Eastern Box Turtles

[SatanicIntention]

I am acquiring 3 2-month old CBB Eastern Box Turtle babies this weekend from a guy in the Dallas area who is losing his home and having to downsize rapidly. These little ones came out of one of his females who he thought was hibernating She had different ideas.

SO! Just curious if anyone had any pointers on food types, substrate types, etc. I'll be keeping them in a Home Depot cement mixing tub for quite awhile, with a fluorescent UVB on one side with a bit of heat and nothing on the other side. I have a few different kinds of substrate, and I know they need a good amount of humidity and moist places to hide.

I'll have pictures this weekend!

[ivylea77]

I'm sure you've done a lot of research already, but I know before I got my Mississippi Map I found this website filled with lots of tidbits.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Car...sternboxie.htm

[littleindiangirl]

From my little fiasco with a turtle, the food is the most important thing. Making sure that they have a wide varied diet when young will be worth it when they are older. I had one heck of a time getting an adult to eat anything besides dry turtle food! (She would only eat smelly canned cat food, no greens, no worms, just the dry turtle food and a scoop of the cat food. yuck)
She did like mushrooms though, and shrimp. LOL, stuff that moved freaked her out. I dusted every feeding, she only ate maybe once every 5 days, but I offered food everday just in case. Some say to only feed once every 3 days, and to always switch up the food item to keep them open to everything.

Giving them a cuttle bone or a flat rock to eat off of will keep their beak and nails trim.

The turtle I was watching also loved to bury herself in cypress mulch, although I didn't like it so much because of how sensitive her eyes were, she would get them all covered in substrate. I would have to dip her in the water bowl to get her to clean them off.
Her water bowl was a shallow plastic dog dish, water was kept under a heat lamp and changed daily or when soiled.

She did have an RI, so I kept her at a steady 85 degrees, no thermal gradient. Her humidity was at 65%. I wish it was summer when I had her because I would have set up a nice outdoor garden for her. Sunlight is the best light.

Sorry I don't have a whole ton of experience, mine lasted maybe a month with this turtle before I had to give her back.
Have fun with the little buggers! They are said to be really social with each other and make funny captives.

[catawhat75]

Aww Becky, Easterns are so cute and I love their personalities. I have my two on coconut bark, holds the humidity really well which from everything I have read is really important. Oh and almost all of them love strawberries. Mine will eat the turtle sticks that my Red Belly eats but I try very hard to get a varied diet into them. Oh and yes, a cuttlebone is a must.
Knowing you, you will be a great momma to these guys.

[SatanicIntention]

Oh good, I have tons of Bed-A-Beast that's still in the package. I'll probably put some sphagnum in there too so they can burrow under it.

Now to do some reading! I went and got a 5.0 UVB as I was told I shouldn't use a strong uvb bulb when they are younger. Petsmart didn't have a good selection, so I'm going to check Petco tomorrow(it's all we have, bleh).

[catawhat75]

Well, better PetCo than Petland ICK!

[SatanicIntention]

Oh heck no! I'd probably shop at a flea market before I ever went there. NASTY! I'll post some pictures of the set up as I get it finished. I don't mind constructive critiques at all

[Blu Mongoose]

Oh good, I have tons of Bed-A-Beast that's still in the package. I'll probably put some sphagnum in there too so they can burrow under it.

Now to do some reading! I went and got a 5.0 UVB as I was told I shouldn't use a strong uvb bulb when they are younger. Petsmart didn't have a good selection, so I'm going to check Petco tomorrow(it's all we have, bleh).

I use the 5.0 UVB , but he has a hide where he can retreat from the light. Have talked with several tortoise people and our vet. The lighting should be fine as long as they can move out of it. So far there hasn't been any issues. I remember someone put up a post on safe lighting just recently. Can't remember where to find it. Good luck with the little ones.

[SatanicIntention]

Ok, the bulb I got is an Exo-Terra. I'm still going to go to Petco to see if they have anything better just in case. I've heard the Zoomed bulbs have better output and longevity(I'll change it every 6 months anyway).

I have quite a few different hides here that I can use so they will be able to hide. Don't need their little retinas getting burned out, now do we?

[SatanicIntention]

Okie doke! Got the little boogers and they are happily burrowed into the bed-a-beast asleep. Cute ickle turtle butts sticking up, hehe. They look nice and fat, healthy shell, clear eyes and vent. You can tell the guy really cared for them. He was soaking them when I got there this afternoon. From what I researched, they all look like girls. The owner did say he incubated them at slightly higher temps, and most always gets females.

Without much further ado, here they are(beware, you may have a "cuteness overload" seizure, I know I did!)

Their house, standard cement mixing tub from Home Depot:


One next to an Acu-Rite probe(TINEENSY!)


Same one but better picture:


Second one heading for a hide:




Third one's butt, hehe


I can't wait to watch them grow