say.

As for bad information, I really don't think you will find bad information as to boxie care on Tortoise Forum. Enclosure size for one adult boxie should be a minimum of 9 square feet and for two a minimum of 12 square feet.

 

[Elliriyanna]

There is a LOT of bad information on the internet.

I think I can do a nice 12 sq ft enclosure once they are grown. I can certainly do one outside. I would like to do a 8 ft x 8 ft daytime outdoor pen For absolute safety they would come in at night.

How long could they live in a 50 gallon rubbermaid before upgrading? I am trying to get everything straight.

i would like to get two, No they don't need company but in case I ever want a community I would feel safer with turtles who have always been with others.

My current goals ... help Ollie with his shell rot ( he is a new adoption) get Nemo an upgrade And then look at if I am ready for baby boxies in the fall.

 

[lisa127]

I know there is a lot of bad info. on the internet. What I meant is on this forum, Tortoise Forum, no one is going to give you bad information. It's really hard to say how long they can live in the 50 gallon Rubbermaid. Growth rate on babies varies so much. Yeah, for outside you would want to go big like you mentioned. For an indoor enclosure is where I was saying a minimum of 12 square feet, but bigger of course is always better.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Does anyone have caresheets they recommend? Its ... Difficult.

I have a 12 sq ft rat cage ... But thats 2 ft tall ... I am assuming you cant do levels with boxies.

I try to do a lot of research before I get anything. So a few months is not a long time for me.

 

[StarSapphire22]

If you go through the thread I linked you, many members share how they keep boxie hatchlings.

 

[Elliriyanna]

like I said I would prefer caresheets not threads to sort through. I appreciate it but ... I just cant. I have also contacted the person I would be getting them from.

Just a simple caresheet on diet, enclosure etc.. I have always refered to ATP but they do not have a hatchling care sheet.

 

[StarSapphire22]

like I said I would prefer caresheets not threads to sort through. I appreciate it but ... I just cant. I have also contacted the person I would be getting them from.

Just a simple caresheet on diet, enclosure etc.. I have always refered to ATP but they do not have a hatchling care sheet.

Well, as someone also getting boxie hatchlings in about a month, and who has been preparing for almost two months (eggs are incubating still), let me tell you I found absolutely no helpful baby care sheets, after extensive searching everywhere. That thread taught me more in a few days then I learned in weeks.

Care sheets take time and effort to write. A care sheet offers one persons opinion. What works for that person, may not work for you. That thread has multiple mini care sheets and methods used. If you really want to do your research and prepare for a lifelong companion, and raise it through its most crucial and fragile stage, I'm not sure why reading a discussion between experienced keepers would deter you from learning.

 

[lynnedit]

You have posted on a lot of forums. And I think you have received basically good information that you can synthesize into good enclosures.
No one can predict the future about how quickly your boxie hatchlings will grow. It depends on too many conditions.

Look at the links provided; they are good ones. Look at Terryo's enclosures for boxie hatchlings (in an Xmas tree storage container) and aquariums (she has been doing this for 30 years and provides very specific information about how she keeps her hatchlings), and her outside enclosures for larger box turtles. There are several other extremely knowledgable box turtle owners who have posted threads about their enclosures.
This is a link to Joe Heinen's site; he has also raised box turtles for years.
http://aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_hatchling_care.htm

An outside enclosure with more than one box turtle should be larger than 8'x8'. They say at least 4'x4' for each box turtle, but that is a bare minimum.

 

[Elliriyanna]

I am just going to go with the breeders information, if I can get ahold of her. Sorting through opinions is more confusing than helpful.

 

[Elliriyanna]

very very stressed at the moment ... Just let me ... figure this out. I feel like I am going in circles.

 

[lynnedit]

Sorry you are stressed out! Take a couple of days. There is a tremendous amount of information.

When you catch your breath, I have found this thread very helpful, specifically post #74 on the 4th page.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/boxie-hatchling-care.95351/page-4

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Google Tess Cook box turtles. She has an online book that is very good. Read a chapter at a time in whatever order you prefer. You won't absorb everything at once, so be prepared to reread at intervals.

Breathe.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Thank you ... I am trying to approach this from a different angle ... I have time I don't need to stress ... plus my instincts have not led me wrong with Nemo and Ollie ... I should trust that.

 

[Tom]

I would not get a pair. If you want more than one get at least three. Pairs dynamics in chelonians often leads to major problems.

About the rest of this thread: Learning how to care for these animals is not as simple as reading a page and thats that. It takes many years of keeping them yourself to learn and understand many of the subtleties that some of the care sheet writers explain in their pages. You ought to read all the info you can find, take your time, consider it all, ask lots of questions and then give it your first attempt. You will likely make mistakes as you learn and progress, but good for you for doing all you can to minimize the learning curve.

Keep in mind that everyone has different goals, different levels of experience and vastly different housing situations and climates. All this and more will influence an individuals opinions and preferences on how they should be housed. Just take it all in. Its all part of a big picture that will take a while for you to fully grasp. Sorting through opinions, and actually doing it yourself, is really the only way to "get there". I find it helpful to look for a person who is achieving the level of success and has the same goals I wish to attain, and imitate the way they do it as best I can.

Keep in mind that when you find the care sheet you seek, it is just one person's opinion, and whatever is working for them where ever they are, might not work as well for you, where ever you are. This is why it is sometimes good to have tips and info from many sources. But to contradict my own statement, it can often lead to problems when following multiple bits of advice from multiple sources. Understanding how your particular species lives in the wild will also offer helpful clues about how to house them in you captive environment.

Asking your breeder is also a good plan in most cases.

Good luck. I hope you can sort it all out with minimal frustration.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Thank you. I think ... If I can just get space, humidity and diet ... I can do this. Those are the basics that I myself need to get a grasp on. I know my climate is only ideal for the EBT but state law makes it very difficult to keep one here.

I am probably over stressing myself honestly. I know how easterns stay here ... yes 3 toed will be different but the basics like cover, hides, water dishes ... will be the same.

when I say a pair ... I mean two .. like two females. I will not be getting any males, if that was the concern. I know how males can be with females. if she incubates for males then I will get only one. It depends what the breeder incubates for

This breeder really isnt a breeder ... more of ... she lets nature take its course and incubates if they happen to lay, she is well respected and well versed in boxie care?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

It would help to know where you are for advice because climate variations might matter.

As far as humidity goes, here are some tips. They like rain. You can make it rain by misting them or using a watering can with a rosette.

If you think of the habitat & substrate as forest floor/ germinating bed it helps. Damp enough for seeds to sprout & grow, but not wet. Rich enough to support worms & bug life.

Expect babies to hide. They also need a lot of moisture. Some people raise them as semi aquatic, tilting the habitat to provide a shallow water end.