Box turtle not eating

0nCominstrm

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Jun 9, 2015
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Going to try to build soon. Just haven't decided on the specifics yet. since we are short on space Im thinking I will do a shelves and multi level enclosures with flip proof Ramps to increase over all square footage.
 

TMartin510

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Aug 1, 2015
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Fremont, California
It just depends on your space, you don't have to go super huge if you don't have the space just find out a decent amount of space for them to be content, I've been lookin through the forums enclosure section for some good ideas. I have some room in one of my rooms I'm gonna a make it wall to wall and bring it out for a spacious table.
I've seen this one enclosure that was a huge coffee table and it had like a door and you could see inside and it was all decked out and the top had glass for like drinks and stuff. There's some creative stuff out there
 

domalle

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View attachment 143076
This is my three toed male boxie. I can only get him to eat a very small amount of the box turtle diet pellets. He use to eat lots of other things fruits, feeder fish, meal worms, earth worms. Now he won't eat any of it. I have had him for about 3 months now and it's been like month that he won't eat anything else. And I have to show him the turtle diet for him to come out and eat anything. It worries me because he use to go crazy for meal worms and night crawlers. Any suggestions would be helpful

What a spectacularly marked and colored, healthy-looking three-toed!
Yvonne is right. Natural sunlight can work miracles. And an hour a day on the patio is insufficient.
Provision of retreat areas should also be afforded with the sunlight.
Is there a possibility of outdoor enclosure during the warm season?
Box turtles eat like crazy early in the season and store fat for the down time in hibernation.
It could already be reacting to internal and environmental cues to slow down.
 

domalle

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Not sure about the specific size it's a little smaller than the 50 gallon I keep my Russian in. The basking is mid 90's, cool side mid 70's. I bought him from a local pet store I visit often to get stuff for my Russians. They said Someone in the neighborhood brought it in and they had it for years. And they had it for less than a week before I got him I don't think he was wild because he can be pretty social doesn't close up all the way when I handle him. Just when I set him down he just goes to back hide again. Not sure about the night temps but It shouldn't be too much of a drop from the cool side because the house stays at about 72. I plan on doing a much larger enclosure for inside and eventually an outdoor but we are in an apartment for now.

The turtle shows no sign of any length period of confinement or captivity. It is undoubtedly of recent wild capture.
 

TMartin510

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Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
358
Location (City and/or State)
Fremont, California
What a spectacularly marked and colored, healthy-looking three-toed!
Yvonne is right. Natural sunlight can work miracles. And an hour a day on the patio is insufficient.
Provision of retreat areas should also be afforded with the sunlight.
Is there a possibility of outdoor enclosure during the warm season?
Box turtles eat like crazy early in the season and store fat for the down time in hibernation.
It could already be reacting to internal and environmental cues to slow down.

I wanna like build a fence around my outside lawn, for my torts to graze and wonder it's a pretty decent siE lawn, but I worry about birds as scrub Jays will attack my guys and I notice hawks flying around :/ but your right they love the natural sun
 

johnsonnboswell

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Aug 27, 2012
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They love the sun, they love the rain. They love to get up at dawn or predawn. They love to bask. They love to hide in dappled shade under a plant. They love to burrow. They love to hide in a pile of leaves, hidden but watching. They love to soak. They love to find and eat live food. They love seasonal fruits and windfalls. They love to warm up in the sun after a cool night. They love to walk around.

Living indoors is more like being in a holding cell. It is necessary for turtles that don't hibernate, but it's not the same as being outdoors, especially in the summer.
 

TMartin510

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Aug 1, 2015
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358
Location (City and/or State)
Fremont, California
They love the sun, they love the rain. They love to get up at dawn or predawn. They love to bask. They love to hide in dappled shade under a plant. They love to burrow. They love to hide in a pile of leaves, hidden but watching. They love to soak. They love to find and eat live food. They love seasonal fruits and windfalls. They love to warm up in the sun after a cool night. They love to walk around.

Living indoors is more like being in a holding cell. It is necessary for turtles that don't hibernate, but it's not the same as being outdoors, especially in the summer.
Idk my redfoot is pretty lazy it seems, he doesn't get up till 11 exactly and he walks part way out his house, yawns once or twice then moves to his food then his basking area and looks around and chills. He's back in bed probably around 6 sometimes he stays up late though. If I'm not there hell go to sleep if I am he stays up. And if he's napping in his hide and I come in hell come out haha. But your right! Ima build an outdoor summer enclosure and indoor winter enclosure.
 

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