r/Boxturtles

I have a baby Eastern Box Turtle (born July 2025).

Its in a mostly aquatic habitat for the moment (shallow water, a rock and some plastic plants). Its doing very well and growing.

For the last few weeks, there is a lot of algae growing on the shell and I was wondering if that could become a problem. I change the water every day (sometimes I skip one but rarely) and I also clean the shell. Should I just let it there? Can it become a problem?

Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/5kuocrtvqh2h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ece3da0de5d35fb995e657b6894ff7b2ff6ec38

https://preview.redd.it/u3h9nhexqh2h1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c79642c2a3516c430f2c7ea8feb90b0bb16fd022

Hi! So recently, while on a walk, i found a rather small box turtle. Normally, I'd have left it alone as we live quite far in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee, but as of late, there is a huge amount of construction by my home and they sre tearing up all the ground where he was found and in the surrounding area

I've had turtles before, red ear sliders, so I'm not overly unfamiliar with turtles, but I don't know a whole lot about them on a care levle, just what I've found on Google

I don't plan to keep the poor thing long term, just untill they are done ripping up the top soil, which they said will be another 2 or so months, but I want to provide for him while he's in my care the best I can

I've had him for 2 weeks now. He's regularly eating every 2 ish days as I've seen. I've been giving him fresh food dailt, though im unsure if this is within good husbandry. I own hermit crabs that I regularly feed live bugs, fruit, and vegetables too already, so from what I've found, I've got a lot of the right stuff to feed.

Right now I've been offering him small worms, isopods, mealworms, as well as offering fruits cut into small peices like apples, watermelon (only the once becausei know its high in sugar and google said thats not the best for them, and darker leafy greens like to incude red leaf lettuce and romain, I hand raise there bugs again for the crabs)

I had a spare 60-gallon tank laying around, alongside a heat mat and a soaking pool. So I picked up some coconut fiber for him and layerd it about 3 inches thick and set up some basic hides and the pool (declorinated), i also placed a few pothos that i had growing in my crabs tank, I washed with pet safe anti bug spray then rinsed with water to ensure no transfers of anything as was unsure if they could harm eachother, and set them around the hides and pool so he had a safer place to hide in.

My concerns are this, have I got all the basic husbandry down, and if now what do I need to do to ensure he'll be okay during his stay? What can I do to enrich the tank if required for them? Also should I be separating him into a small container for eating, I see this alot with other turtle owners as well as hand feeding, but since I'm releasing him i don't want to accidently domestic him

What’s the best way to introduce a female box turtle into a male box turtle’s enclosure?

My male box turtle has always lived alone in his enclosure, so I’m a little nervous about introducing another turtle. I was recently given a female box turtle, and she previously lived with other box turtles, so she’s used to being around other turtles.

I want to make sure I introduce them safely and avoid stress or aggression. Has anyone successfully introduced a female to a male that’s always been solitary? Any tips on the best way to do it?

PSA: I am getting a permit!!! I have a friend who has a permit and has 3 turtles, an ornate and 2 easterns i think? They're helping through the process.

Anyways, I have an 8x4x2 built, and I need to waterproof it, my question is, if I have the water elements separate (in their own containers and such) would I be able to use 3 layers of blue tarp to keep it sealed? I heard that one would decay quickly so I wanted to check if multiple layers would work long term? Also I'm using flex glue to seal the gaps in the wood itself

Hey all, I recently got a 3-toed box turtle, and she has been adjusting well to her new home to my best knowledge. However, with food, it’s a bit strange. I have tried to feed her romaine, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, baby carrots, turtle food pellets, even all mixed in together with fresh-killed crickets. She will eat the dead crickets, but won’t eat anything else. She will also eat them live, and very happily. She doesn’t hesitate to eat them, but everything else she refuses. All the produce foods are store bought if that means anything, is there something I’m doing wrong? Any advice would be great!

Hi guys! I was looking for some advice on here, I work in vet med at an animal shelter. Yesterday we had a mom come in with her little boy (who was VERY upset lol) and surrendered this baby box turtle. Intake did not ask the boy where he took it from, no fault of their own they did not know about box turtles and how they stay within a mile radius of there homes. They are used to cat and dog surrenders. The boy was also keeping the box turtle inside, and I do not know for how long. The turtle is smaller than a golf ball. Anyways, I opted to take the turtle home with me, because we don’t have space right now to house animals, let alone a turtle. And I have a quite large yard and garden. After doing some research I found out about the mile radius, and how sometimes they will search for their homes forever. Now I am unsure what to do, I was going to release him/her into my garden and let him go about his way, but now I am scared he won’t make it. I’ve been watching tons of YouTube videos, and considering making him and enclosure on my property, so he’s safe from predators and I would more than happily take good care of the fella. There is no reptile rehabilitations for turtles in my state, only a “reptile house and rescue” place that would keep him in an enclosure as well. The next rehabs I could find are a state over. I live in West Virginia. I have done a lot of rehabs myself, with working in vet med, birds, squirrels etc. so I want everyone to know I am willing to put in the time, resource and research for this guy. Would it be wrong to build him an enclosure in my garden? Of course I will upgrade size of enclosure to meet his needs over the years. Will he stand a chance if I let him free in my garden? Please don’t be harsh on me, or my fellow coworkers as this was a type of situation we do not come across very often.

just dawned on me that all water my box turtle has interacted with since I got her (water bowl, soaking dish, and misting) has all been tap water. I live in the usa and with the additives i’m glad it hasn’t been harmful yet.

is it still okay to be using it for her misting and water or should I be using something else? is this something others have thought of?

I (17) have had my EBT for around 10/12 years now. Recently I started buying her more live food since I can finally afford it, but she’s acting kind of strange with it. Instead of eating the roaches, crickets, and worms, she’s just hunting and killing them, then leaving the bodies piled up on one of her rocks. There’s was a pile of like 9 bugs within about 10 minutes.

She’s had crickets and worms before with no issues, and her tank is definitely big enough for live feeders, but now the second she sees movement she goes after them and doesn’t actually eat most of them. I bought 48 Dubia roaches today and almost half of them are already dead in the pile.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this normal behavior? Do I need to buy a breeding box for the bugs instead?