I recently rescued a box turtle walking down my suburban street. You could tell she had been a pet by her severely overgrown nails and beak. I've had her for a few months now. Here in CO it's beginning of winter, and as soon as it got cold she burrowed to the bottom of her substrate (soil and peat moss, 6 inches deep) and doesn't want to come out. I have been digging her up once a week to soak her and feed her. Then she just burrows back down.
I took her to the vet and she checks out healthy, perfectly fine. The vet says to continue digging her up once a week or so.
I'm not sure how she knows it's time. I turn her basking bulb on every day, and the house is a consistent temperature.
Any thoughts? I'm new to turtles. We have snakes, and they don't hibernate in the winter. Should I just let her do her thing and stop harassing her?
Thanks
I took her to the vet and she checks out healthy, perfectly fine. The vet says to continue digging her up once a week or so.
I'm not sure how she knows it's time. I turn her basking bulb on every day, and the house is a consistent temperature.
Any thoughts? I'm new to turtles. We have snakes, and they don't hibernate in the winter. Should I just let her do her thing and stop harassing her?
Thanks