Help with Box turtle diet

Janine2468

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Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
Hello all! I have had my eastern box turtle for about 3 months now. Through assistance from this forum I was able to set.up his enclosure properly. The only thing I have not done as I was just made aware was blackening out the bottom half of terrerrium. Why is this done and what can I use for this.
The most important question I have is in regards to diet. I know it is not recommended (or healthy) to feed box turtles stictly protien such as mealworms. However, i cannot get my boxie to eat anything but. I do have a generic box turtle food placed in his enclosure at.all times that contains pellets, mushrooms and strawberries, and dried mealworms, but he seems to only eat the mealworms out of there (or so I can tell). Also, about once to twice a week he will be interested in eating live mealworms in which he eats about 6-8 at a time. I have tried giving him other fruits and veg but he has no interest. I also read somewhere that they only prefer protien the first few years of their lives. I am unsure how old he is but I am assumimg he is still very young as he is only about 2.5-3 inches abd weighs 42 grams. If I need to vary his diet, what are some tricks to do so. One forum said to only put fruit and veggies in dish and nothing else so he will be forced to eat it. My concern is he wont eat at all. Also, he doesnt seem to eat daily as many forums suggest. And eats minimally. I dont want to get him attached to only one type of food. Help!
Thanks in advance
 

MrMarg&me

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Messages
258
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Temecula California
I have three box turtles. They do enjoy live food. I never give them mealworms because mealworms effect the turtles calcium balance negatively. Night crawlers should be offered instead. They are high in protein and do not cause calcium deficiency. Yvonne has an excellent idea to encourage vegetable consumption. She chops up a wide variety of veg and then pours the liquid from a can of cat food on top. My turtles will eat berries and other fruit so I mix that with the veg and Omega One turtle pellets. The pellets must be soaked until they are soft before feeding. Once a week I sprinkle a vitamin supplement on their food. Also when I can catch a grasshopper or other garden interloper they are given a chance to eat it. They love grasshoppers!
 

Yvonne G

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Box turtle food



In food processor:
1 head of Collared Greens
1/2 head of Romaine Lettuce
1 green bell pepper
2 yellow crookneck squash
8 large strawberries

I microwaved til cooked, then mashed-
2 sweet potatoes
1 butternut squash

I mixed all this, then added-
1 22 ounce can of Alpo Beef Chunks in Gravy
2 tablespoons calcium carbonate
1 tablespoon Reptile Vitamins with beta carotene


And then there's this one:

BOX TURTLE JELLO



Yams (slightly cooked, then mashed Pedigree can puppy food (not too much)
Thawed peas & carrots Meat*
Fruit*


Put in food processor & mix until it forms a very thick paste. They eat it voraciously, as do the adults. I also feed soaked Reptomin and live foods.


*Meat – beef liver, chicken parts
*Fruit – strawberry, peach, banana, mango, etc.









---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or this one:






BOX TURTLE BRITTLE


1 Ripe canteloup or honeydew 1 cup mashed fruit/berries*
1 can low cal dog food or cooked 2 cans snails thoroughly rinsed
ground turkey 1 ½ cups chopped leafy greens*
2 tsp RepCal calcium with Vit. D3 2 tsp RepCal Herptivite multivitamin


Mash the banana and/or berries and add chopped melon. Add low cal dog food or ground turkey and mix thoroughly. Add snails, chopped greens, calcium powder and vitamins. Mix thoroughly and freeze in individual meal-sized portions.


*Greens – dandelion, endive, escarole, collard, swiss chard, bok choy, romaine lettuce
*Fruits/berries – banana, pear, apple, strawberry, blue berry, raspberry, mango, kiwi

And then there's this article by Mary Hopson:

Box Turtles Not Eating Well



Most new turtle keepers try too hard to make their new turtle happy. It is best to look at how wild turtles live for the best information. There are NO box turtles living in the wild eating only wax worms or meal worms. These are fine foods, used in moderation, as part of a highly varied diet. Heavy emphasis on live foods has hurt a lot of captive turtles, and doesn’t make sense in view of what we know from wild turtles.

Each turtle has a different personality and that’s just fine. All turtles benefit from a wide variety of foods being offered. Try putting a hunk of cantaloupe in the habitat and walk away. Your box turtle isn’t likely to look at it until about 4:30 to 5:30 in the morning, when no one is around. Or he might dive right in. Or not. Just leave it. A couple days later, make a nice omelet in a pan prepared with olive oil. Put some grated carrots in it too, with maybe a bit of cuttlebone scraped in. After it’s thoroughly cooled, put it on a flat rock and go away. Leave it overnight in case the turtle isn’t interested in eating until the early morning. Try some red lettuce. Many turtles that have resisted plant matter will happily eat red lettuce. Just put it in and walk away. Leave it a couple days.

Use a different food at each feeding, and completely stop using wax worms and mealworms until the picky eating habits have cleared up. Overuse of live foods has done a lot of damage to captive turtles, and may be implicated in the deformities that are developing in captive turtles. Live foods are highly enticing to many box turtles, leading to picky eating habits and vitamin deficiencies. When a turtle can expect to be fed “candy,” it won’t go looking for healthier foods. In the wild, finding live food isn’t guaranteed, so turtles automatically learn to eat whatever is available. The turtle hobby swings wildly in its opinions on care and we are currently in the extreme swing of “live food.” If people would remember to look at the wild turtles, they could avoid some of the silliness. All things in moderation. Wild box turtles naturally eat about half plants and half animal matter. They go looking for calcium in a separate form when they feel the need.

Another fact of nature is often ignored by even excellent, experienced keepers: turtles cycle through daily temperature changes. They don’t need to be warm all the time. In fact, that will interfere with these natural rhythms. There is an optimum body temperature range – 82 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit – which will allow the turtle to digest food most efficiently. They will want to reach that temperature for a couple hours each day. Then they will want to cool down. And by the way, they can reach those optimum digestion temperatures at much lower ambient air temperatures if there is a bright light. Constantly overheating a turtle will lead to a variety of health problems, including kidney failure. It is best avoided. Have a temperature gradient in the habitat from a cool end about 70-76 degrees to the warmer area about 80-86 degrees. Never let it get above 90. Many people, including many vets, do not realize that constant high temperatures are harmful.

UVB lights can be helpful, especially with juveniles who are growing their bones and need to do it right. With the cuttlebone always available, a highly varied diet, and UV for part of the day, turtles should be able to put all the ingredients together. Humidity and hydration are also important for this. Using UVB lights that aren’t too bright or hot can be very helpful with shy turtles. Tube fluorescents are ideal for this type of turtle. There isn’t one right light for all settings and all turtles.

Regarding “light therapy”: Put the turtle in a plain tub or box – no substrate or hiding place – with a bright, warm light over him for about 2 hours a day. Then give the turtle a 15-20 minute soak in tepid water. Then put him back in his habitat and place a hunk of cantaloupe in front of him and move quickly out of his sight.. Do not try to shove it down his throat. This will lead to stress and resistance. It will make him even more reluctant to eat. Don’t offer foods he has recently rejected. And don’t bother with carrot by itself. Cantaloupe is bright-colored and puts out an enticing aroma, so it is often accepted by reluctant feeders. A big hunk is better than cut up pieces. The most natural time for box turtles to eat is at dawn.

The next day after the light and the soak, put some smelly cat food in front of it and move quickly out of sight. The cat food can be prepared with some cuttlebone scrapings, minced greens, and grated carrot.

On the third day after the light and soak, put an egg omelet in front of her and walk away. The omelet can be prepared with chopped bell pepper and cuttlebone scrapings.

Turtles can live a very long time without eating. It’s much less important than water and humidity. You need to break the torpor with lights. Don’t feed the same food items over and over, but offer something novel each day. Look for smelly and bright colored foods. Many different fruits fill the bill. You can also try leaving red lettuce in the habitat all the time. The turtle might discover it at the most natural feeding time, that is, very early morning when you aren’t around.

Box turtles are crepuscular in nature. That means they are naturally inclined to be active and foraging very early in the morning, then later at dusk, not when it is convenient for us. This is the natural way they avoid the damaging effects of UV radiation from the sun, which is at its peak in mid-day. They also utilize the natural dew that forms then for higher humidity. So having foods in the habitat when it is relatively dark and when no one is around can lead to improved appetite. Make sure your turtle gets the natural temperature cycling – cooler at night – because this aids in creating a desire to forage at daybreak.

If you cannot break the dormancy with light therapy and novel food stimuli, it is possible that your turtle is fighting an infection. In that case, veterinary care would be required. But try doing light therapy and novel foods for a couple weeks first. Make sure the light doesn’t overheat the turtle or damage the skin and eyes with excess UV radiation. Jus a 40 watt Reveal bulb over the box can do the trick. A tube UVB fluorescent isn’t likely to hurt the turtle either. But those super-hot, ultra-bright UV/heat combo lights are often avoided by shy or sensitive turtles.




(Researched and compiled from information from Mary Hopson. http://www.turtlepuddle.org/ )
 

Janine2468

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
I have three box turtles. They do enjoy live food. I never give them mealworms because mealworms effect the turtles calcium balance negatively. Night crawlers should be offered instead. They are high in protein and do not cause calcium deficiency. Yvonne has an excellent idea to encourage vegetable consumption. She chops up a wide variety of veg and then pours the liquid from a can of cat food on top. My turtles will eat berries and other fruit so I mix that with the veg and Omega One turtle pellets. The pellets must be soaked until they are soft before feeding. Once a week I sprinkle a vitamin supplement on their food. Also when I can catch a grasshopper or other garden interloper they are given a chance to eat it. They love grasshoppers!
Thank you for all the help. Do you feed your box turtle this everyday or just leave it in his enclosure and change out a few times a week? I assume if it.is left in enclosure.for.more than a few days it begins to smell, rot, or dry out?
 

Janine2468

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
Box turtle food



In food processor:
1 head of Collared Greens
1/2 head of Romaine Lettuce
1 green bell pepper
2 yellow crookneck squash
8 large strawberries

I microwaved til cooked, then mashed-
2 sweet potatoes
1 butternut squash

I mixed all this, then added-
1 22 ounce can of Alpo Beef Chunks in Gravy
2 tablespoons calcium carbonate
1 tablespoon Reptile Vitamins with beta carotene


And then there's this one:

BOX TURTLE JELLO



Yams (slightly cooked, then mashed Pedigree can puppy food (not too much)
Thawed peas & carrots Meat*
Fruit*


Put in food processor & mix until it forms a very thick paste. They eat it voraciously, as do the adults. I also feed soaked Reptomin and live foods.


*Meat – beef liver, chicken parts
*Fruit – strawberry, peach, banana, mango, etc.









---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or this one:






BOX TURTLE BRITTLE


1 Ripe canteloup or honeydew 1 cup mashed fruit/berries*
1 can low cal dog food or cooked 2 cans snails thoroughly rinsed
ground turkey 1 ½ cups chopped leafy greens*
2 tsp RepCal calcium with Vit. D3 2 tsp RepCal Herptivite multivitamin


Mash the banana and/or berries and add chopped melon. Add low cal dog food or ground turkey and mix thoroughly. Add snails, chopped greens, calcium powder and vitamins. Mix thoroughly and freeze in individual meal-sized portions.


*Greens – dandelion, endive, escarole, collard, swiss chard, bok choy, romaine lettuce
*Fruits/berries – banana, pear, apple, strawberry, blue berry, raspberry, mango, kiwi

And then there's this article by Mary Hopson:

Box Turtles Not Eating Well



Most new turtle keepers try too hard to make their new turtle happy. It is best to look at how wild turtles live for the best information. There are NO box turtles living in the wild eating only wax worms or meal worms. These are fine foods, used in moderation, as part of a highly varied diet. Heavy emphasis on live foods has hurt a lot of captive turtles, and doesn’t make sense in view of what we know from wild turtles.

Each turtle has a different personality and that’s just fine. All turtles benefit from a wide variety of foods being offered. Try putting a hunk of cantaloupe in the habitat and walk away. Your box turtle isn’t likely to look at it until about 4:30 to 5:30 in the morning, when no one is around. Or he might dive right in. Or not. Just leave it. A couple days later, make a nice omelet in a pan prepared with olive oil. Put some grated carrots in it too, with maybe a bit of cuttlebone scraped in. After it’s thoroughly cooled, put it on a flat rock and go away. Leave it overnight in case the turtle isn’t interested in eating until the early morning. Try some red lettuce. Many turtles that have resisted plant matter will happily eat red lettuce. Just put it in and walk away. Leave it a couple days.

Use a different food at each feeding, and completely stop using wax worms and mealworms until the picky eating habits have cleared up. Overuse of live foods has done a lot of damage to captive turtles, and may be implicated in the deformities that are developing in captive turtles. Live foods are highly enticing to many box turtles, leading to picky eating habits and vitamin deficiencies. When a turtle can expect to be fed “candy,” it won’t go looking for healthier foods. In the wild, finding live food isn’t guaranteed, so turtles automatically learn to eat whatever is available. The turtle hobby swings wildly in its opinions on care and we are currently in the extreme swing of “live food.” If people would remember to look at the wild turtles, they could avoid some of the silliness. All things in moderation. Wild box turtles naturally eat about half plants and half animal matter. They go looking for calcium in a separate form when they feel the need.

Another fact of nature is often ignored by even excellent, experienced keepers: turtles cycle through daily temperature changes. They don’t need to be warm all the time. In fact, that will interfere with these natural rhythms. There is an optimum body temperature range – 82 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit – which will allow the turtle to digest food most efficiently. They will want to reach that temperature for a couple hours each day. Then they will want to cool down. And by the way, they can reach those optimum digestion temperatures at much lower ambient air temperatures if there is a bright light. Constantly overheating a turtle will lead to a variety of health problems, including kidney failure. It is best avoided. Have a temperature gradient in the habitat from a cool end about 70-76 degrees to the warmer area about 80-86 degrees. Never let it get above 90. Many people, including many vets, do not realize that constant high temperatures are harmful.

UVB lights can be helpful, especially with juveniles who are growing their bones and need to do it right. With the cuttlebone always available, a highly varied diet, and UV for part of the day, turtles should be able to put all the ingredients together. Humidity and hydration are also important for this. Using UVB lights that aren’t too bright or hot can be very helpful with shy turtles. Tube fluorescents are ideal for this type of turtle. There isn’t one right light for all settings and all turtles.

Regarding “light therapy”: Put the turtle in a plain tub or box – no substrate or hiding place – with a bright, warm light over him for about 2 hours a day. Then give the turtle a 15-20 minute soak in tepid water. Then put him back in his habitat and place a hunk of cantaloupe in front of him and move quickly out of his sight.. Do not try to shove it down his throat. This will lead to stress and resistance. It will make him even more reluctant to eat. Don’t offer foods he has recently rejected. And don’t bother with carrot by itself. Cantaloupe is bright-colored and puts out an enticing aroma, so it is often accepted by reluctant feeders. A big hunk is better than cut up pieces. The most natural time for box turtles to eat is at dawn.

The next day after the light and the soak, put some smelly cat food in front of it and move quickly out of sight. The cat food can be prepared with some cuttlebone scrapings, minced greens, and grated carrot.

On the third day after the light and soak, put an egg omelet in front of her and walk away. The omelet can be prepared with chopped bell pepper and cuttlebone scrapings.

Turtles can live a very long time without eating. It’s much less important than water and humidity. You need to break the torpor with lights. Don’t feed the same food items over and over, but offer something novel each day. Look for smelly and bright colored foods. Many different fruits fill the bill. You can also try leaving red lettuce in the habitat all the time. The turtle might discover it at the most natural feeding time, that is, very early morning when you aren’t around.

Box turtles are crepuscular in nature. That means they are naturally inclined to be active and foraging very early in the morning, then later at dusk, not when it is convenient for us. This is the natural way they avoid the damaging effects of UV radiation from the sun, which is at its peak in mid-day. They also utilize the natural dew that forms then for higher humidity. So having foods in the habitat when it is relatively dark and when no one is around can lead to improved appetite. Make sure your turtle gets the natural temperature cycling – cooler at night – because this aids in creating a desire to forage at daybreak.

If you cannot break the dormancy with light therapy and novel food stimuli, it is possible that your turtle is fighting an infection. In that case, veterinary care would be required. But try doing light therapy and novel foods for a couple weeks first. Make sure the light doesn’t overheat the turtle or damage the skin and eyes with excess UV radiation. Jus a 40 watt Reveal bulb over the box can do the trick. A tube UVB fluorescent isn’t likely to hurt the turtle either. But those super-hot, ultra-bright UV/heat combo lights are often avoided by shy or sensitive turtles.




(Researched and compiled from information from Mary Hopson. http://www.turtlepuddle.org/ )
Thank you for the help! I love your recipes. They all seem to be a big batch and I just have one small guy who would never eat through all that. For the first recipe for example, can you split it into portions and freeze? Also, how do you feed these recipes? Do you just leave in his dish in his enclosure and change out every few days?
Thank you again. I look forward to trying these recipes asap and stop the mealworms/generic box turtle dry food
 

Rover15

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Messages
642
Location (City and/or State)
ontario canada
I've never heard that you should black out the bottom of the enclosure, but if you must I would just use black construction paper taped to the bottom of the enclosure.

also curious how you store the leftovers of these recipes
 

Janine2468

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Canada
I've never heard that you should black out the bottom of the enclosure, but if you must I would just use black construction paper taped to the bottom of the enclosure.

also curious how you store the leftovers of these recipes
Hello. I read the blackening out the bottom of enclosure (if it is glass) on this forum for set up. I am assuming it is so the turtle cannot see out and get confused. I am trying it because lately my turtle has been trying to get through the glass (pushing up against it) and it makes me sad to see. But he probably wants to roam around since he can see out. I picked up black construction paper today and cleaning his tank and going to try.
 

Rover15

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Messages
642
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ontario canada
do you mean the bottom of the sides? i know coving the sides so the turtles can't see out but the bottom i haven't heard of
 

Rover15

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Joined
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Messages
642
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ontario canada
I meant the bottom half of the terrarium.
Okay lol my 15 year old guy only trys to get out tge back where tge forest scene picture is, doesnt bother with the front. The new guy is so "social" im worried if i blocked his view he would be depressed.
 

daniellenc

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I own a redfoot so no expert here. I have however hatched many snakes/colubrids mostly, boas, and all Caledonian species. They will not starve. If you modify their diet and they’re picky pretend it’s your kid. Usually it takes a few weeks but a healthy animal will eat eventually. Mealworms exoskeletons don’t digest well in lizards but more importantly stink in nutritional value. I have no food advice except ask about super worms, and other proteins.
 

MrMarg&me

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Joined
Jun 29, 2017
Messages
258
Location (City and/or State)
Temecula California
Thank you for all the help. Do you feed your box turtle this everyday or just leave it in his enclosure and change out a few times a week? I assume if it.is left in enclosure.for.more than a few days it begins to smell, rot, or dry out?
My box turtles live in outside enclosures the entire year. Therefore ants are a challenge. I give them the prepared food 3 to 4 times a week. I place it in a protected shaded location and remove it by evening. On the days they are not given the prepared food I make an effort to locate a garden creature. For example yesterday I found a slug, a drowned caterpillar in our pond and a live caterpillar in the front garden. Todd, my husband, caught a grasshopper and a turtle benefited. The important thing is variety and balance. Captive box turtles are notorious for fixating on live foods and regecting vegetables. An all live food diet is not balanced and will result in an unhealthy turtle. It would be better to give a prepared food diet than to indulge a stubborn turtle with the limited items it will eat. The turtle will eventually cave and eat what is provided.
 

Becca267

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5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
79
Location (City and/or State)
North Texas
So all of these recipes reference using dog food. Is that okay? I have heard that is it and that it isn't.


Box turtle food



In food processor:
1 head of Collared Greens
1/2 head of Romaine Lettuce
1 green bell pepper
2 yellow crookneck squash
8 large strawberries

I microwaved til cooked, then mashed-
2 sweet potatoes
1 butternut squash

I mixed all this, then added-
1 22 ounce can of Alpo Beef Chunks in Gravy
2 tablespoons calcium carbonate
1 tablespoon Reptile Vitamins with beta carotene


And then there's this one:

BOX TURTLE JELLO



Yams (slightly cooked, then mashed Pedigree can puppy food (not too much)
Thawed peas & carrots Meat*
Fruit*


Put in food processor & mix until it forms a very thick paste. They eat it voraciously, as do the adults. I also feed soaked Reptomin and live foods.


*Meat – beef liver, chicken parts
*Fruit – strawberry, peach, banana, mango, etc.









---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or this one:






BOX TURTLE BRITTLE


1 Ripe canteloup or honeydew 1 cup mashed fruit/berries*
1 can low cal dog food or cooked 2 cans snails thoroughly rinsed
ground turkey 1 ½ cups chopped leafy greens*
2 tsp RepCal calcium with Vit. D3 2 tsp RepCal Herptivite multivitamin


Mash the banana and/or berries and add chopped melon. Add low cal dog food or ground turkey and mix thoroughly. Add snails, chopped greens, calcium powder and vitamins. Mix thoroughly and freeze in individual meal-sized portions.


*Greens – dandelion, endive, escarole, collard, swiss chard, bok choy, romaine lettuce
*Fruits/berries – banana, pear, apple, strawberry, blue berry, raspberry, mango, kiwi

And then there's this article by Mary Hopson:

Box Turtles Not Eating Well



Most new turtle keepers try too hard to make their new turtle happy. It is best to look at how wild turtles live for the best information. There are NO box turtles living in the wild eating only wax worms or meal worms. These are fine foods, used in moderation, as part of a highly varied diet. Heavy emphasis on live foods has hurt a lot of captive turtles, and doesn’t make sense in view of what we know from wild turtles.

Each turtle has a different personality and that’s just fine. All turtles benefit from a wide variety of foods being offered. Try putting a hunk of cantaloupe in the habitat and walk away. Your box turtle isn’t likely to look at it until about 4:30 to 5:30 in the morning, when no one is around. Or he might dive right in. Or not. Just leave it. A couple days later, make a nice omelet in a pan prepared with olive oil. Put some grated carrots in it too, with maybe a bit of cuttlebone scraped in. After it’s thoroughly cooled, put it on a flat rock and go away. Leave it overnight in case the turtle isn’t interested in eating until the early morning. Try some red lettuce. Many turtles that have resisted plant matter will happily eat red lettuce. Just put it in and walk away. Leave it a couple days.

Use a different food at each feeding, and completely stop using wax worms and mealworms until the picky eating habits have cleared up. Overuse of live foods has done a lot of damage to captive turtles, and may be implicated in the deformities that are developing in captive turtles. Live foods are highly enticing to many box turtles, leading to picky eating habits and vitamin deficiencies. When a turtle can expect to be fed “candy,” it won’t go looking for healthier foods. In the wild, finding live food isn’t guaranteed, so turtles automatically learn to eat whatever is available. The turtle hobby swings wildly in its opinions on care and we are currently in the extreme swing of “live food.” If people would remember to look at the wild turtles, they could avoid some of the silliness. All things in moderation. Wild box turtles naturally eat about half plants and half animal matter. They go looking for calcium in a separate form when they feel the need.

Another fact of nature is often ignored by even excellent, experienced keepers: turtles cycle through daily temperature changes. They don’t need to be warm all the time. In fact, that will interfere with these natural rhythms. There is an optimum body temperature range – 82 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit – which will allow the turtle to digest food most efficiently. They will want to reach that temperature for a couple hours each day. Then they will want to cool down. And by the way, they can reach those optimum digestion temperatures at much lower ambient air temperatures if there is a bright light. Constantly overheating a turtle will lead to a variety of health problems, including kidney failure. It is best avoided. Have a temperature gradient in the habitat from a cool end about 70-76 degrees to the warmer area about 80-86 degrees. Never let it get above 90. Many people, including many vets, do not realize that constant high temperatures are harmful.

UVB lights can be helpful, especially with juveniles who are growing their bones and need to do it right. With the cuttlebone always available, a highly varied diet, and UV for part of the day, turtles should be able to put all the ingredients together. Humidity and hydration are also important for this. Using UVB lights that aren’t too bright or hot can be very helpful with shy turtles. Tube fluorescents are ideal for this type of turtle. There isn’t one right light for all settings and all turtles.

Regarding “light therapy”: Put the turtle in a plain tub or box – no substrate or hiding place – with a bright, warm light over him for about 2 hours a day. Then give the turtle a 15-20 minute soak in tepid water. Then put him back in his habitat and place a hunk of cantaloupe in front of him and move quickly out of his sight.. Do not try to shove it down his throat. This will lead to stress and resistance. It will make him even more reluctant to eat. Don’t offer foods he has recently rejected. And don’t bother with carrot by itself. Cantaloupe is bright-colored and puts out an enticing aroma, so it is often accepted by reluctant feeders. A big hunk is better than cut up pieces. The most natural time for box turtles to eat is at dawn.

The next day after the light and the soak, put some smelly cat food in front of it and move quickly out of sight. The cat food can be prepared with some cuttlebone scrapings, minced greens, and grated carrot.

On the third day after the light and soak, put an egg omelet in front of her and walk away. The omelet can be prepared with chopped bell pepper and cuttlebone scrapings.

Turtles can live a very long time without eating. It’s much less important than water and humidity. You need to break the torpor with lights. Don’t feed the same food items over and over, but offer something novel each day. Look for smelly and bright colored foods. Many different fruits fill the bill. You can also try leaving red lettuce in the habitat all the time. The turtle might discover it at the most natural feeding time, that is, very early morning when you aren’t around.

Box turtles are crepuscular in nature. That means they are naturally inclined to be active and foraging very early in the morning, then later at dusk, not when it is convenient for us. This is the natural way they avoid the damaging effects of UV radiation from the sun, which is at its peak in mid-day. They also utilize the natural dew that forms then for higher humidity. So having foods in the habitat when it is relatively dark and when no one is around can lead to improved appetite. Make sure your turtle gets the natural temperature cycling – cooler at night – because this aids in creating a desire to forage at daybreak.

If you cannot break the dormancy with light therapy and novel food stimuli, it is possible that your turtle is fighting an infection. In that case, veterinary care would be required. But try doing light therapy and novel foods for a couple weeks first. Make sure the light doesn’t overheat the turtle or damage the skin and eyes with excess UV radiation. Jus a 40 watt Reveal bulb over the box can do the trick. A tube UVB fluorescent isn’t likely to hurt the turtle either. But those super-hot, ultra-bright UV/heat combo lights are often avoided by shy or sensitive turtles.




(Researched and compiled from information from Mary Hopson. http://www.turtlepuddle.org/ )
 

Becca267

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lisa127

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Janine2468

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Location (City and/or State)
Canada
My box turtles live in outside enclosures the entire year. Therefore ants are a challenge. I give them the prepared food 3 to 4 times a week. I place it in a protected shaded location and remove it by evening. On the days they are not given the prepared food I make an effort to locate a garden creature. For example yesterday I found a slug, a drowned caterpillar in our pond and a live caterpillar in the front garden. Todd, my husband, caught a grasshopper and a turtle benefited. The important thing is variety and balance. Captive box turtles are notorious for fixating on live foods and regecting vegetables. An all live food diet is not balanced and will result in an unhealthy turtle. It would be better to give a prepared food diet than to indulge a stubborn turtle with the limited items it will eat. The turtle will eventually cave and eat what is provided.
Thank you for all your assistance.
 

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