If You Own A Box Turtle...

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

Hey all, if you own a box turtle, I have a few questions for you.
First, can you post a pic of your boxie?
Second, why did you choose a box turtle?
Third, are they very friendly?
Fourth, would housing and feeding be about the same for a tortoise?
I'm curious about getting one in the future. I will probably look up practical stuff later, but for now, I really just want to know why you love your boxies and if they are more sociable than tortoises!

(Not to mention I just love seeing pictures of turtles and tortoises).

cmacusa3 · Jan 24, 2017

Ginger you can't go wrong with a box turtle, I have ornates and 3 toed.

1. Pics, I have a ton posted in the box turtle section
2. Box turtles are everywhere here, so as a kid growing up in the country I always had them and continued that as an adult
3. Yes most are very friendly, My 3 toed are very laid back, they aren't aggressive and shy at all. a few of my ornates are a little more aggressive but they are still my favorite.
4. Yes housing can be the same but these guys love to walk around and be adventurous and so to me, they are better off outside.

I can sit outside by my enclosures for hours and just watch them.

Yvonne G · Jan 24, 2017

I just love how they look at me when I'm near their yard. They stretch their neck way up and just watch to see if the food goddess is going to drop a tasty morsel in front of them. I have a bunch of three toe box turtles because that's what mostly gets turned in to the Rescue here. I just put them all in my three toe enclosure. Doesn't matter if it's a new-to-me turtle or not. They see me and they stretch their neck to watch me.

Right now I have several younger ones in the house and they're the same. They scramble over to the side closest to where they see me and try to climb up to reach me. Actually, they act like they're starving to death, and aren't the least bit afraid of me.

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

cmac3 said:
Ginger you can't go wrong with a box turtle, I have ornates and 3 toed.

1. Pics, I have a ton posted in the box turtle section
2. Box turtles are everywhere here, so as a kid growing up in the country I always had them and continued that as an adult
3. Yes most are very friendly, My 3 toed are very laid back, they aren't aggressive and shy at all. a few of my ornates are a little more aggressive but they are still my favorite.
4. Yes housing can be the same but these guys love to walk around and be adventurous and so to me, they are better off outside.

I can sit outside by my enclosures for hours and just watch them.

This might sound stupid, but I didn't even know there was a box turtle section on this forum!! Ahem... anyways, would you suggest getting a three-toed box turtle rather than an ornate one? Don't worry, I'm not about to do anything rash and get one right away, but I just want to learn more about them. I was assuming Florida would be a good place to keep boxies, but I've never seen one here... so maybe not?

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

Yvonne G said:
I just love how they look at me when I'm near their yard. They stretch their neck way up and just watch to see if the food goddess is going to drop a tasty morsel in front of them. I have a bunch of three toe box turtles because that's what mostly gets turned in to the Rescue here. I just put them all in my three toe enclosure. Doesn't matter if it's a new-to-me turtle or not. They see me and they stretch their neck to watch me.

Right now I have several younger ones in the house and they're the same. They scramble over to the side closest to where they see me and try to climb up to reach me. Actually, they act like they're starving to death, and aren't the least bit afraid of me.

View attachment 197852

They sound so cute!!!!!!!!!!!! So you can house boxies together? Is it better for them to have "friends" rather than to get just one?

cmacusa3 · Jan 24, 2017

GingerLove said:
This might sound stupid, but I didn't even know there was a box turtle section on this forum!! Ahem... anyways, would you suggest getting a three-toed box turtle rather than an ornate one? Don't worry, I'm not about to do anything rash and get one right away, but I just want to learn more about them. I was assuming Florida would be a good place to keep boxies, but I've never seen one here... so maybe not?

Florida has some really cool box turtles with great colors. I would say research the box turtles in your area and you will be pleasantly surprised

If I was choosing one on personality alone then yes I would go for 3 toed.

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

cmac3 said:
Florida has some really cool box turtles with great colors. I would say research the box turtles in your area and you will be pleasantly surprised

If I was choosing one on personality alone then yes I would go for 3 toed.

Wow! So cute! Is this an ornate?

cmacusa3 · Jan 24, 2017

Big Ol Tortoise · Jan 24, 2017

Very friendly

ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1485290998.732725.jpg

I've had here my whole life I didn't really choose.

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

How long do they live? Looks like a sweetheart! So they like they're soakings.

Yvonne G · Jan 24, 2017

GingerLove said:
They sound so cute!!!!!!!!!!!! So you can house boxies together? Is it better for them to have "friends" rather than to get just one?

I keep the babies together while in the house. Then when they move outside, their yard is big enough to still keep them together. It's been my experience that they only seem to be aggressive when wanting to breed. However, baby box turtles that aren't well fed tend to eat each other.

PJay · Jan 24, 2017

GingerLove said:
How long do they live? Looks like a sweetheart! So they like they're soakings.

They live somewhere between 50 and a 100 years depending on who you ask. They REALLY love soakings and if provided with a pond outside will use it regularly. Here's a picture of one of my eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina). She decided to lean her head against the side of her tub while she napped.

cmacusa3 · Jan 24, 2017

PJay said:
They live somewhere between 50 and a 100 years depending on who you ask. They REALLY love soakings and if provided with a pond outside will use it regularly. Here's a picture of one of my eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina). She decided to lean her head against the side of her tub while she napped.
View attachment 197889

Pjay you need to breed some easterns so I can get one. That's a beautiful turtle.

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

Yvonne G said:
I keep the babies together while in the house. Then when they move outside, their yard is big enough to still keep them together. It's been my experience that they only seem to be aggressive when wanting to breed. However, baby box turtles that aren't well fed tend to eat each other.

Uh... what?!!!

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

PJay said:
They live somewhere between 50 and a 100 years depending on who you ask. They REALLY love soakings and if provided with a pond outside will use it regularly. Here's a picture of one of my eastern box turtles (terrapene carolina carolina). She decided to lean her head against the side of her tub while she napped.
View attachment 197889

Wow, so beautiful and so cute! They can't swim, though, right? And one more novice question... what if a box turtle flips upside down? Will it survive like a tortoise?

GingerLove · Jan 24, 2017

Oh, and do boxies like bark-like stuff or is coconut coir okay? Do they dig?

PJay · Jan 24, 2017

cmac3 said:
Pjay you need to breed some easterns so I can get one. That's a beautiful turtle.

Read in thick NYC mafia accent: "I know a guy. He's working on it."

cmacusa3 · Jan 24, 2017

PJay said:
Read in thick NYC mafia accent: "I know a guy. He's working on it." View attachment 197900

In an Oklahoma redneck slang "Yeah Buddy"

lisa127 · Jan 24, 2017

These are my box turtles. The top one is Peanut, a 3 toed/gulf coast integrade. On bottom is Mr. Pebbles, a 3 toed. Box turtles are my absolute favorite. Mine are very outgoing and friendly. If i had to choose only one species, I'd choose them over any tortoise. They are so much fun.

ColleenT · Jan 25, 2017

actually, they do enjoy swimming. And they should have access to water so they can soak. This is Wolowitz and Bernadette, bith are 3-toeds. i like the three-toeds bc they are smaller than other types. all boxies need a LOT of room.

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