How do I help my Turtle?!

[BrIz]

 

[BrIz]

Had my tortoise, Babs for 22 years!
She just stares at me, watching whatever Im doing ..what does that mean? Do other tortoise do that as well

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Tortoises will see their keepers as the "bringers of food".
She may be looking to see if you have any on you.

 

[BrIz]

I've googled all types of tortoises and I think she looks like a three toed box turtle but not entirely sure

 

[BrIz]

Even If I let her hangout and walk around the house, she'll still think im the food bringer ?!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Even If I let her hangout and walk around the house, she'll still think im the food bringer ?!

Yes.
And walking around the house is not a good idea.
Too many ways to get injured or find and eat something she shouldn't.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I think that you are correct about it being a box turtle.
He/she could use a beak and nail trimming.
Someone more experienced with box turtles should be along soon.
Is the other tortoise a decoration?

 

[BrIz]

Im not sure If they keep tortoises warm at all but
what are your guys thoughts In general ?

 

[BrIz]

yes, the other Is a decoration.
And I recently got her turtle bone or cuttlebone, hopefully that helps a little

 

[DutchieAmanda]

They don't keep the tortoise warm because they are cold blooded and don't produce their own body heat.

Personally I'm not a great fan of dressing up animals. It doesn't serve any purpose so let the animal just be itself.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Yes, this is not a tortoise but a box turtle. Looks like a three toed to me too.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Your box turtle could do with actual substrate and a larger waterer. The shell looks very dry and box turtles like a lot of moisture. You want to make the habitat suited for the needs of your species so that means you'll need to make quite a few changes as it seems you've just learned what species you keep. Read in the American box turtle section for ideas (especially the pinned care sheets).

The curly nails are sometimes an indication of MBD. What are you doing for UVB light? What are you feeding? Box turtles are omnivores and need a lot of variety.

 

[BrIz]

yess thank you very much to helping me

 

[BrIz]

usually feed her mealworms lettuce tomato apples carrots
no uvb light
shes never had uvb before so would she be used to not having It ?

~thank you thank you

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

They don't get used to not having it. Do you take your turtle outside for regular access to real sunshine? If so, then a uv lamp is probably not needed.

Since box turtles eat animal protein, they have access to some dietary d3, but synthesizing their own from UVB light is likely still important (there is some debate though). Mealworms are a popular feeder, but lacking in a lot of the essentials and hard to dust or gut load with nutrients and vitamins. Diverse animal protein - pinkies, soldier fly larva, earthworms (earthworms are easy to dust with vitamins or gut load), etc. should be used.

Your diet is poor in calcium based on the foods you have listed, so even if there was enough dietary d3, your turtle won't have the accessible calcium it needs to use it. Changing up your diet is important. If you can't get the right foods in, tiny pinches of vitamin supplements are needed.

Beak and nail issues in box turtles point to deficiencies you need to address.

 

[cmacusa3]

I would say a 3 toed but it's still very hard to tell with that shell damage. She needs a lot of changes to help her. Check out the box turtle section in the forum.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/american-box-turtles.98/

 

[cmacusa3]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/american-box-turtles.98/

 

[cmacusa3]

Read those care sheets and make some changes for her. She needs to be able to dig and bury herself

 

[BrIz]

she gets real sunlight here and there.

yes,ok! gonna make babsey healthy!
appreciate all the help to the max!

 

[BrIz]

Been poor her whole life
She looks so unhealthy
Had her for twenty-two years
She outlived the person who gave her to uss
But she's active and doesn't seem depressed
My great Turtle
when she gets healthy cant wait