NEED HELP WITH A BOX TURTLE

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aquaman88

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 28, 2009
63
0
0
mostly in the dog house
so my son brings home a box turtle he is 3 and loves trutles i was wondering how to care for it i'm gonna take a 180 and make it 3/4 land the rest water my question is

what do i use at substrate ?
what do i feed him ?
do i need to filter the water if i change it every 2 days ??
if i feed him insects do i kill them and put them in a dish ??
do they eat fish ???
do i need a heat lamp ??
 
Actualy I would recomend that you put the box turtle back in the woods and buyed a cb yearling of a hardy species. Why? Putting aside the etics of bringing home a animal that likely has lived in its home range for like 20 years or more, wild cauth box turtles normaly do VERY POORLY in captivity specialy in indoor tanks no matter how big, they normaly start getting sick and weak wittting a copple of weaks and die witting a few mouths. To have the least chance to keep him alive and well you would have to build him a huge outdoor pen simulating the native forest floor. Also box turtles of all species are currently in great decline from habitat destrocion, road kill and pet trade. Dont contribute for that decline. For that turtle to survive to adult hood, MANY had to die in the jaws of humgry predators. Box turtles mature slowly, grow slowly and live many years, just the remuval of one, specialy a female can have a great inpact of their populacion, many years can pass untill she is replaced.
Even cb north american boxys are not easy to keep but they are hardier and conservacion friendly:D. I recomend that you start by reading a good care sheet. They do still however require extensive outdoor housing. Besides them there are plentifull of readbly avaible cb species really hardy, many of wich would trive in that 180 gallon;)
 
I would release it and look into getting a russian red foot tortoise for a tank that size - they're a lot easier to care for, get about 15" at adult size, ect.

Just tell your son the box turtle misses it's friends and you want to get a turtle that likes living with people - s'what I did with mine when he would bring stuff home out of the blue.
 
dirtyblacksocks;3193075; said:
I would release it and look into getting a russian red foot tortoise for a tank that size - they're a lot easier to care for, get about 15" at adult size, ect.

Just tell your son the box turtle misses it's friends and you want to get a turtle that likes living with people - s'what I did with mine when he would bring stuff home out of the blue.
Click to expand...
"a russian red foot tortoise":D I didnt know that ones, must be a new hybrid:ROFL:
 
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