Box Turtle Care Sheet

Box turtles are relatively small, land-dwelling reptiles with a unique, hinged shell design enabling them to completely withdraw their head and limbs and totally close their shell. This design affords total protection to their soft tissues when threatened by predators. Box turtles are very popular pets in the United States. If your box turtle is maintained at the proper temperatures, fed a healthy varied diet and kept in a stress free active environment, your turtle may outlive you. Some turtles have lived more than 100 years.

Box turtles can be housed indoors or outdoors. If you choose to house your turtle outdoors, then you should provide a large, fenced enclosure or yard which is predator proof. Box turtles are escape artists and good climbers, so fences should be intact and secure. The habitat should contain low bushes to provide protection and privacy for the turtles. It should also be heavily planted with ferns, bushes or other vegetation that provide cool, shady retreats. There should be an area that receives a few hours of sun for basking. Your box turtle pen should have well-drained, moist loam soil where the turtles can burrow for temperature regulation. You may also place dry leaves in their pen for them to burrow under. A shallow source of water is essential. There should be a shallow pool positioned so it is easy for the owner to reach and keep it clean. If the pool is small, it should be placed in the shade to keep it cool.

If you choose to house your turtle indoors, their enclosure should be at least 36”x12”, or about the size of a shallow 40 gallon tank. You will need to create a land area using 2 to 3 inches of good quality, plain, sterile potting soil slightly moistened. Mix this soil with finely shredded orchid bark. This layer of loose soil creates an area for your turtle to burrow. Do not use backyard dirt of soil from the garden. Regular misting or sprinkling of the enclosure is recommended along with having a pan of water always available to raise the humidity level. You should also provide a hide box for your turtle. The hide box can be made out of wood or you may even use a cardboard box with a doorway cut into it. The hide box should be filled with a substrate material allowing your turtle to burrow.

American box turtles are partially aquatic turtles and spend the greater part of their time on dry land within easy range of shallow water. They require plenty of fresh shallow water usually used for re-hydration and voiding of body waste. They are not as adapted to swimming and diving as the water turtles, however they can paddle around. In their enclosure, a water area is required and can be provided by using a dish or pan that is large enough for your turtle to lie in and shallow enough for it to easily climb in and out of. The water must be changed frequently and the dish should be kept clean to avoid contamination.

You will need two heat sources for your turtle. We recommend using a heating rock. This allows your turtle to voluntarily warm itself. The heating rock must be kept on all the time or as needed to maintain the proper temperature. Proper temperatures for box turtles are maintained between 85 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the night. You will also need an incandescent light or spot light placed over one side of the tank to help keep the temperature up.

Full spectrum lighting is required in addition to any light used to provide heat. Full spectrum light mimics the beneficial effects of sunlight, enabling your reptile to metabolize vitamin D3 and for calcium utilization. There are full spectrum lights made just for reptiles that may be used. This light is an essential part of the calcium metabolization process. It is best to use a timer to turn lights on and off which needs to be on 12 to 14 hours each day. Also, the light needs to be shining directly on them and not passing through glass or an aluminum screen.

When box turtles are young, they are more omnivorous, meaning they will eat whole animals such as meal worms, snails, slugs, earthworms and other invertebrates. As they mature they become more herbivorous, meaning they prefer to eat mostly plant material. You should offer food daily to youngsters and every other day to adults. They will not eat at low environmental temperatures and likewise cannot digest food well when the temperature is low. So, consistently warm environmental temperatures must be maintained. A varied diet is the key to a healthy turtle because too much of one item can often lead to nutritional imbalances. Fish is accepted by many turtles. Chopped, skinned adult mice are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Earthworms and a variety of insects can also be fed. Many adult turtles can be fed dark green leafy vegetables and a small amount of fruits. You may also feed a commercial pelleted diet. The best time to offer food is after your turtle has had several hours to warm up in the morning. It is better to move your turtle to a different tank for feeding which helps keep the primary habitat cleaner and less contaminated bacterially.

Not all turtles hibernate. In captivity, with constant temperatures and plentiful food, they may not go into hibernation at all. Only healthy specimens who have been eating well and who have not experienced recent or unresolved illness or stress should be allowed to hibernate. If you would like to find out whether your turtle should hibernate or not, have them checked by a veterinarian.

Turtles are not appropriate pets for young children. The care and feeding is more complicated than is generally thought, and the daily maintenance of the enclosure, equipment and feeding soon gets boring for most kids. Box turtles can carry Salmonella, which can be transmitted to young children because they forget to wash their hands after handling their turtle. Box turtles have very specific needs and are very sensitive to stress and can be difficult to keep in captivity. If you are interested in owning a box turtle, read as much information as you can before purchasing your turtle.