Feeding a Gulf Coast Box Turtle

[Chiquita's Mom]

Hi all- I inherited a lovely old female Gulf Coast Box Turtle a few years back. (Herp vet thinks she's at least upwards of 40 years old). We started out in California and moved to Savannah, Georgia a couple of years ago. But upon that move, I'm having a really hard time feeding her something she will actually eat. In California, she ate a lot---to the point of me having to cut back because she was getting fat (seriously, she was squishing out of her shell!). She was eating red wigglers, avocado, snails, grubs, eggs, fruits, veggies, flowers, dandelions, mushrooms, etc. She loved her food! But in 2015 the issues started with her eating, and I had to hand-feed her superworms that I pre-fed carrots, string beans, zucchini, etc...and that's all she would eat! (I still offer other food). Vet said she is in good health and suggested Mazuri turtle food since Gulfies are more carnivorous and spend more time in water than other box turtles, but that didn't work. I've tried all the same standards here (except I can't find snails which is really weird as we live on the edge of a river/swamp so I tried canned). I tried black soldier fly grubs and she turned up her nose at that too. I would think the climate would be perfect to stimulate her appetite---it's super humid here. In both places, we've made a nice outdoor enclosure for her (totally enclosed to keep out predators, shallow pool for soaking, plants for hiding, box with heat element, sun and shade spots, burrowing spots) so I don't think there's a problem there. Does anyone have any suggestions? I read that GCBTs like to nosh on moss as well, does anyone know what type and if this is something I can grow? She came out of hibernation yesterday and I really don't want to resort to superworms again. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[lisa127]

Gulf coasts are my favorite boxies. Specifically the black ones from the Florida panhandle. Your vet is correct, they are a bit more carnivorous than other boxies. Is she refusing big fat nightcrawlers?

I have a 3 toed/gulf coast integrade that looks a bit like your girl.

 

[Chiquita's Mom]

Hey Lisa--- I've never even thought of integrade turtles....is that the same as a hybrid? And I haven't tried nightcrawlers, but I will definitely give them a shot. Going to walk down to the marina right now to see if the bait shop has them =) Thank you for your response!

 

[lisa127]

Hey Lisa--- I've never even thought of integrade turtles....is that the same as a hybrid? And I haven't tried nightcrawlers, but I will definitely give them a shot. Going to walk down to the marina right now to see if the bait shop has them =) Thank you for your response!

Every boxie loves nightcrawlers. And they are so nutritious for them too.

Yes, like a hybrid. Here's my girl.

 

[Chiquita's Mom]

Awww, she's so beautiful- thank you for sharing! Couldn't find the nightcrawlers locally, so I have some coming in the mail next week. Thank you for the tip....fingers are crossed!

 

[lisa127]

Awww, she's so beautiful- thank you for sharing! Couldn't find the nightcrawlers locally, so I have some coming in the mail next week. Thank you for the tip....fingers are crossed!

Pet stores often sell them so you can check there too. Nightcrawlers are much more nutritious than other live feeders and box turtles go crazy for them. Good luck!

 

[cmacusa3]

Dubia Roaches are also great for them.

 

[lisa127]

Dubia Roaches are also great for them.

Yeah, those and crickets are not allowed in my house...LOL.

 

[cmacusa3]

Yeah, those and crickets are not allowed in my house...LOL.

Lol, I don't mind the Dubia but crickets are a no go here.

 

[Chiquita's Mom]

I feed Chiquita in her outdoor enclosure, so I'd be kind of worried about escapees creating a whole new colony of roach out here. Wouldn't the neighbors just love me....as if we don't have enough bugs in the deep south? One time I bought a carton of crickets with the unrealistic thought that perhaps they would stay and breed in her yard and she could hunt them as needed. I dumped them in and she sat there while they crawled all over her and then about 50 lizards came out of nowhere and gulped them all up. It was such a funny sight, it was worth the cost of the crickets. Live and learn!

 

[lisa127]

I feed Chiquita in her outdoor enclosure, so I'd be kind of worried about escapees creating a whole new colony of roach out here. Wouldn't the neighbors just love me....as if we don't have enough bugs in the deep south? One time I bought a carton of crickets with the unrealistic thought that perhaps they would stay and breed in her yard and she could hunt them as needed. I dumped them in and she sat there while they crawled all over her and then about 50 lizards came out of nowhere and gulped them all up. It was such a funny sight, it was worth the cost of the crickets. Live and learn!

I envy you. I live in the cleveland, Ohio area. My box turtles and redfoot have to live indoors for most of the year.

 

[Chiquita's Mom]

Hey Lisa--- Just wanted to finally thank you for the suggestion of nightcrawlers. Chiquita actually returned to hibernation for quite some time after my original post, but she's back up and into her routine this week. She's a shy creature and I feed her under one of those hollowed out half-logs where she feels comfortable (we call it her "carport"). With live food if I pause at all while dishing out the bugs and she has a lull when she's bugless, she backs out and hightails it under a fern for cover and we're done for the day. With the nightcrawlers she waits patiently and expectantly for another and actually starts walking toward me for more. I think we found her new favorite food!!!!! I'm so relieved that she's eating something nutritious. Today I'm going to put them on a bed of chopped up veggies and hope she accidentally ingests some other good-for-her food. We have a winner!

 

[lisa127]

Hey Lisa--- Just wanted to finally thank you for the suggestion of nightcrawlers. Chiquita actually returned to hibernation for quite some time after my original post, but she's back up and into her routine this week. She's a shy creature and I feed her under one of those hollowed out half-logs where she feels comfortable (we call it her "carport"). With live food if I pause at all while dishing out the bugs and she has a lull when she's bugless, she backs out and hightails it under a fern for cover and we're done for the day. With the nightcrawlers she waits patiently and expectantly for another and actually starts walking toward me for more. I think we found her new favorite food!!!!! I'm so relieved that she's eating something nutritious. Today I'm going to put them on a bed of chopped up veggies and hope she accidentally ingests some other good-for-her food. We have a winner!

That's great! My integrade loves them so much she has recently decided that's all she will eat!.....lol

 

[Bunny2746]

Searching for all kinds of information and I am finding it, thanks to this site!!

 

[the Turtle Shepherd]

did it occur to you that perhaps she is getting her own food? especially since she had some stored fat to cruise on if she is active she is ok also i am so curious to hear about all the lack of snails... you must find out where the are, for they must be somewhere... mystery... also if she is older, she is less carnivores with each year. Avocado is a fattener and I would rarely feed her that, she would feel like she could not eat for a week. Berries are high in sugar yes but they are high in vitamin c-acid also which makes everyone hungry when consumed try berries, blackberries, strawberries especially... perhaps she feels her surroundings changed and she could use a change, panic not: she is a turtle, she knows what she is doing

 

[Chiquita's Mom]

Hi Shepherd--- Yes, I do think you are onto something with her hunting for her own food. A couple of weeks ago I noticed on the Turtle-Cam (don't ask that she seemed to be picking around and gobbling up some bugs. Since my last post she's been doing great--- up and exploring, wading, eating. She's doing really well with nightcrawlers and I've been more casually throwing veggies and fruit in her enclosure (instead of painstakingly chopping everything and obsessing). I found a couple of snails but they are really different from what we had and she loved when we lived in San Diego..... these are more of a thick-shelled cone-shaped that I'm not familiar with, so I didn't pass them along to her. I'll try more fresh berries....thank you so much for the tips and words of advice--much appreciated!