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Box Turtles
The box turtle genus, Terrapene, includes 4 species and 11 races of currently recognized subspecies. They range over most of the U.S. east of the Rockies down to Mexico. Box turtles are common first time pets for reptile owners, but need special requirements. They should not be a beginner's pet.
PICKING OUT A BOX TURTLE
Most all box turtles in the pet trade are wild caught, so a fecal sample should be checked right after purchase. Look for a turtle that is clear eyed and active. The skin should be clear, with no abrasions or retained abnormal skin. The shell should be well formed and hard, with no evidence of trauma. All toes should be intact. The ear membrane should be flush with no bulges, and the mouth and nose should be free of bubbles or mucus.
HOUSING
The housing for box turtles should be large; the floor space should be 4 foot square per 1 adult specimen. The sides can be low (about 1-2 feet high). No top is needed for the enclosure, as they will rarely climb. Substrate should consist of newspaper pellet litter, a sand/potting soil mixture or pine/aspen bedding. Turtles need plenty of substrate for traction, as well as for burrowing. A shallow pan for water is required: this should be cleaned daily and the damp substrate around it removed and replaced. Outdoor pens can be used during the summer months. Make sure when building pens to sink the sides to prevent digging out, and make sure there are no predators in the area (dogs, raccoons, opossums, etc.) that will prey on the turtles.
LIGHTING
Heat can be achieved with an incandescent heat lamp over a corner of the cage to provide a basking spot. UV light is also required and can only be achieved with a fluorescent UV bulb, which should be suspended over the cage within 15 inches. These lights should be on a 12 hour light cycle, 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
WINTER CARE
Possibly the greatest long term challenge to many box turtle keepers is their turtles' biological need to spend a significant portion of the cold months inactive. As the leaf colors change outside, the turtles' appetites start shutting down. The trick, when keeping box turtles indoors, is to provide cold enough conditions to allow them to truly stay inactive. Below 50 degrees is needed to remain "asleep." Stop feeding the turtles at least 10 days prior to hibernation; all food needs to be evacuated from their guts. Soak them so they're fully hydrated. Put the turtles in a plastic shoe or sweater box with holes poked in it for air. Cover them with moist leaves or shredded newspaper. Put the box in a darkened location where the temperature doesn't rise above the low 50's. Throughout winter, keep the substrate moist and soak the turtles every couple of weeks.
FEEDING
Box turtles should be fed every 1-2 days. They eat a variety of things including, greens, veggies, fruit, dandelion greens and flowers, earthworms, meal worms, wax worms, slugs, crickets, and high quality dog food. A varied diet is best to ensure optimum nutrition.
REFERENCES
Bartlett, D., 1996 "The Carapaced Crowd," Reptiles USA Annual, 1996
Love, B., 1997 "Basics of Keeping American Box Turtles," Reptiles USA Annual, 1997
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Water Turtles
The keeping of turtles has long been a popular hobby. Until a few years ago, many species of turtles were readily available in pet stores. Today, however, so many state, federal, and international regulations are involved with collecting, importation and sale of water turtles that many shops don't carry them at all. The needs of water turtles can be complex and misunderstood, and meeting these needs is especially important if the specimen is going to be kept healthy and in captivity for a long period of time.
PICKING OUT A WATER TURTLE
First of all, look at the environment that the turtle is kept in. It should be clean and properly lighted (noted later in this care sheet). No feces or uneaten food should be floating in the water. The turtle's eyes should be clear and open wide, the ear membrane should lie flat and have no bulges. There should be no cracks or abrasions on the shell. All toes should be intact and skin should look clean and free of fungus or film. The turtle should eat readily, and the mouth should be intact and free of mucus or lumps.
HOUSING
Adequate housing will, of course be determined by the size and quantity of turtles you are keeping. With water turtles it is better to err on the side of excess than to have too little space. For instance, an adult Red Eared Slider should be kept in nothing smaller than a 30-40 gallon tank. Larger ponds, cattle troughs or child wading pools work well also. Not only will the turtle need water, but it will need a haulout area for basking: a flat rock or floating platform or log works well. Clean water is of great importance so, however you set up your turtle's enclosure, make sure it will be easily cleaned and drained of water. A submersible water filter is also helpful.
LIGHTING AND HEAT
Water turtles require two types of light. First is a basking light consisting of an incandescent heat light hanging over a basking spot. The second is UV light, provided by a fluorescent UV light bulb suspended over the cage (within 15 inches). The lights should be on a 9-12 hour light cycle, on and off. During the winter months a submersible water heater should be used to keep the water at a comfortable temperature. Basking temperatures should be between 84-94 degrees and water temperature should be between 72-80 degrees.
FEEDING
Food items consist of goldfish, crickets, meal worms, earthworms, beef heart, commercial turtle food, and greens. All uneaten food should be removed from the cage within an hour to prevent contaminating the water. Water turtles should be fed every 1 or 2 days. Food sources should be dusted with vitamin/calcium powder once or twice weekly.
REFERENCES
Bartlett,D., 1996, "The Carapaced Crowd," Reptiles USA Annual, 1996
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