Lovecollies
New Member
My uncle passed away last week and I inherited his box turtle, I think he is a three toed box turtle. this turtle has to be over 45 years old. I am 43 and the turtle was purchased when I was a baby, and my mother remembers the turtle being the size of her hand when she bought it from the pet store as a birthday gift for my uncle. this would have been in 1976.
The turtle has lived in a 10 gallon tank this entire time. The same tank. no substrate, no heat lamp. kept him in the kitchen. no windows either. I cant believe he lived for so long like that.
I don't know anything about turtles. So I quickly did my research. I got him a plastic tot 40"L x 17"H x 21"W.
I figured that was better than what he had for now. I plan on making him a habitat outside in the spring. i put organic soil about 3 inches deep in the bottom and 2 inches of leaves over that. I bought a night time heat bulb and put it over a piece of tile. I figured the night heat lamp would be better, since he has never had one. it is 70 watt.
I also gave him a pool 3xs the size he had before. and a small led lamp for light on the other side of container. I have him under my 55 gal fish tank, In a sunny formal living room.
I have not changed his diet from what my uncle was feeding him. lettuce, carrots, apple, grape,hamburger.
I figured that would be too much of a shock. He came with live worms, my uncle fed him 1 worm a week.
I have not given him a worm yet.
He buried himself in the dirt and leaves and has not come out. its been 5 days. I have been checking him, and he is still alive. response when I touch his back. but he has not eaten that I can tell. I am giving him fresh food everyday and changing the water in his pool.
What am I doing wrong? Is he grieving? Should I put him back in his old 10 gal tank? How long will he stay buried?
The turtle has lived in a 10 gallon tank this entire time. The same tank. no substrate, no heat lamp. kept him in the kitchen. no windows either. I cant believe he lived for so long like that.
I don't know anything about turtles. So I quickly did my research. I got him a plastic tot 40"L x 17"H x 21"W.
I figured that was better than what he had for now. I plan on making him a habitat outside in the spring. i put organic soil about 3 inches deep in the bottom and 2 inches of leaves over that. I bought a night time heat bulb and put it over a piece of tile. I figured the night heat lamp would be better, since he has never had one. it is 70 watt.
I also gave him a pool 3xs the size he had before. and a small led lamp for light on the other side of container. I have him under my 55 gal fish tank, In a sunny formal living room.
I have not changed his diet from what my uncle was feeding him. lettuce, carrots, apple, grape,hamburger.
I figured that would be too much of a shock. He came with live worms, my uncle fed him 1 worm a week.
I have not given him a worm yet.
He buried himself in the dirt and leaves and has not come out. its been 5 days. I have been checking him, and he is still alive. response when I touch his back. but he has not eaten that I can tell. I am giving him fresh food everyday and changing the water in his pool.
What am I doing wrong? Is he grieving? Should I put him back in his old 10 gal tank? How long will he stay buried?