Box Turtles: Ramped water dish, half-log hide and overturned turtles

ZappCatt

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
SF Bay Area, California
Aloha all,

This is an amazing resource, I have introduced myself in the general area, but I actually only own an Ornate Box turtle so far.

I know for the Tortoises, the ramped water bowl is a no-no since they can easily overturn themselves. My question is regarding Box Turtles. Is this an issue for them also? I have 1(and 1 which leaks so will be going back) and my turtle has never gotten overturned using the ramp.

She also has one of those half-log hides, and THAT Is what causes her to be overturned. She is constantly climing up and over it(even though there is plenty of room to go past, or tries to force her way on the short side so half on the log and half clawing at the wall(lovely sound of course).

Should I be super worried about either of those items? If so, do you have thoughts on how to prevent her from climbing over the top of the log. We find her overturned a few times a year here at the house, but when she was watched by a family member on our vacation, they mentioned she was overturning herself 3 times a day for the first few days.

Thanks for any suggestions
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
The thing about those ramped dishes is that you can't really expect the turtle/tortoise to understand what the ramp's for. For instance, if he's inside the bowl in the water and he decides he wants out, it's only a chance that he might actually choose to climb out at the side where the ramp is. The sides, when a turtle is inside the bowl, are straight up and down. The turtle has a hard, non-bending body. When he climbs up the side to get out he sometimes gets over-balanced and tips over on his back in the water. He may drown before he is able to right himself.

Whereas, if he's climbing out of the sloped sides of a sunk-into-the-substrate plant saucer, there's no over-balancing. He simply walks out of the bowl.
 

ZappCatt

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
SF Bay Area, California
Thanks for the feedback!
So it is not necessarily the "ramp" but rather the straight high sides which leads to issues! She has never had an issue getting out of it, but she does faceplant often once she totters forward. My ramped bowl actually has lower walls than the original water element provided when I "rescued" her. With these thoughts in mind, she will not be seeing the original one ever again, and I will use the ramp sparing(only as last resort if I run into issues with the immediately to be purchased terracota ones)


EDIT: Just looked at Home Depot and OPTIONS! Do you have a preference between clay or resin? How large of a saucer do you recommend(is it based of turtle size? I see 8-16 in diameter ones) My box turtle is 4-5 inches long(shell)


P.S. I think she knows I am talking about her, last night she started burrowing under the ramped bowl, spent the night and is still there this morning. She peaks out as we walk past.
 
Last edited:

ZappCatt

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
SF Bay Area, California
Ok, sorry to reply to my reply...but..

Ok, Tessa loves to burrow(YAY) but one of her favorite targets is her water dish. Should I put stones under her soon to be new terracota dish so she does not burrow under it? She will often be under it when I want to refill it, and while I am sure the amount of water would not cause huge pressure on her shell, I imagine it would not be appreciated by her.

If I do not block her from burrowing, should I just wait to fill the water dish until she has come out?
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,712
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Personally, I like the terra cotta saucers both for water & food dish. Substantially heavier, doesn't get pushed around, stays put, & for food, it provides a “rough” surface for beak scraping & natural trimming.
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Yeah, terra cotta has some texture for the toes to grip. It scrubs up easily, and can even be sterilized in the dishwasher (tablespoon of bleach instead of soap in the dispenser).

Your turt is probably burrowing under the water dish because tipping it moistens the substrate. Chelonians really like a bit of humidity in their environment. Temperate forests are quite wet under the leaf litter. Plus, I mean, imagine trying to burrow into bone-dry substrate: dust and gunk will get in your eyes and nostrils and mouth. Ick.

You can help solve the water-tipping behavior by providing a moist hiding place somewhere else (hopefully your enclosure is large enough to provide both warm and cool shelters to hide in). Pour a glass of water into the substrate under the hide boxes and then your turt can choose where to dig without causing a lot of housekeeping issues.
 

ZappCatt

New Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
SF Bay Area, California
Thanks all for the help. I picked up a couple of terra cota dishes(unfinished for extra texture) 4 inch for food, small water, and 10 inch for "water hole" it is only 1.5 inches deep though.

How deep are your terra cota water holes? We have a pretty solid nursery around here if there is a better size to use.
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Those should be fine. As long as your turt's legs are 1.5-2 inches long, they can manage easily.

When placing the containers in the enclosure, squoosh them down into the substrate so that the Approach and Departure are as level as possible...this prevents slips and face plants.

If the log hide is too close to the wall, that climbing behavior will continue. Sometimes critters get wedged inbetween, and this hang up can become a serious accident.

Move the log far enough away from the wall so that a fall does not result in entrapment, or replace the log with something more square-and-unclimbable (that's totally a word). A hide that can't be climbed can't be fallen from.
 

New Posts

Top