Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Turtles > Legs and shell of baby box turtles

Legs and shell of baby box turtles

22 16:20:12

Question
QUESTION: I have 3 baby turtles, 2 from one nest, 1 from another.
I feed them once a day. the 2 eat turtle food and will not eat milworms, the onther one eats one milworm a day .  I hydrate them once a day.  Their area is covered and about 77 degrees fahreheit.  
They appear to be getting very FAT.  their legs stick out to the sides.  They also look like they are shedding.  They are usually only in water about 10 minutes a day and that is the only time that they drink.
Please help me!!!

ANSWER: Baby box turtles are hard to care for, even for experienced keepers.

One BIG thing is that mealworms are TERRIBLE for any reptile to eat- the shells are hard to digest and cause blockages even in adult turtles. Most prepared turtle foods are not real great for young boxies either.

Another concern is- had they totally absorbed their yolk sac before they were fed? In most cases, turtles become ill if fed too early in their lives.

If they are not passing feces, they should be taken to a vet for treatment- the 'fatness' could easily be the result of blockages.

If they are passing feces normally, they need a better diet. Try http://www.tortoisetrust.org, http://www.boxturtlesite.info, or http://www.billboxturtles.com for more info.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: If worms and Turtle food is unacceptable, what foods should I be offering them?

Answer
All three of the sites I listed cover diet, housing, the correct temperatures, the correct humidity, etc.

In general, young box turtles eat more than 75% insects and other invertebrates, and carrion. The other 25% is leaves, flowers, berries, mushrooms, and other plant matter.

Babys are tough because they need such small food, but things to try include:
- WORMS are perfectly OK- just not hard-shelled mealworms (which are no really worms anyway). Try...
- earthworms, especially smaller ones
- wax worms, 'butter' worms, silk worms, and so on
- 'Superworms' are a mealworm-like bug that have softer shells and are nutritious enough for a treat
- Phoenix worms (fantastic, but usually hard to find local

Other insects, invertebrates, and meat sources would include:
- slugs
- small crickets
- most of the bugs and such you find in your back yard, as long as they have not been sprayed
- some occasional cooked chicken or beef heart. Never hamburger or fatty, processed meats
- canned low-fat dog food once in a while
- hard-boiled or scrambled eggs with some of the shell left in (crunched up very small)

Veggies and other things would include (as a small part of the meal or a couple times a week):
- strawberries
- apples
- mushrooms
- dark leafy greens (not head lettuce)
- shredded carrot

- Good name-brand turtle foods- pellets, chows, or moist canned foods, such as Reptomin, Mazuri, etc. are OK as a part of the diet, especially when made just for box turtles.

- A small sprinkle of a calcium supplement a couple times a week, and a small sprinkle of a good reptile multi-vitamin every couple days helps ensure good nutrition.

- Keep servings small- babies only need a little food every day. A single serving should not be much larger than their head.

- Variety will protect you. If there is a good variety, then problems with one kind of food go away. Mealworms are fine as a small part of a varied diet. Even things like bananas which are usually too sugary for box turtles, are OK if only offered every couple weeks.


The daily cares and housing are important as well...

Most box turtles come from fairly high humidity habitats with moderate temps. Your turtles should be at about 75F overall with a warmer spot on one side. The overall humidity should be well above 70%, with at least one area of 95% or more, such as a humid hiding box.

Without good humidity and temps, your turtles will not properly digest the foods, adding to the intestinal blockages that dry conditions, dry food and mealworms may have created.

I know you did not try the links before, but here is a good general purpose box turtle article: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/avoidbox.html