EASTERN BOX TURTLE/ORNATE BOX TURTLE

SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Terrapene carolina

DISTRIBUTION:  Eastern & Southwestern United States of America

SIZE:  UP TO 8 1/2"

TEMPERAMENT:  Very tame, calm disposition. These turtles can be kept in groups.

HARDINESS:  Very hardy if set up & maintained properly.  These turtles are susceptible to respiratory
                      infections, abscesses, limb and head swelling, shell infections, and gastroenteric problems.
                      Therefore selection of healthy ones is really important. They should always be treated for
                      parasites upon purchase of a new pet.

FOOD:  Nutrient fed and vitamin/calcium coated crickets, jumbo meal worms, butter worms, night crawlers,
            snails, slugs, canned or moistened dry dog food, pinky (baby) mice, and supplemented bananas,
            strawberries, grapes, apple, melon, spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and various other
            fruits and vegetables. VARIETY is essential for a healthy turtle.

HOUSING:  A minimum 30 gallon or preferably larger tank can house 2 or 3 box turtles.  Use a 2"-3" layer of
                  potting soil/sand mixture.  Landscape and create shelters and basking areas with select
                  driftwood, hollow logs and cork bark slabs.  Larger groups would require at least a 55 gallon set
                 up.  These turtles thrive best when housed outdoors under natural sunlight with shelters,
                  burrowing facilities, accessible shallow water and, if necessary, winter protection from the cold.
                   They will hibernate.

WATER:  An easily accessible large shallow pan of fresh water should be provided for drinking, soaking and
              defecation at all times.

TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY:  Daytime temperature of 70 - 88 degrees F gradient, night time temperature
                                             55-70 degrees F. Moderate to high humidity is provided by the large water pan
                                             and frequent misting of enclosure.

LIGHTING:  Full spectrum lighting and U.V. radiation is required for these turtles. Exposure to  unfiltered
                   natural sunlight is recommended.

HEATING:  An under tank reptile heating pad placed under one half to two thirds of the enclosure including
                 the water pan will provide 24 hour bottom surface and water heat.  Incandescent light bulbs with
                 reflectors situated over select basking areas will provide the right daytime heat. Use a thermometer.

The above outline works good for almost any box turtle. The Ornate Box Turtle can be difficult to acclimate
 in captivity and should be provided with a slightly higher temperature. (daytime 82-88 degrees F
 (night time 68-75 degrees F) Food should consist of mostly live insects and various meats in the diet along with usual box turtle fare.

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CHINESE BOX TURTLE
 

SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Cuora flavomarginata

DISTRIBUTION:  China, Taiwan, Okinawa-Japan

SIZE:  Up to 7 1/2"

TEMPERAMENT:  Very tame, docile tempered, can be housed in groups.

HARDINESS:  Very hardy when properly set up and maintained. They should be treated for parasites.

FOOD:  Nutrient fed and vitamin calcium coated crickets, jumbo meal worms, butter worms, night crawlers
            goldfish, snails, slugs, beef heart, canned dog food, moistened monkey chow, pinky (baby) mice.
            Also provide various high quality fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.

HOUSING:  A minimum 30 gallon or preferable larger tank can house 2 or 3 turtles.  Use a 2"-3" layer of
                 potting soil/sand mixture.  Landscape and create shelters and basking areas with select
                  driftwood, hollow logs and cork bark slabs.  Larger groups would require at least a 55 gallon set
                  up.

WATER:  An easily accessible large shallow pan of fresh water should be provided for drinking, soaking and
              defecation at all times.

TEMPERATURE:  Daytime temperature 75-85 degrees F. Not below 65 degrees F for night time.

LIGHTING:  Full spectrum lighting. U.V. radiation lighting is recommended for long term maintenance of
these turtles. Occasional exposure to unfiltered natural sunlight is also recommended.

HEATING:  An under tank reptile heating pad placed under one half to two thirds of the enclosure including
               the water pan will provide 24 hour bottom surface and water heat.  Incandescent light bulbs with
                reflectors situated over select basking areas will provide the right daytime heat. Use a thermometer.

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REDFOOT TORTOISE/YELLOWFOOT TORTOISE

SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Chelonoidis carbonaria

DISTRIBUTION:  South America

SIZE:  Up to about 20"

TEMPERAMENT:  Very tame, mellow disposition, can be kept in groups.

HARDINESS:  Very hardy when properly set up and maintained. They should be treated for parasites.

FOOD:  Vitamin/calcium coated grasses, spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli, frozen/thawed vegetables,
             sprouts, various other vegetation, apples, grapes, pears, bananas, various other fruits, moistened dry
             dog food, monkey chow, or rabbit pellets. Also jumbo meal worms, butter worms, and various insects.

**IMPORTANT** Babies have high calcium requirements** thus the need for vitamin and calcium dusting of
food.

HOUSING:  Babies and small juveniles can be housed in a minimum 20 gallon sized or preferably larger
enclosure.  Recommended substrate is rabbit pellets, but can use either straw or potting soil
sand mixture.  Landscape with select driftwood, cork bark slabs, smooth flat rocks, and hollow
logs.

WATER:  Provide a large shallow pan of clean water with easy access for drinking, soaking and defecation.
             **Or provide no water pan and instead give a weekly soak in a bucket of shallow luke warm water
                for about 10 minutes** This proves to keep the housing area much cleaner. Daily misting of
                enclosure is recommended for humidity.

TEMPERATURE:  Daytime temperature 72-82 degrees F. Nighttime temperature 68-74 degrees F.

LIGHTING:  Full spectrum and U.V. radiation lighting is needed for long term maintenance. If kept indoors
occasional exposure to natural unfiltered sunlight is recommended.

HEATING:  An under tank reptile heating pad placed under one half to two thirds of the enclosure including
                the water pan will provide 24 hour bottom surface and water heat.  Incandescent light bulbs with
                 reflectors situated over select basking areas will provide the right daytime heat. Use a high range
               thermometer.

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Below you will find important information
about Turtles when they get COLDS

They can be the death of your turtle

email: [email protected]
phone: (408) 749-8920 (home)
Copyright by Valerie Haecky. This document may be freely
distributed for non-profit use, provided this notice is
included.
Let me say this first: A cold is a serious condition for a
turtle.
Turtles get colds, just like people and most other animals. They
may sneeze, but sneezing is not always a sign of a cold; dust or
just "stuff in the nose" can make a turtle sneeze occasionally.
The turtle may have a bit of a runny nose, too. Again, this can
be causes by allergies, or by a cold. If you are not sure, whether
your turtle has a cold, have a veterinarian evaluate the animal.
These symptoms could also be a harmless little cold, or they could be the
only sign of the beginning of a more serious respiratory
infection, which must be treated with medication.
While a turtle doesn't get a cold from being cold, keeping a
turtle too cold, or under less than ideal conditions, will
weaken its immune system, and it is more likely to catch the
disease.
Colds, respiratory infections, and pneumonia can be caused
by bacteria or viruses. Just like in people, if a bacterium is
the agent, antibiotics are used for treatment, and there is a
good chance the animal will recover. If a virus is the cause,
which is hard to determine, since it won't show in a culture,
nothing much can be done, except to keep the turtle warm and
wait and hope.
The first measure for any cold-like symptoms is to raise the
temperature in the turtle enclosure. Raising the temperature
helps the turtle's immune system become more active. Also, make
sure the turtle has the cleanest possible environment. How much
to raise the temperature? Maybe a few degrees for water, to around
82-85 degrees. Better even, is to take the turtle, if it is a
water turtle, out of the water. Put the turtle into a heated
box--use a thermometer! make sure it doesn't get too hot!!!--you
can use a heating pad or a lamp to heat the box. Leave the turtle
in the box except for two soakings of 1/2 hour each mornings and
evenings, for eating and drinking.
If the turtle gets worse, or if it does not improve within a
couple of days, see a veterinarian immediately.
If any of the symptoms are more than minor, or if the turtle
also gasps, has a rasping breath, or swollen eyes, is sluggish
or doesn't eat, see a veterinarian immediately. If you are not sure--see a veterinarian.
Colds, respiratory infections, and pneumonia are probably one of the
most common causes of death for turtles.
Treatments for colds, respiratory infections, and pneumonia include
warmth, antibiotics (oral or injected), steaming (with or without
medication), breathing oxygen (if the turtle has water in its lungs and
cannot get enough oxygen), and X-rays (to check for water in the lungs).

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Other Turtle Stops to make:

MARINE TURTLES

EASTERN BOX TURTLE CARE  Dave McShaffrey's page

 GREAT PICTURES  This is a must see page

 BOX TURTLE ON-LINE CARE    By Tess Cook

 

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