Need ideas for box turtle pond

Barber25

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I did find an incadescant bulb...will monitor the temp...I can adjust the height. Ive found that keeping humidity up where it needs to be requires the mister to be on quite a bit...i bought a slew of vitamins and will use sparingly on food and water...Heard that RED attracts them to eat (maybe) tempting her with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

will let vet make determination on antibiotic for parasites, and potential treatment for respiratory problem....leaning to only treat if really nessessary...BUT have to get her eating...IM hoping for a long Indian summer
 

ZenHerper

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She will cue from the sun angle and shortening day length more than temperatures and may slow down no matter what. It's in her genetic code. Even in windowless rooms, reptiles will feel the planet doing what She do.

Antibiotics in the gut will worsen the fasting...only use them if there is evidence of active infection (thick snot, pus, another abscess).

Pill bugs, small slugs (larger one slime too much), crickets...all fast-moving and might trigger a prey strike.
 

Barber25

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She will cue from the sun angle and shortening day length more than temperatures and may slow down no matter what. It's in her genetic code. Even in windowless rooms, reptiles will feel the planet doing what She do.

Antibiotics in the gut will worsen the fasting...only use them if there is evidence of active infection (thick snot, pus, another abscess).

Pill bugs, small slugs (larger one slime too much), crickets...all fast-moving and might trigger a prey strike.
makes sense
 

Barber25

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well.....here's the rest of the story...(so far)

about 2 and 1/2 weeks after her surgery, she was still not eating in her indoor box enclosure. I knew that time was running short, so I wanted to get her back outside. The vet said she had moderate parasites, but there were no outward signs. The incisions from the surgery seemed healed, so I released her in a 7 × 20 "pre enclosure" enclosure where I though I could find her if necessary easier than the larger enclosure. No such luck...she dissappeared, and the rains began! After over a week, this past saturday I found her fully exposed for the first time ever, tooling around looking better than ever. I transferred her to the larger enclosure where she had spent last winter, and have started on the brush pile. We've had some nice weather, and Im hoping she will do what she needs to to prepare for this upcoming winter.
 

Barber25

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I was layering some branches in the outdoor enclosure, next step piling up some mulch and leaves on top. As I was moving some things around, I found Kiwi nestled down about an inch in some old dried grass from last winter. My question is this...can you pile stuff up on top of a box turtle? is there ever a danger you will trap them and they wont be able to dig there way out? She 's never been much of a digger, and last winter she survived sub zero temps barely an inch down in the dirt, under a few stalks. I guess what Im asking is it better to err on the side of too much brush in the pile, or not enough? Im trying to create some caves or pockets, as well.
 

ZenHerper

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I was layering some branches in the outdoor enclosure, next step piling up some mulch and leaves on top. As I was moving some things around, I found Kiwi nestled down about an inch in some old dried grass from last winter. My question is this...can you pile stuff up on top of a box turtle? is there ever a danger you will trap them and they wont be able to dig there way out? She 's never been much of a digger, and last winter she survived sub zero temps barely an inch down in the dirt, under a few stalks. I guess what Im asking is it better to err on the side of too much brush in the pile, or not enough? Im trying to create some caves or pockets, as well.
As long as it's loose and more leaves than heavy brush, it will be fine. The branches will add more weight than leaves will.

@DoubleD1996! @wellington @harris
 

DoubleD1996!

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I was layering some branches in the outdoor enclosure, next step piling up some mulch and leaves on top. As I was moving some things around, I found Kiwi nestled down about an inch in some old dried grass from last winter. My question is this...can you pile stuff up on top of a box turtle? is there ever a danger you will trap them and they wont be able to dig there way out? She 's never been much of a digger, and last winter she survived sub zero temps barely an inch down in the dirt, under a few stalks. I guess what Im asking is it better to err on the side of too much brush in the pile, or not enough? Im trying to create some caves or pockets, as well.
Box turtles will dig an Inch down with just the top of their shells being exposed and will survive winter. We had one of the coldest winters here in TN ever last year and all of my box turtles overwintered fine at the base of a tree under mulch and leaves and under a kiddy pool. As far as piling stuff on top of her, I don't have a definite answer. I think she would survive. It's best not to disturb her, but I know the feeling. What you could do is try moving her to the area you've prepared and see what she does on her own.
 

Barber25

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Thanks for all your helpful advice..... the other thing I'm pondering is if she's planted herself for the winter, or just a temporary rest spot..who knows if there is a warm spell coming and if that changes her plan...maybe not if length of daylight is more the determining factor
 

ZenHerper

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Day length has a lot of effect on how high temperature rise at/just below ground surface. The sun angle is not as direct as it was during the late spring and summer.

No doubt climate change will alter temperate reptile behaviors...we don't know to what extent since genetic changes take place over time through the most adaptable individuals.
 

Barber25

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Day length has a lot of effect on how high temperature rise at/just below ground surface. The sun angle is not as direct as it was during the late spring and summer.

No doubt climate change will alter temperate reptile behaviors...we don't know to what extent since genetic changes take place over time through the most adaptable individuals.
good thing they seem to overcome most of our efforts?
 

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