This is why you need another board Turtles will climb on the backs of other turtles to try and get out. They are smart! Plus if something was to fall into the pen, a turtle can use it to climb out an 8 inch high pen, but have a harder time with one that is 16 inches. If you don't want to add another board, then please add a two inch board that is angled into the pen so the turtle (s) cannot climb over the board. The leaning board will help keep them in the pen.

I worry about raccoons because you said you have the dogs' invisible fence stopping before the pen now since they eat the turtle's food. A raccoon would love to eat your turtle, and they had done so to some that I personally know of. Better safe than sorry!

It can be other types of leaves, but I wouldn't use oak leaves. It might be linked to a shell condition where a fungus attacks the shell of hibernating turtles and pits it and eats away at the seams of the scutes. Oak leaves turn the soils into just the right medium for fungal growth due to its high concentration of tannins.

Yes, the hole should be as wide as it is deep. A turtle may not dig down right in the middle and this way you are giving it most space to dig. There is a great picture of a hibernation pit made by Step Moore in my book-you might want to buy it, especially if you are thinking of getting more turtles Tess


>>I'm thinking ether an interesting EBT or an EBT X Three Toed hybrid. (Wild caught in SW North Carolina)
>>-----
>>1.1.0. Black Rat Snakes
>>0.1.0. Leopard Gecko
>>
>>www.erichrhom.com
-----
Tess Cook
www.boxturtlesite.info

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]