Box Turtle and Tortoise Discussion :: New baby BOXIE!

[notoch351]

Hey, I got a new baby 3 Toed box turtle a few days ago off my local classifieds, But don’t worry I have done my research. He is really active and loves to move around. Heres my questions, For those who feed live do you keep a stock of live foods where and how do you keep them? And do you ever get bugs in your substrate?



I'll try to post pictures of the setup ASAP.
Thanks.

[RESnTX]

Congrats on your new baby! He's really cute!

[Terryo]

I keep earth worms in a bucket filled with soil and leaf litter, and covered with plastic wrap. Butter worms in the refrigerator. Red wigglers in an indoor compost bin. Most can be kept in the refrigerator.
I use a mixture of soil, Forest Floor, by zoo med, and lots of leaf litter for substrate. I put plants in there for humidity and in the hide I put long fibered moss to hold humidity. I never had a problem with bugs, but I do throw in some worms that she can dig for herself. I just try to make it as natural as it would be for her in the wild.

[notoch351]

Thanks! For substrate, I luckly found a bag of %100 organic soil with a mix of sand and sphagnum moss (least thats what the bag says) in my shed. So im hoping it will be alright I have also added losts of leafs from outside(This ok?).

But I'm having trouble keeping the tempature and humidity up if I have a basking light everything dry's out fast but if I dont the tank get's lower than 70C. I'll try adding some plants and maybe a sponge somewhere where he cant get at it.

[Terryo]

In the wild a baby boxie spends all of his time hiding in the leaf litter in the woods. The only sunlight that it receives is filtered through the trees. I keep a screen on top of the vivarium, and on top of that a long tube 10.0 UVB light. It isn't as bright as a bulb, and she still gets the benefit of the UVB. I also put plants in the viv, which holds the humidity really well. On top of the substrate I put green reptile moss that also holds humidity. I collect bags of dried leaves in the fall, and keep a big bag in my garage and take them as needed. This way there is always a lot of leaf litter in the viv. All these things help to keep the vivarium looking natural. Post a picture of her enclosure if you can.

[untsmurf]

Sooooo cute!

[pajamatree]

I was thinking about getting a tortoise.
They're so freaking adorable! I love the eyes.

[zoologist]

very cute boxie!

i don't feed live foods. i use zoomed can o' worms/crickets and i feed them rep-cal box turtle food soaked in tuna juice to entice them, and calcium coated blood worms.

i keep the humidity up by covering half of the enclosure with a lid of some sort. that and i mist on a daily basis

[turtlelover818]

cute

[notoch351]

I'll post pictures of the enclosure as soon as I can although it's very temporary, He’s in a 30 gallon with the sides covered and 5in in the front so he cant see out, I ordered some corkbark and moss an some other stuff a few days ago so I'm looking forward to that. I've seen him eat some turtle pellets but that’s about it. I'm going to pick up some LIVE worms or crickets today. Overall, he's doing pretty good.

[notoch351]

Oh and another question, I'm already planing his new setup would 48" x 18" be acceptable for an adult? I know bigger is always better and I’m a little on the small side but do you think it would be ok?

Thanks again.

[PcBuilder14]

Ideal is 48" x 48" I think, so I think that would be good for right now at least.

[notoch351]

I found this at ATP eastern box turrtle caresheet:
"Minimal size of the enclosure should be 36 inches long and 12 inches wide for one box turtle. Remember, bigger is always better."
I understand it's MINIMAL, and this size may be ment for younger turtles?

So, is 48"x12" all that bad?
I guess I'll, look into something bigger.

Thanks.

[zoologist]

general rule for a home for an adult boxie is 4' x 4'

[PcBuilder14]

48 x 12 is good eough i think