i'm a beginner

[_chase]

My name is _chase and all of this is new to me. I have a baby box-turtle named "Shellby." I found it when I was trimming fence. I've learned some things from my research on how to take care of them, but still want to make sure I do a good job raising it. I know they like to eat night-crawlers and earthworms in small pieces, but I don't know how many to feed them. So if anyone has some info they'd like to share I'd be grateful. Here's what it looks like...

 

[wellington]

If they are native to your area let it go where you found it. They should not be taken from the wild if it's a native species. They also are illegal to take from the wild in lots of states.

 

[_chase]

Thank you for the advice. I've done some more research on the kind of turtle I have, and can keep it until I turn sixteen because of the restrictions in my state. I'd really like to learn how to be a good pet caretaker so I'm just looking for some advice. Hopefully it can grow larger and I'll release it back into the wild. This way I'll be more prepared when I can have a more long term pet turtle. Thank you again for the advice really.

 

[method89]

SOOOO... what is your plan when you turn 16? because you can't put it back in the wild.

 

[Yvonne G]

Baby box turtles dehydrate very quickly, so you need to set it up in a moist, humid and warm environment. I use fir bark with lots of plants, I set the enclosure on an angle, with a book or something under one end, then I add water. The water puddles down at the end not supported by the book. The plants diffuse the strong lighting, giving him lots of shade. Baby box turtles eat lots of animal protein, but you can also give him fruit and veggies, cut up small. If you look online there are many places selling animal protein. One of the best foods I've found is black soldier fly larvae. I buy them from Josh's Frogs, and they have many, many other good food items too.

Don't release him back into the wild. After he's been living in a captive situation, it's very difficult for them to go back to living in the wild. It may even be a death sentence for him. After you turn 16, if you can no longer care for him, find someone who will take him and care for him.

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[jeff kushner]

Chase, don't let the reception get you down. You really have an interest in these little guys and I won't say a thing to discourage you. I will however speak to you as an adult. Listen to the care advice, and make sure he's good and healthy and cut him loose this week & get your folks to spring for a few bucks and get one that has been captive hatched. We all know my little Matilda was a wild caught so full disclosure, right? So if that's your plan, to provide a home for him, for Gods sake, pay attention to what YG says about care and RTFM, right? Read the care sheets and I promise you will learn things. Baby box turtles have, well you already know their chances of survival their 1st year....and it's not all b/c of predation but in captivity, a wild caught ill also get sick and die from a lot of things, mostly from what I can tell, temperature-induced "despondency" and famine, regardless of how much food you provide. You don't want that to happen so read the sheets.

I welcome you here Chase and your enthusiasm...but I say it straight- put the time in to read the sheets. You know the declining pops, don't sentence him b/c you failed him. His chances would be far better in the wild....

WTTC kid.....lol

 

[m irwin]

Agree that you should release it back into the wild. You are clearly doing the right thing by looking to learn about their care rather then sticking it into an aquarium and calling it a day, but the right thing to do is release it. Three toed hatchlings - which is what yours looks like - are not that hard to find on various websites. Then you can learn on a captive bread animal and keep your local population intact. Once you raise any wild animal, it will become accustom to humans and no longer be able to survive in the wild. Once released, it will have no home range and endless wander around looking for another human to feed it. Not a good recipe for success.