Advice for this baby!

[Mainstream92]

Okay, so I have a baby eastern boxie (appears to be less than a year old) that I rescued from a job I did. I found him on the outside steps leading to down to a basement at a customer's house. No clue on how long he was down there, but it could have been days without any food. I still had my old 10-gallon aquarium back at the house so I took him home that evening. I fed him a few earthworms once I got home and he tore them up. I put a small lid filled with water out for him however he didn't seem to be interested. I put him in there and he just kept running out.

The next day I went to the store and purchased some of the EcoEarth substrate, a 100Watt UVB and Heat bulb/lamp, and a couple other things.

I have had this little guy for about a month now and love him, but I would just like to make sure I'm doing everything right as this is my first reptile. I have done lots of research but still would like to hear people's opinions of what I can improve. I would love to make an outdoor habitat once he gets bigger.

He appears to be pretty healthy. He gobbles down worms like crazy, however, isn't interested in anything else. After he eats he runs back under his log to burrow down. I have tried feeding him a variety of fruits and veggies and he isn't interested at all. I also tried smashing stuff together along with a worm and he would still only pick out the worm. I hear babies are very stubborn and picky! He is not shy at all, however, he still wants to burrow down all the time. I have yet to see him come out on his own or get a drink of water.

I keep the entire enclosure pretty moist and humid (it usually ranges from 60-92 according to the meter I have in there, along with the temp being around 85. I have a cuttlebone along with some plants and dandelions spread out. I just purchased a terrarium wallpaper today and can't wait to set that up for him. I was also thinking of getting one of those noise machines and set it up with a forest sound during the night.

Here is how my tank is set up at the moment (still awaiting the delivery of background) I turn the lamp on every day from around 11 - 8 with refreshing the food and water bowl every day. It doesn't seem like he wants to hang around under the UVB bulb any... After he eats he just goes and hides and doesn't wanna get any sun. Is that a problem for these little guys?

Any thing I can improve on inside the enclosure? I would love to hear what people have to say!

 

[ColleenT]

I don't think you need all that heat. Make sure to soak him every day. as a baby, he needs a soak a day. They actually enjoy swimming, but supervise him, make sure there is a place he can climb on so he doesn't get tired. i will try to find some links for you.

http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Indoor_Habitat_for_Box_Turtles.pdf

 

[wellington]

The best thing to do next time is place him in a safe place where you find them. Should never take from the wild unless injured or it's not a native species. Hopefully the link above by ColleenT will help you further

 

[VTA Cat]

Our box turtle (Rose) was hatched November of 2016 and quickly out grew its 10 gallon tank. My husband fashioned the new home from a rubbermaid storage box. We use coir with peat for the substrate and it keep it pretty moist so she can burrow. I wet it and fluff it up with my hand to loosen it. She loves to soak in her water. Loves pill bugs, earth worms, and cantaloupe. Hope this helps.

 

[VTA Cat]

PS...she gets calcium powder on her worms...she also chews on her cuttlebone. Light is dual fixture non-heat and dome is ceramic heater.

 

[PJay]

The fact that your little turtle is eating worms is a great sign! A lot of people have trouble getting newly acquired box turtles to eat at all. Keep up with the worms and try other bugs, young box turtles are almost exclusively carnivores. It's good to have the UVB bulb but don't worry too much over it, in the wild baby box turtles spend most of their time under leaves and dirt so predators don't find them.

 

[Mainstream92]

The best thing to do next time is place him in a safe place where you find them. Should never take from the wild unless injured or it's not a native species. Hopefully the link above by ColleenT will help you further

He was very underweight when I first picked him up. Legs were very thin, looks like he hadn't eaten for a good amount of time. I guess that's why he gobbled a few worms down as soon as I got home and was still wanting more, lol. It's been about a month since I've had him and he's definitely gotten a lot bigger.

 

[Mainstream92]

Thanks for all the replies, guys! Today is the first day I have actually seen him eat anything other than worms. I mixed a few tiny pieces of shredded squash and carrots and he took a few bites. Just a few, then he was back off to his hideout.

I still haven't seen him interested in the water yet. I always try to place him in the shallow bowl a couple times a day but he doesn't want to just sit in there for longer than a minute.

 

[ColleenT]

cooked (cooled) mashed yams are good , too. Also scrambled egg, but in both cases, do not add butter or oils when cooking. good luck.

 

[wellington]

You need to put him in a warm water soak daily whether he likes it or not. Use a container he can't get out of. Dehydration will kill him.

 

[wellington]

Also get a clay saucer that has lower sides then the water dish you have. Then sink it into the substrate so the rim is level with the substrate