Need help identifying

[Rio]

They're being advertised as box turtles but there are like a bajillion types of box turtle out there and I'm not really sure which they are. Plus they're 2 different colors, does that mean they're different species or is it because the yellow is female and the red is male?

*EDIT* if this can be moved to the Turtle section mods, i'm sorry!

 

[dmmj]

3 toe box turtles, nice looking ones, leg color does not indicate gender, eye color sometimes can.

 

[Rio]

RE: whoops sorry

Eeep thank you! i was going to move this to turtles lol!

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Okay so we've decided we definitely want these guys. The owner sent us a bunch of pics, and is willing to show them to us in person before we buy (he's an hour away so we can just go pick them up)

They come with a fifty gallon aquarium, substrate, and water and food bowls. We're going to make a homemade habitat ASAP so they will NOT be kept in the aquarium for long. I need to get a lid for it, defo, so that's one thing to buy.

Questions!

I know I need to get a UVB lamp, but do I also need a basking light? I keep reading that they can do more harm than good with Box turtles so I want to hear from you guys.

Also I know they like it damp/moist/humid. How moist is TOO moist or is there any such thing, since I read that some of them rather like mud? How deep should their water bowl be? Just enough to shallowly cover them, or do they prefer to swim?

 

[lisa127]

For UVB, I use a 5.0 (not 10.0) across the middle of the enclosure. I do use a basking lamp as well, but it is very low wattage. The screen cover is completely covered in foil for humidity reasons, so it holds heat in as well. Therefore, I use a 50 watt moon glo bulb for heat on one side of the enclosure, and it is usually only set at medium on a rheostat. I would highly suggest getting an infrared temperature gun for measuring temps. You want warm (not hot) and humid. Mine is mid to upper 80's on warm side and mid 70's on cool side. They don't like real bright lighting, so the uvb flourescent is enough lighting. So make the basking bulb a moon glo type bulb.

Your substrate and water bowl questions I answered in your other post. And I'm too lazy to retype it here...lol!

Beautiful turtles!

 

[Rio]

For UVB, I use a 5.0 (not 10.0) across the middle of the enclosure. I do use a basking lamp as well, but it is very low wattage. The screen cover is completely covered in foil for humidity reasons, so it holds heat in as well. Therefore, I use a 50 watt moon glo bulb for heat on one side of the enclosure, and it is usually only set at medium on a rheostat. I would highly suggest getting an infrared temperature gun for measuring temps. You want warm (not hot) and humid. Mine is mid to upper 80's on warm side and mid 70's on cool side. They don't like real bright lighting, so the uvb flourescent is enough lighting. So make the basking bulb a moon glo type bulb.

Your substrate and water bowl questions I answered in your other post. And I'm too lazy to retype it here...lol!

Beautiful turtles!

This is Increadibly helpful. I was really worried about baking the poor things, so your bulb suggestions are GREAT. Big hugs and I'm sure the turtles are going to appreciate it

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

Beautiful 3 toed! Adopting them is the right decision

 

[Rio]

Thank you so much. I'm already falling in love with them