New Box Turtle Not Eating and Lethargic

[Behnad]

Hi,
I adopted a female three toed box turtle 1 month ago. She was being kept in sub-par conditions and had an overgrown beak and nails. I have since put her in a 3ft x 2ft enclosure with 3 hiding places, moist eco-earth as bedding and a large water bowl. The temperatures are 85 on the warm side and 75 on the cool side and the lights are a exo-terra heat glo bulb and a zoo med reptisun 5.0 tube. The humidity is usually about 60%. Ever since I have moved her into this set-up, she has not eaten anything and remains buried all the time. I soak her twice a week in squash baby food so she gets some nutrients and water, however her appetite has not improved. She is also very shy and draws her head in if she senses movement around her. Does anyone know how I can get her active and eating again? I have included pictures of her below (first one is when I first got her and second one was taken today, I have had her nails and beak trimmed).
Many thanks,
Ben

 

[Angel Carrion]

Humidity needs to be no lower than 70% so that needs to be raised. Temps sound okay. Do you know what your overnight temps are?

 

[Angel Carrion]

Also 3X2 is too small for her. She needs at minimum 12 square feet of floor space.

 

[Angel Carrion]

What kind of water bowl are you using? If it's a reptile bowl from the pet store I suggest returning it and buying a terra cotta plant saucer. They're safer and mush easier for them to climb in and out of. The reptile bowls are a flipping and drowning hazard.

 

[Alaskamike]

My box turtles are very shy. And only will eat if I leave them alone. I put the food on a paving tile in their enclosure and walk away , sometime later it's mostly gone. In the morning and evening is the only time they eat and are active ( they are outdoors) and the rest of the time they hide and sleep. If I pick them up and put them in front of food they just scalper away like I'm going to eat them.

Box turtles are very territorial and when changed in their environment can take allot of time to adjust.

Just keep offering good food and try not to disrupt the environment or routine much. That may help.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Try wriggly food, like nightcrawlers, earth worms, wax worms, beetles, slugs, grubs, etc. Also try taking tuna water (NOT tuna oil) and soaking veggies in it. Red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, collard greens, dandelion greens, carrot greens, okra, etc. Also try nice ripe fruits. Cantaloupes strawberries blackberries blueberries mangos etc.

 

[Behnad]

Humidity needs to be no lower than 70% so that needs to be raised. Temps sound okay. Do you know what your overnight temps are?

The overnight temps are usually between 65 and 70

 

[Behnad]

My box turtles are very shy. And only will eat if I leave them alone. I put the food on a paving tile in their enclosure and walk away , sometime later it's mostly gone. In the morning and evening is the only time they eat and are active ( they are outdoors) and the rest of the time they hide and sleep. If I pick them up and put them in front of food they just scalper away like I'm going to eat them.

Box turtles are very territorial and when changed in their environment can take allot of time to adjust.

Just keep offering good food and try not to disrupt the environment or routine much. That may help.

Thanks for the advice, should I keep soaking her in baby food or does it stress her out?

 

[Behnad]

What kind of water bowl are you using? If it's a reptile bowl from the pet store I suggest returning it and buying a terra cotta plant saucer. They're safer and mush easier for them to climb in and out of. The reptile bowls are a flipping and drowning hazard.

I am using this water bowl for her: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A1BDP0/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20. Is it sufficient or should I change it out?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Ben:

At this size, your box turtle needs to live outside. She's full grown. It's hard to keep a full grown turtle indoors unless you have a very big area to keep her in.

Like Angel advised, live food should be readily accepted, and like Mike said, put the food on the feeding station, place the turtle in front of the food, then step quickly out of sight.

What kinds of food are you offering the turtle? Here's an article about box turtles not eating:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-wont-eat.42397/

 

[Behnad]

Hi Ben:

At this size, your box turtle needs to live outside. She's full grown. It's hard to keep a full grown turtle indoors unless you have a very big area to keep her in.

Like Angel advised, live food should be readily accepted, and like Mike said, put the food on the feeding station, place the turtle in front of the food, then step quickly out of sight.

What kinds of food are you offering the turtle? Here's an article about box turtles not eating:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-wont-eat.42397/

Unfortunately I am unable to put her in an outdoor enclosure at this time of year as it rarely gets above 65 Fahrenheit at this time of year where I live. I have offered her berries, apple, romaine lettuce, kale, melon, superworms, nightcrawlers, boiled chicken, shrimp and box turtle pellets but she will not eat any of it. When I dig her up to put her in front of her food, she immediately returns to her hiding place and doesn't express any interest in eating.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I am using this water bowl for her: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A1BDP0/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20. Is it sufficient or should I change it out?

Yes please change out that water bowl for a terra cotta plant saucer. The bowl you currently have is a flipping and drowning hazard.

 

[Angel Carrion]

You can try upping the temps by 2-5 degrees for each temp range area. Just make sure the humidity is also 70-90% when you do this. Do you have a gram scale to monitor her weight? Do you notice any other behaviors that seem strange/weird/etc?

 

[Eric Phillips]

Hello Ben, Welcome to the TF! Congratulations on your new rescued box turtle! So glad your making the efforts to help this one. Looks like she's been through a rough patch of sub par conditions. I think you've gotten some great advice so far, and I would only add one thing.....sometimes it takes awhile for a new box turtle to acclimate to its new home. Hopefully, she gets settled in and starts eating. Good Luck!

 

[Behnad]

You can try upping the temps by 2-5 degrees for each temp range area. Just make sure the humidity is also 70-90% when you do this. Do you have a gram scale to monitor her weight? Do you notice any other behaviors that seem strange/weird/etc?

I weigh her weekly with a gram scale. Her weight has not changed since I got her (299 g). I have noticed her scratching at her tail with her back feet while soaking.

 

[dmmj]

as long she's not sick I would discontinue the baby food soaks personally.if she hasn't lost any weight I would leave her alone and give her some time to adjust which is sounds like she still doing. keep offering food sooner or later she should start eating.