Baby Eastern Box

josh keffer

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Oct 20, 2016
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Hello everyone,

So this is my first post on here, i've been visiting this site for help and advice on a box turtle i've found. I work in a medical office and behind my office was a wooded area that has been demolished to make room for an apartment complex. Since the destruction of the woods there have been a few box turtles we've seen all deceased but one. The one i found was found in the middle of the parking lot, I don't normally take wild creatures from there natural habitat unless it's justified. So i picked him up and took him out of the parking lot i had no where else to put him/her so i put her/him in a box and took um home. Right now i have him/her in a 40g breeeder tank 36 x 18 x 17 until i get the time to build a table. I went and bought calcium powder and a UVB bulb/ light fixture. The only thing i've been able to get um to eat is worms and crickets. No fruit or veggies and i've bought everything from lettuce to green beans and apples to berries. I'm concerned with there hibernation schedule. If he/she don't hibernate will it affect their health? I have um inside because i don't have a grassy yard it's all cement and i don't trust putting um out front for the fact that he/she may get stolen, injured or worse killed. I've been reading a lot of information but there is no better information then someone who's experienced how to care for them there self. I'm not sure how old he/she is but it's tiny, Not newly hatched tiny but not grown either. so i welcome any advice you wish to give. I live in MD and winter is coming, it's going to start getting cold and i want to make sure i have everything just right for proper growth and care. 20161018_190317.jpg 20161018_190302.jpg 20161018_190420.jpg 20161018_190311 (2).jpg 20161018_190430 (1).jpg
 
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Big Ol Tortoise

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Baby box turtles from what I've heard are mainly carnivores then when they get older they start to eat more fruits, vegies,and less protein
 

Yvonne G

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One would think the indigenous animals would be a concern when doing an environmental impact study. Maybe your politicians don't care about the native animals. So sad about the others you saw being dead. Glad you took this one in, but even though I think you did the right thing, is it legal in your state to take them in?

Here's a link to a good care sheet:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-care-sheet.93937/
 

josh keffer

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One would think the indigenous animals would be a concern when doing an environmental impact study. Maybe your politicians don't care about the native animals. So sad about the others you saw being dead. Glad you took this one in, but even though I think you did the right thing, is it legal in your state to take them in?

Here's a link to a good care sheet:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-care-sheet.93937/
To be honest, i wasn't even thinking about it being legal or not when i did take him in, I'll do some research on that later this afternoon.
 

josh keffer

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To be honest, i wasn't even thinking about it being legal or not when i did take him in, I'll do some research on that later this afternoon.


From what ive been reading its not illegal only need a permit if you have more then one.
 

josh keffer

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Here are some more photos of Brayden ( my 5 year old named him) lol.
Is there anyway anyone can give me a estimate of an approximate age?
Also is it normal when they soak to put his head under the water and walk around?
How oftern should he be eating? Yesterday i put about a half a dozen of live crickets in the cage and he ate them all plus a few worms. I dont want him to starve so i dropped a few more worms in there for him to dig up and eat when hes hungry as well as more crickets ( dustused with calcium powder) im doing my best to make him happy and i feel like hes just so stressed out and unhappy. Any suggestions are welcomed. I really want him to thrive and be happy and healthy
 

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PJay

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Welcome to the forum Josh! You are a box turtle hero for taking this poor fellow who lost his home. Assuming the hand in the picture is of average size, I would guess that turtle to be three years old based on its size. My box turtles walk around with their heads under water all the time. I assume they are looking for morsels of food. That turtle is probably a little stressed considering the upheaval in its world recently, but if it's eating, it's nothing too severe. I've cared for turtles taken from the wild that wouldn't eat for several weeks. Try strawberries, blackberries and blueberries for fruit, they also lIke thawed frozen mango. I haven't had much success with greens so I buy a small tub of superworms and put spring mix on top and put the lid back on. The superworms will eat the spring mix and then the turtles eat the superworms.
 

josh keffer

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Welcome to the forum Josh! You are a box turtle hero for taking this poor fellow who lost his home. Assuming the hand in the picture is of average size, I would guess that turtle to be three years old based on its size. My box turtles walk around with their heads under water all the time. I assume they are looking for morsels of food. That turtle is probably a little stressed considering the upheaval in its world recently, but if it's eating, it's nothing too severe. I've cared for turtles taken from the wild that wouldn't eat for several weeks. Try strawberries, blackberries and blueberries for fruit, they also lIke thawed frozen mango. I haven't had much success with greens so I buy a small tub of superworms and put spring mix on top and put the lid back on. The superworms will eat the spring mix and then the turtles eat the superworms.


Thanks for the idea for the superworms. No hero just didnt want him to parish. Thanks for the advice its great
 

TLWR

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Based on size, I'd say 2-3 years old. I have some babies that were that size when 2 and a couple that are that size at 3.
 

PJay

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That looks good! Do you know what your high and low temps are? It's nice to offer them a temperature gradient where they can go from hot to warm to cool.
 

josh keffer

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That looks good! Do you know what your high and low temps are? It's nice to offer them a temperature gradient where they can go from hot to warm to cool.


I have the left side of the tank set up with a uvb and thats been reading about 74-76 and the right side i have a heat bulb thats readin 86-88
 

josh keffer

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I have the left side of the tank set up with a uvb and thats been reading about 74-76 and the right side i have a heat bulb thats readin 86-88

I plan on adding some more plants. Question. Do i plant the plants in the dirt in the tank or leave them in pots? The few i have ive planted
 
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