Box Turtle Substrate?

[Vicious_Fish]

yeah, but thats pretty much what my thing looks like, except instead of wire fencing, its just wood. nice work, by the way.

Thanks for the compliment. But the real reason why your turtles try to escape is because your sides are made of wood instead of wire. When Box Turtles (or pretty much any turtle for that matter) come to an obstacle they are either going to A) go around it, B) climb over it or C) dig under it. You are providing your turtles with visual barriers so they feel confined and try to escape. Large spaced wire fencing tricks them into thinking they're not penned in. I have never caught my turtle trying to climb or dig out from any of my enclosures.

 

[HerpHunter77]

arent your turtles curious as to why they are restrained when the try to walk further?
so, i should take a saw and cut the wood so there is basically a frame for a box and then fill it in with gardening wire?

 

[HerpHunter77]

is that is a good idea (in ur opinoion), i will do so tommorow.

 

[HerpHunter77]

after my dad gets home. (i dont trust myself with power tools)

 

[Vicious_Fish]

arent your turtles curious as to why they are restrained when the try to walk further?
so, i should take a saw and cut the wood so there is basically a frame for a box and then fill it in with gardening wire?

The wire fencing sort of confuses them. They can see though it and stick their head though it but they can't move forward. After a few fruitless attempts to go forward they will give up. They end up learning the boundaries pretty quickly.

 

[HerpHunter77]

so it doesnt really "trick" them as you said?

 

[Vicious_Fish]

so it doesnt really "trick" them as you said?

I'm not sure what you mean. Trick/confuse whatever you want to call it.... Box turtles don't perceive the wire fencing as a visual barrier so they don't bother trying to escape.