Box Turtle and Tortoise Discussion :: eastern box turtle

[Starchick]

Okay, so in our exploration of land-based turtles launched by interest in sulcatas, we've come across red footed tortoises, russian tortoises, an asian box turtle (with mbd and a collapsed shell ) and hermanns tortoises. We've been talking about it in sort of a general way, collecting info a little at a time and figuring which kinds we could handle if we found one for sale.

Well, I happened to remember that my friend's mother offered me a pair of box turtles a while back. She's a turtle rehabilitator, and needs to rehome these guys. We need to make a decision by Tuesday, because my friend will be driving here for the last time before heading down to Florida for a 3 month internship. Otherwise we'd be looking at 8 hours in the car to pick the turtle up.

First thing, eastern box turtles are protected, and are illegal to keep as pets, at least in new york. I'm told it's not really enforced, and I'm assuming that since they've been in captivity for quite some time being rehabbed, it would be illegal to release them anyway. But I want to be sure that I'll be able to get them veterinary care if necessary.

I've been reading as much as I can, but certain things are confusing me, like how to deal with the substrate, how do you keep it clean? How do you keep it moist inside the habitat? I keep finding lists of foods that are good, but not really any proportions, so I'm not sure how much to feed and how much of what.

EDIT: Just read on anapsid.org that box turtles will require a heating pad under the tank as well as a basking spot. I plan on using a rubbermaid container, will such a pad damage it? What alternatives do I have? It also talks about heating the water pan, but doesn't really say what the temperature should be.

If those of you with box turtles could please advise me, I would be really grateful, and I'd appreciate any links or other resources you could point me to!

[jenaero]

Here's a good care sheet from ATP
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/c ... nboxie.htm


DO NOT use any kind of heating pad! Whoever said that was just plain wrong. Box turtles burrow to keep cool, not to heat up. Heating from underneath just isn't natural and can be dangerous.

The care sheet above will give you the diet, habitat and temp info. As far as how much to feed, box turtles generally won't over-eat like RES. When feeding worms, I'll give them each one large earthworm and they'll finish it, or not. (My turtles are less than 2 years old, so still small). On days I'm serving fruit or anything I'll just slap it on the plate and they eat as much or as little as they want.

Don't heat the water dish either. I use cool/lukewarm tap water and it will cool over the course of the day but my boxies don't care.

As far as cleaning, I remove poop and uneaten food daily. A lot of time they'll poop in the water dish so keep an eye out for that. I'll do a complete change of substrate maybe every 4 or 5 months unless I have a bug problem. Every month or so I top up the soil and mix it up a bit to freshen things. You can control the humidity with daily misting of the enclosure. I like to turn the soil and moisten it when I top it up so it boosts the humidity for a few days.

For substrate I use a mix of plain potting soil, sphagnum moss and bed-a-beast.

[Starchick]

Jenaero, thank you so much! I'm leaving the decision up to Michael at this point, since if we take one it will be living with him and he'll be responsible for the day to day care, but I'm feeling much better that we can handle it!

On turtleforum.com I was told that I should aquire a license to have an eastern box turtle in new york state. I looked around and it seems that licenses are only granted for educational purposes. Anyone know if that's truly the case? I'd love to be a legal owner, but I did call my vet and confirmed that he's willing to treat it and I won't get into trouble for bringing it in.

[Starchick]

Update!

I spoke to the rehabilitator tonight, and found out that she would prefer that we adopt the boxies as a pair. Apparently they get along well and are buddies.

They are 'special needs' turtles, and cannot be released. They were hatched in captivity and both had birth defects, one missing an eye and one missing some claws on his front feet. However she said that they are both otherwise healthy and that the defects don't cause them any discomfort or require special care.

They're about 3 years old and are each around 3 inches, so on the small side. She told me that the 50 gallon rubbermaid I was planning for one turtle is actually what she has them both in now, and that they aren't likely to outgrow it. We also found out that her son will be in new york an extra week, so we have the weekend to get the habitat together.

I'm actually really excited, she said they're very cute and very healthy other than their disabilities, and that they should thrive under normal, proper care. I have to email her tonight and she's going to send me some pictures, as well as the names of other rehabbers in my area, so I will post those when I get them!

[DavidY]

Can't wait to see pics!

[SpotsMama]

How neat! I can't wait to see the pics either! Are they still growing? How big will they be when they are grown?

[Starchick]

She said they'd probably keep growing for another few years, but she'd be surprised if they surpassed 5 inches. Now I'm really curious to see them because the stuff I've read says that box turtles don't develop the hinge in their shell until around 4 years old, so I'm wondering what stage that it's at with these guys!

[jenaero]

I can't be of any help with the legalities But I think it's a safe bet that if you had to get them veterinary care, that the vet wouldn't turn you in or anything. I'd make it clear that they were captive hatched/raised. Maybe make a few anonymous calls to vets in the area asking if they treat eastern boxies.

With 2 turtles, eventually they should have at least a 4x4 pen. I suspect that with the proper care/diet they'll grow just like any other boxies.

I have two 3toed box turtles. They're not quite 2 years old and one has had his hinge since he was about a year old. The other suffered inadequate care at a pet store for the first 8 months of his life and has yet to develop his hinge.

[kmichael55]

Sounds very exciting! I would love to have a box turtle and it's great you are getting "special needs" turtles! can't wait to see pictures of the little guys

[marisa]

Why don't you ask your friend who's the rehabilitator about the legalities and any problems getting medical care for them? Since they were hatched in captivity and have medical problems, though, I really don't see an issue here.

You're doing a very nice thing, adopting them.

[Starchick]

Got the pictures today! I guess she thought about it overnight, and decided that the one with the deformed claws may turn out to have genetic issues that would cause problems down the line, and that it's very shy, so she's going to keep that one. But she says that she thinks we'll really like the one eyed guy, and I have some pics of him/her! I misunderstood her on the phone, his eye isn't missing, but one eye is smaller and he does not see out of it. And I'm not too concerned about the legality anymore, knowing that there's a legitimate reason that it can't be released, ever, and knowing that I have my vet's agreement to treat him if necessary. And also, the rehabber said that if we ever run into problems, and can't care for it anymore, she'll just take it back, which is a nice assurance, knowing that we're not on our own. Anyway, here's the pics!

Look at that mug!

[jenaero]

What a little sweetums.. Got a name in mind?

[Starchick]

Nope, not yet. It's still too soon to tell if it's male or female, and we'll probably wait to meet it before choosing a name. And I'll probably have to let Michael name this one, since I didn't let him name Hercules 'Bowser'.

[jenaero]

Seems odd to me that he's that big and still hasn't got a hinge.... Mine can close right up.

He's a cutie tho. Maybe name him somethin weird because of his lazy eye?

[DavidY]

He/She's a cutie! The markings on the shell are really nice too. I've seen pics of Eastern Boxies before that looked really drab or faded. Isn't that the hinge going across his plastron where the person's thumb is in the first pic?