Box Turtles

 General Care of Terrapena carolina sp.

Pictured above is a beautiful male Three-Toed Box Turtle; Terrapene carolina triunguis

Natural History:  Box turtles are from the eastern, central and southwestern United States and from Mexico . The turtles commonly offered in pet stores are: Eastern box turtle, Three Toed box turtle, Gulf Coast box turtle, and  Ornate box turtle. They are called “box turtles” because of their ability to pull in their heads and limbs and seal themselves in- as if in a box. This is accomplished by the plastral hinge that allows movement of portions of the plastron, (bottom part of the shell).  

Special Characteristics 

Life Span:  They have a 30-40 year potential.

 Size:  Hatchling are 1-1 1/2 inches long and adults are 4-8 inches long.

 Coloration:  Color is extremely variable among species.

 Temperament:  Box turtles are docile and sometimes shy. They can become quite personable and will sometimes feed from their owners hand or follow their  owners when they are hungry.

 Pictured above is an Ornate Box Turtle: Terrapene ornata ornata.

Captive Care Requirements  

Cage/ tank:  The minimum size for a single box turtle should be at least 36” long, 15” high and 12” wide. For 2-3 turtles, 48” long is recommended. Larger is always better.  

 Substrate:  Newspaper or reptile carpet is recommended to cover the bottom of the enclosure. Bark, sand, corn cob or cat litter should not be used. These can be accidentally ingested causing an impaction and/or can be very irritating to a turtle’s eyes.  A pan of cypress mulch can be provided for digging in.  It should be changed weekly.

Pictured here is what I call turf toe.  It is a nail bed infection common in box turtles associated with malnutrition, unclean bedding and/or sharp Astroturf.  Some of the shiny Astroturf will cut the skin in between the nail beds, hence the name turf toe.  This foot pictured above was associated more with malnutrition, which lead to accumulation of dead skin at the nail base.  This dead skin started to constrict as it dried, cutting off circulation.  Next, bacteria from an unclean environment go to work and the result is pododermatitis.  This will take quite some time to heal (months).

 Lighting:  A full spectrum light source, which provides UVB is necessary for good health. The best source is natural sunlight but a special fluorescent or mercury vapor bulb can be purchased from a pet store. The fluorescent bulb should be no more than 12” from the basking site and should be place on a timer to provide 12 hour light and dark cycles. The fluorescent bulbs need to be replaced yearly.  The mercury vapor bulbs are good for 3 years.  There also should not be any plastic or glass between the bulb and the animal. A screen top is acceptable.

 Water:  Clean water should be available at all times. The dish should be large enough for the turtle to get into and soak. Turtles often defecate in their water therefore the dish should be changed daily and disinfected weekly. It is also a good idea to soak your turtle in a shallow pan of lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times weekly. Always check water depth and temperature. Turtles can drown if left in too deep of water and are easily burned if water temperature is too hot.

 Temperature:  An under the tank heat pad with thermostat should be provided under a portion of the tank.  A basking light should also be made available. Basking area temperature should be 80-90 degrees. Heat rocks are not recommended. The air temperature should range between 70-80 degrees. The humidity should be between 60-80%. Use thermometers and a humidity gauge to monitor these perimeters.

 Landscaping:  A hide area such as an overturned box with an opening or reptile hide log made of bark is necessary. It should be 1” greater than the height of the shell when the turtle is standing. A tray of potting soil can be placed under the box to allow the turtle to dig. If soil is used, remember the change weekly.

 Nutrition:  Turtles are opportunistic feeders and their wild diet tends to be varied. Always offer a variety of foods at every meal.

Juveniles tend to be more carnivorous. Offer earthworms, “gut loaded” and dusted crickets, mealworms, fruits, calcium rich greens (kale, mustard greens, collard greens) and mixed vegetables. (especially rich in beta carotene-sweet potato, red pepper, squash).   

Adults are omnivorous. Offer fruits greens, mixed vegetables, commercial food, crickets, mealworms, and earthworms. 

Sprinkle a multivitamin over food 1 time weekly and also use a phosphorous free calcium supplement once weekly.

Feeding dog and/ or cat food is not advised. It can cause serious damage to their internal organs- especially the kidneys.

Beak problems as demonstrated in this photo, are usually associated with malnutrition, sinusitis, or trauma.   I see this kind of beak most often associated with malnutrition.  Once they've gotten to this stage, a normal beak  occlusion surface can never be achieved.  This turtle will need regular beak trimming for the rest of it's life.

Turtles can be very finicky eater. First try offering some of their favorite foods. Keep in mind that box turtles are often attracted to red, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables. Sometimes live food will stimulate feeding. Rain often stimulates activity - spraying the cage and then offering food is often effective. Bad eating habits can take a very long time to correct. Keep offering foods even if they are not eaten initially-   Usually, over time, they will begin to eat them.

 Health:  Annual checkups with blood work and stool checks are recommended. Turtles hide disease extremely well therefore, it is important to pay attention to any possible signs of illness. These may include: decrease appetite, decrease activity level, discharge from eyes or nose, selling of the eyes or anywhere else, noticeable weight loss, sunken eyes, overgrown beak and/ or nails, flaky skin or any abrasions. Turtles are susceptible to nutritional deficiencies and internal parasites. At any sign of illness, the turtle should be taken to a veterinarian, (familiar with reptiles). The most common household hazard for turtles is dogs. A dog can easily puncture the shell causing serious and life threatening damage. Any turtle bitten by a dog should immediately be taken to a reptile veterinarian.

Hibernating:   Healthy Adult box turtles should be allowed to hibernate.  Before allowing hibernation to occur, a thorough exam by a reptile veterinarian should occur. When mature box turtles are ready to hibernate, they stop eating, become lethargic, and attempt to burrow or hide.  An accurate weight in grams should be recorded every 2 weeks during hibernation.  Preparation for hibernation includes withholding food for 10-14 days prior to hibernation.  Warm water soaking every other day should be done during this time to promote gut emptying and good hydration.  Once you are sure that the intestinal tract is empty, lower the turtles’ ambient temperature to 65 degrees for 3 – 4 days.  Next, keep them at 60 degrees for the next 2 days.  Then placed them in their hibernaculums and maintain them at 45-50 degrees. 

Hibernaculums are small containers made of rubber or plastic (such as a plastic sweater box).  Small holes should be drilled into the lid.  A mixture of shredded or recycled newspaper product and peat moss should fill the container 2/3 full.  The mixture should be most, but not dripping.  The turtle should burrow into this mixture.

Every 2 weeks, the turtles should be warmed to room temperature, weighed, and soaked for 30 minutes in warm water.  Examine the turtle for any signs of unhealthiness.  Discharge for the eyes, nose or mouth means the hibernation is discontinued and you need to call the vet.  You should also be concerned if your turtle has lost more than 10% of its weight.   Remoisten substrate as needed.  The turtle may be returned directly to the hibernaculum after soaking.

Here in the Midwest, box turtles are hibernated for 3-4 months.  The box turtle should have a minimum of 6 weeks hibernation.    To stop the hibernation period, slowly increase the box turtles ambient temperature over several days.  Soakings should be done every other day during this time.  Once the turtle is in its normal temperature zone for 2-3 days, you may begin feeding again.

Box turtles make wonderful companions.  They become quite tame and bond well with their keepers.  With the proper care and respect, they will live well for many years.

If you have any questions or problems, please give us a call at 847-329-8709.  Thanks!