Recommend you post a picture and at least say what state you are in. Not trying to get you into trouble but knowing your state will help not only with legality but also climate and recommendations. For example, I am in Texas and my Orate and Eastern Box Turtles are still very active this late in...
The biggest thing is to ensure they have adequate cover, plenty of deep soil, and cover from rain and snow. I have a 3-sided plywood brumation chamber that I place in their pen and cover it with a few inches of earth. I place plenty of loose soil inside it along with plenty of leaf litter. I...
Emily, you might get lucky and see it again and again if the environment is right and it has plenty of loose soil and/shrubbery to hide under. Your best chance of seeing them out is when its raining in the spring and summer. When its hot and dry, hang it up as they stay hunkered down deep. You...
It actually looks more like a Gulf Coast Box Turtle which is not native to Michigan, so I would say a darkish Eastern. It looks to be 8-10 years old give or take. Hard to be exact.
All American Boxie's brumate...Its more a function of temperature over sustained days. I can recall several sustained winter days in the Low Country of 30s and 40s with dips into the 20s during cold fronts but that was 30 years ago. I don't think it matters if you are in the Upstate, Midlands...
Its a long shot but worth a try. Place some artificial things around your yard that boxies would natural try and use to hide or get out of the sun, It has worked for me in the past but not 100%. I keep my winter hibernation platform next to my enclose all summer and once when one got out, I...
That's tough, since you don't know where she laid them so you cant cover that small area. Some years I can catch my female laying eggs if I watch her closely in the late afternoon all through the month of May but this is only successful about half the time. Their instincts are strong though and...
Not an expert on the matter but I have kept EBTs for about the same length of time as you. In my experience, EBTs that have hibernated, lay in May but it could be early, middle, or late in the month so I'd let mother nature do her thing. If it were June and they hadn't laid, then I might begin...
I like to replicate their diet in nature as best I can honestly. I want them self-sufficient to a degree so they don't lose their natural hunting and survival instincts. I feed 3 -4 times per week. Ear of corn, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, collard greens, & romaine lettuce...
Shelly? are sage and rosemary naturally occurring in New Mexico? The reason I ask is that you can never go wrong populating your enclosure with what the DBT encounters in their normal range. I have Eastern's and Ornate's and they are quite happy with the naturally-occurring foods we feed them...
Indeed and you make many valid points about studies and especially the wild-caught injured EBT in your posting. Although this is completely anecdotal, I will describe my experience. I am a hobbyist/enthusiast and do not raise for selling, I have 6 EBTs and 2 OBTs all living in a huge outdoor...
Good replies and I appreciate them. I understand basic scientific research. For the reasons, I'll take it that there are not known studies that have been done on the issue.
Ok so most experienced turtle enthusiasts know that all turtles (terrestrial and sea) have a natural homing instinct and seem to know where they were born and have a natural instinct to be there or at least try and return there. In wild-caught American Box Turtles, this is especially true. What...
Thanks everyone, some really good points were made against housing these two species together so I will create a second enclosure and keep them separate. Thanks so much.
Hi everyone....first post here. I have a female Eastern Box Turtle very healthy that I have owned for several years. She is properly housed in a large outdoor enclosure and gets plenty of love and proper food. I'd love to add a Russian Tortoise to the enclosure but am not sure how they'd get...