Mistreated box turtle
- Thread starter Lala18
- Start date
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- advice box turtle sick turtle
Update*
Our vet gave us lots of information on how to improve Shelby’s environment. She wants to wait and see if Shelby’s immune system will kick in with the improved conditions before we go to antibiotics. Since then, I haven’t noticed anymore snot bubbles and I’ve even caught Shelby happily basking under her heat light. I bought a temperate and humidity gauge for her cage as well as a reptile heating pad for the really cold nights. I’ve noticed that her cage stays on the drier side, and her skin looks dried out. What can I do about her skin and what is the best substrate to keep the humidity in? Also does anyone else have a problem with annoying brown gnats in there turtles home?
Our vet gave us lots of information on how to improve Shelby’s environment. She wants to wait and see if Shelby’s immune system will kick in with the improved conditions before we go to antibiotics. Since then, I haven’t noticed anymore snot bubbles and I’ve even caught Shelby happily basking under her heat light. I bought a temperate and humidity gauge for her cage as well as a reptile heating pad for the really cold nights. I’ve noticed that her cage stays on the drier side, and her skin looks dried out. What can I do about her skin and what is the best substrate to keep the humidity in? Also does anyone else have a problem with annoying brown gnats in there turtles home?
Glad to hear the news from the vet! Use coco coir, peat moss and/or long strand sphagnum moss as substrate. Add water to the substrate when needed to keep it moist. I fill a big pitcher full of water and pour it in to the turtles enclosure. Some people like to use their hands to mix the substrate and water together, I just pour it around the enclosure and let the water spread from the wet areas to the dry areas naturally. You can keep box turtle babies in really swampy conditions and it's actually good for them. You do not want a baby box turtle to get dehydrated! Make sure they stay warm, don't let them be wet and cold babies.
The brown gnats are most likely fungus gnats, they are found in most environments in the world and like the moist substrate we use for turtles and tortoises. I have found that if I keep my enclosures extra moist (the substrate balls up when clinched in my fist but water does not drip out of it) the gnats don't seem to be able to reproduce. So, really moist substrate is good for baby box turtles and bad for baby fungus gnats. Win, win! Another method of controlling fungus gnats is to add spring tails to the enclosure. They are available on the internet from various sources. I get mine from Josh's Frogs.
The brown gnats are most likely fungus gnats, they are found in most environments in the world and like the moist substrate we use for turtles and tortoises. I have found that if I keep my enclosures extra moist (the substrate balls up when clinched in my fist but water does not drip out of it) the gnats don't seem to be able to reproduce. So, really moist substrate is good for baby box turtles and bad for baby fungus gnats. Win, win! Another method of controlling fungus gnats is to add spring tails to the enclosure. They are available on the internet from various sources. I get mine from Josh's Frogs.
