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[DaisyMae]

Hi! I live in the Chicago area and I have a box turtle. She's around 16 yrs old.
Here's her poolside, in her enclosure

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!!

You might be feeding your box turtle too many soft foods. Her beak is getting overgrown. Feed her foods that she has to bite off, and don't cut it up into small pieces.

Have you had her for all that time? She's a beauty. I'm surprised that she's the only one you've got. One usually leads to another, then another, etc.

 

[DaisyMae]

She's been "mine" for 10yrs. She did spend a couple of those yrs in the care of a family member.
Her beak is a little long so I'm thinking of taking her to the vet to get it trimmed. I have also put a big, flat rock in her enclosure to feed her on, instead of the dish I've been using.
What are some harder foods I should give her? The only thing I can think of, that she currently eats, are hard boiled eggs, shell and all.

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome I am also in Chicago, Northside

 

[mainey34]

Hello and welcome...

 

[thea lester]

Hello! That's Great she eats eggshells. Try putting cuttlebone in her enclosure. She might not check it out at first, but I bet you'll see telltale bites out of it after awhile. If she'll eat it, try broccoli stems. You can also buy pinkie mice. Pillbugs (roly-polies), small snails, earthworms you dig up are good because they have dirt inside which grinds the beak. If you don't have a yard, see if you can find some bricks or stepping stones, there's always "lots to eat" under there. I would definitely get her beak trimmed, and hopefully the vet will have some good ideas.
That's great you've had her 10 years! If I may, I'd recommend a bigger waterdish, and you should soak her a few hours a week if you're not already doing that. Keeping her well-hydrated helps keep her beak healthy also.
It's hard to avoid that problem indoors, if there's any way you can do it, give her a little outdoor garden spot in summer. I swear I think my turtles eat more dirt than anything!
Take care,
Thea

 

[samsmom]

hello and welcome, i'm in texas. have had a sulcata for about 6 months now and totally in love with him. had many box turtles for several years but have not had them for about 5 years now. when i see pics of others it sure makes me miss my boxies. maybe someday i'll get more. you will love this forum!

 

[DaisyMae]

Hello! That's Great she eats eggshells. Try putting cuttlebone in her enclosure. She might not check it out at first, but I bet you'll see telltale bites out of it after awhile. If she'll eat it, try broccoli stems. You can also buy pinkie mice. Pillbugs (roly-polies), small snails, earthworms you dig up are good because they have dirt inside which grinds the beak. If you don't have a yard, see if you can find some bricks or stepping stones, there's always "lots to eat" under there. I would definitely get her beak trimmed, and hopefully the vet will have some good ideas.
That's great you've had her 10 years! If I may, I'd recommend a bigger waterdish, and you should soak her a few hours a week if you're not already doing that. Keeping her well-hydrated helps keep her beak healthy also.
It's hard to avoid that problem indoors, if there's any way you can do it, give her a little outdoor garden spot in summer. I swear I think my turtles eat more dirt than anything!
Take care,
Thea

I had a cuttlebone in her enclosure before and she never touched it
She LOVES earthworms and I've never thought to give her pill bugs but that should be easy enough. I don't think I could do the pinky mice tho. Where could I buy snails? Will she eat their shell?
Here's a picture of her water dish...
You think I need a bigger one then that?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes. Box turtles love to sit in the water, and that little dish is not deep enough for a good soaking.

 

[thea lester]

Yeah, they really do like to park and soak in the water. They can swim, just not well. You don't have to make her swim, but the water should be deep enough that she's able to float a little. Maybe not in her tank dish, which, yeah, should be a little deeper and bigger but since she's indoors and you don't have room to give her a nice big soaking pan in her tank, you can supplement that by soaking her in a big dishpan like 45 min several times a week in body temp water.
I've never gotten up the nerve to feed pinky mice either! Yuck! Small snails, they will crunch the shell and yes, eat most of it! Wild huh?
Later,
Thea

 

[mike taylor]

Welcome to the forum. Good looking box turtle just needs a trim.

 

[DaisyMae]

I used to soak her in the bin below but bought the dish for her enclosure and have been letting her use that. I can go back to the bin.

 

[theelectraco]

I used to soak her in the bin below but bought the dish for her enclosure and have been letting her use that. I can go back to the bin.

You will still need a larger soaking dish that your box turtle can access in its cage. Using the bin to soak at your convenience does not let her soak at her convenience inside her enclosure.