how to make an enclosure for eastern box turtles

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terryo

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Millerlite said:
3 inches is not deep enough at all, substrate should be deep like 8-10 inches more of you can. Not only will it e moist underneath if prepped right it will help hold humidity and a next for a box turtle is roughly 6inches deep sometimes my female will dig deeper or less deep, all depends but giving them the option is the key. People think turtles are like hey I have eggs lay. When of fertile a female will take her time and are very picky with nesting. Twigs, not moist enough, too moist, not deep enough, rocks , all can lead to a abandon laying spot and on to another spot. Deeper substrate is the way to go.

I absolutely agree.
Be very careful with the underground mesh. Don't use the one with the large holes...chicken wire? Make sure it's tiny holes, like a screen. My friend used chicken wire, and her enclosure wasn't deep enough and her small box turtle got caught in it. They thought she escaped, and never saw her again, until years later when they renovated her yard, and found the shell, and decomposed turtle caught in the chicken wire.
 

Terry Allan Hall

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SANDRA_MEISSNEST said:
Thanks Terry! Just regular mulch? Can i use the red one,i have many bags of it

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How much should i fill the hole in? How many inches ,

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I wouldn't, because when a tortoise (or box turtle) sees something red, the first thing it thinks is "I bet I can eat that!", which could lead to impactions.
 

SANDRA_MEISSNEST

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so far I didn't put anything underneath because I'm scared that they gonna get caught and die

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I will buy the brown mulch then

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luvpetz27

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That is heartbreaking about the poor turtle that got stuck!! :(
So sad!!! I would be scared to use mesh but if it was done right I guess it would be
ok. I dont use it in my boxie enclosure.
 

SANDRA_MEISSNEST

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luvpetz27 said:
That is heartbreaking about the poor turtle that got stuck!! :(
So sad!!! I would be scared to use mesh but if it was done right I guess it would be
ok. I dont use it in my boxie enclosure.
well i didnt put anything eighter, to scared now.
did you ever lost one? like that it escaped ..
 

luvpetz27

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No I have never lost one and I hope I never do!! I would totally freak out and be so upset!!! I have heard so many stories about this happening and it just breaks my heart. :(


Did you say you are from Florida? What part? My parents live in Ft. Myers!!
 

SANDRA_MEISSNEST

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Im close to west palm beach,little bit more south delray beach,i lost one russian like 1.5 years ago :(
We looked everywere ...but could not find him,he was a mean one,he alway bit my sulcatas, but we still miss him ,i was even looking for him today again...
I will send pix tomorrow for the enclosure for the boxies,cant wait to get them:rolleyes:

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Terry Allan Hall

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SANDRA_MEISSNEST said:
so far I didn't put anything underneath because I'm scared that they gonna get caught and die

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I will buy the brown mulch then

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Chicken wire's a bad idea...we use 1/4" mesh "hardware cloth" (even the tiniest boxie/Euro can't get caught in that!)
 
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