Box turtle hatching not eating

[Derekscavy]

About a week and a gal ago I got a hatching box turtle and since I got him he hasn't eaten a single thing every morning I take him out of his encloser and put him in a little bit of water and then take the water out and put a worm in with him but he doesn't act interested at all he either goes to the other side of the container or just goes and lays on it I've also tried feeding him in a room when I'm not in it and he still doesn't he. Can any body give me some advice to try and get him eating thanks

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Just a thought have you tried feeding him in his enclosure? I've tried several times taking my water turtles out and feeding them in a separate small bowl to minimize the mess in their water but they simply refuse to eat anywhere but their enclosure. Maybe skip the soaking and handling a few days and just leave him in his enclosure and don't disturb him except to throw in a worm or two and see if that works.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Is there a flower pot saucer or something similar in the enclosure? It doesn't need to be deep, but the hatchling needs to be able to reliably and safely get in and out of it. Then the hatchling can self-soak.

That way you can also leave small earthworms (or pieces of earthworms, even) in the water for the hatchling to find. That's also a good place to drop some commercial turtle diet pellets, so they can soften and be easy for the little one to eat in the water.

When my box turtle was a hatchling, she really liked the ReptoMin Pro Juvenile Turtle Formula (and she still does). It softens easily but also stays intact long enough for the turtle to find and eat it. The Omega One Juvenile Turtle pellets are another good option for your hatchling. Both are tasty (according to my box turtle), and they have the right nutritional components to support a hatchling's growth. You can drop the pellets in the baby turtle pool (saucer) in the morning and leave them in there all day. The debris trail in the saucer later in the day will tell you how active your turtle has been.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

My box turtle is a little more than a year old now, and we upgraded the turtle pool in her enclosure a few months ago. We've caught her enjoying her turtle pool a handful of times, but she prefers it when no one is looking.