Box Turtle Care Info
Box Turtles come in several species but their care is the same.
Box Turtle Lighting and Temperature
Box turtles of all ages should have access to UVB fluorescent lighting, in addition to a spot lamp to provide a hotspot. If kept outside in a turtle pen, the access to regular natural sunlight negates the requirement for either of the above lighting elements. For indoor caging, both cool and warm ends should be provided with the ambient temperature being about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A 75-watt spot lamp should be used to provide a basking site between 90 and 95 degrees, and the cool end should be kept between 70 and 75 degrees. Under no circumstances should a heat rock be used to provide the heat for a box turtle, as this will almost always lead to potentially life-threatening burns! For your box turtle's indoor enclosure the minimum size reptile tank should be at least 40 gallon. The bigger the better for your shelled friend. Box turtles must have a water dish big enough to soak in. They are a semi aquatic turtle and must have clean water in their enclosure at all times. They love to climb so having objects to climb on is helpful.
Box Turtle Food
Like all box turtles, the ornate box turtle is omnivorous. In the wild box turtles actively hunt and consume grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and earthworms. Additionally, box turtles will graze on low-growing vegetation, berries and even mushrooms. In captivity it is important to provide a varied assortment of foods, as the diversity of the box turtle diet can lead to them being picky eaters. Commercially bred cockroaches in addition to crickets, mealworms, earthworms, hard-boiled eggs and ground beef make for excellent sources of protein. Berries, sliced melon, mushrooms, mustard greens, collard greens and dandelion greens round out the vegetarian side of the menu. It is important to your box turtle’s health to provide a rich calcium source for your turtles as well as a source rich in beta carotene or vitamin A. Therefore, insects should be dusted with a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement prior to being offered.
Box Turtle Outdoor Enclosure
Box turtles love to climb so have lots of rocks to climb on. They need several hiding places. We like to put a piece of sod in and water it everyday to keep up the humidity. A large shallow water dish is a must for drinking and soaking in. We cover our enclosures to keep the turtles in and the critters out!
This page is dedicated to the care of the
Box Turtle.
Box Turtle Enclosure 40 gallon reptile tank
Climbing rocks
Water source
Silk plants
Food dish
Hide log
Bumblebee
the Asian Box Turtle also loves bananas.
Box turtles love to dig so a nice rich organic soil works well. This Coleus plant offers great shade for this little turtle.
This enclosure is built on the deck. No one can dig out. The sod does fine just sitting on the deck.
Roxie & Shelbie enjoy cooling off in the summer heat.
Box turtles love water. This is a sunken cake pan. The wood bridge helps them to climb out.
Folage for shade and hiding also adds a nice touch to your outdoor enclosure. Climbing rocks are readily available at your local landscape yard for great prices. Much cheaper than pet shops. These rocks double as a cave.
