Reptileguy1741
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- Joined
- Dec 12, 2014
- Messages
- 90
I acquired a baby ornate box turtle for Christmas that is about the size of a quarter. I'm having trouble finding insects small enough for him to eat. Any advice will be appriciated.
Thank you. Do you know if you could get them at petco or petsmartTry pill bugs. Or small red wiggler worms.
Thank you and could you give me so advice on getting him to eat? This morning I made him a salad with chopped up carrots and celery greens with a small earthworms cut up in it but he doesn't seem to want to eat and hasn't eaten for two days. I know I'm getting overly anxious but I don't want to take any chances.you can get very small horn worms (caterpillars) online. If you can find earthworms called Diliies, they are smaller than Nightcrawlers. My reptile vet didn't want me to feed red wigglers – I never did ask him why. Pill bugs are a great idea. I also feed them tiny beetles I find in my garden (which is organic). Tiny mealworms are another good one, although they need to be fed in a limited amount because they're high in fat, and not as balanced nutrition as earthworms. Also, I find that box turtles can get hooked on foods that are higher in fat, like mealworms. I never feed egg yolks for that reason. Too much fat in their system can cause liver problems.
The temps are about 85 he's in a 40 breeder yes I have a warm and cool he spends most of his time borrowed in about the middle of the cage and he hasn't soak yet should I soak him?You're smart to be asking questions after a couple of days of not eating. It's easier to turn it around now, than later. If the worms are not cut up, the wiggling motion can help get the hatchling interested in eating. In my experience, the veggies aren't going to inspire much interest, especially at that age. If he doesn't want the earthworms, do you have access to an outdoor space we might be able to get some bugs? (And where no pesticides or herbicides have been sprayed for at least a few years.)
What is the temperature in your hatchling's space? I usually try to keep it up to 85 to 90°F during the day, with a nighttime drop of 77 to 80°F. Do you have a warm end and a cooler area? And where is your hatchling spending its time? Do you have freshwater constantly available? If he's soaking every day that can help.
Since it's only been two days that you have had him, he's no doubt still getting adjusted to his new surroundings. He may not eat for a few more days. The things I suggested, soaking and getting the temperatures up could help him break through his natural instinctive fears, and start eating. I would suggest making those changes and giving it a few days. Continue to try to feed him once a day, after he's had a soak. I like the suggestion someone made about not watching and when he eats, but just walking away. Also, creating a place where he would feel protected for soaking and eating can help. I've done that with my box turtles by using a plastic stool over their water dish. Sometimes it's been so hard to get a box turtle to stay in her water dish, that I've draped a towel on the sides so that she would feel closed in. Be careful though, as they can use a towel to climb. I hope your little one is eating soon. I know how stressful that can be. Feel free to ask anymore questions – we are here to help.
Use a Tupperware bowl or something with tall sides so he can't climb out during his soak. I soak mine for 20 mins or longer, changing out the water when they poop or the water gets cold. I prepare their food while they are soaking and feed right after the soak. I drain the water out of the soak bowl and put some food In there with them so they can eat without the worms escaping. Then I put the rest of the food on their food plate and place them back in their enclosure and walk away. I also have two different types of worms and pill big living In there soil so they can hunt and snack on them as they find them.Thanks for all the help I just soaked him and he stayed in for about two minutes and drank a lot. So I suppose I'm making progress I offered him a moving price of worm in the water and he looked interested but did not eat them. Thank you for the advice I will continue to offer food every day and now that he is drinking i know he is getting some nutrition
If you don't have his/her light on a timer replicating a summer light cycle (12/14 hours of light at least) he may be getting the signal to hibernate. What I would do in this case is make sure temps and light replicates summer and make sure you're giving more protein (bugs) as this is what is available in the wild in the spring and early summer (before plants and flowers bloom). Have to trick turtle into thinking it already hibernated.Thank you and could you give me so advice on getting him to eat? This morning I made him a salad with chopped up carrots and celery greens with a small earthworms cut up in it but he doesn't seem to want to eat and hasn't eaten for two days. I know I'm getting overly anxious but I don't want to take any chances.