Hi! Newbie from coastal Southern Calif.
I have an adult female Three-toed Box Turtle that I adopted recently. At first I thought it might be a Gulf Coast Box but checked the hind feet... three claws was a dead give-away!
At first was a very finicky eater even though had previously been in captivity for a while already. Since keeping it out-of-doors near the coast apparently does not get warm enough on a daily basis for her. She was extremely timid and unresponsive to anything but "moving" food. May be that is why she was given up by previous owner.
What has worked!:
1)Taking steps to cover the large tub (outside) on cool nights.
2)Using a 1X12" board appropriately placed for shade on hot days.
3)Made a tiny "house of clay bricks (both 1/2 and full bricks) that she could pass through from either end and be fully covered.
4)Keeping a large container of shallow water helped as when the evening cools I find her in the still warm water. (Important to change water in AM for this reason). Hot days changing water mid-day so has place to cool off.
5)Also believe it or not hand feeding her live insects (when warmed up) has stimulated her so that when I am present and reaching down she moves toward my hand rather than being frightened as before. In the beginning I would drop active live food on her "tray". Then progressed to hovering my hand with wiggling insect or worm over her feeding "tray" so that SHE would approach.
Now she is actually quite assertive so that now she readily takes prepared food in her tray that she did not before. I place the food and move my hand which stimulates her!
Feed wetted Box turtle pellets mixed with fresh fruit and some leafy material plus fresh chopped snails.
Snails (with shells removed), roaches, and blueberries are favorites. Roaches that I use I raise myself (extremely easy and CLEAN). Some of the plants and berries, Snails, worms, and other insects are from an environmentally friendly wild-life garden.
Not what I planned for:
But now that I have full responsibility for this little beauty my next "mission" is to find a mate for her and raise a little family! I was shocked to find that it could cost me $120.00 or even more to do this!!!
How about a STUD for hire?!!!
Michael
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I have an adult female Three-toed Box Turtle that I adopted recently. At first I thought it might be a Gulf Coast Box but checked the hind feet... three claws was a dead give-away!
At first was a very finicky eater even though had previously been in captivity for a while already. Since keeping it out-of-doors near the coast apparently does not get warm enough on a daily basis for her. She was extremely timid and unresponsive to anything but "moving" food. May be that is why she was given up by previous owner.
What has worked!:
1)Taking steps to cover the large tub (outside) on cool nights.
2)Using a 1X12" board appropriately placed for shade on hot days.
3)Made a tiny "house of clay bricks (both 1/2 and full bricks) that she could pass through from either end and be fully covered.
4)Keeping a large container of shallow water helped as when the evening cools I find her in the still warm water. (Important to change water in AM for this reason). Hot days changing water mid-day so has place to cool off.
5)Also believe it or not hand feeding her live insects (when warmed up) has stimulated her so that when I am present and reaching down she moves toward my hand rather than being frightened as before. In the beginning I would drop active live food on her "tray". Then progressed to hovering my hand with wiggling insect or worm over her feeding "tray" so that SHE would approach.
Now she is actually quite assertive so that now she readily takes prepared food in her tray that she did not before. I place the food and move my hand which stimulates her!
Feed wetted Box turtle pellets mixed with fresh fruit and some leafy material plus fresh chopped snails.
Snails (with shells removed), roaches, and blueberries are favorites. Roaches that I use I raise myself (extremely easy and CLEAN). Some of the plants and berries, Snails, worms, and other insects are from an environmentally friendly wild-life garden.
Not what I planned for:
But now that I have full responsibility for this little beauty my next "mission" is to find a mate for her and raise a little family! I was shocked to find that it could cost me $120.00 or even more to do this!!!
How about a STUD for hire?!!!
Michael
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