I tend to not do things the way all I read says that I should. This comes from keeping Shell E first then Hope, then later Jane was somewhat of a patient & finally Chip.. all of them were (& in the case of Chip still is) "home hospital patients."

With those turtles who needed to be kept in a hospital tank without substrate & without the natural setting that most people keep box turtles in I had to soak them daily, clean the tank while they're soaking then after they're done soaking I feed them. All feeding has always been done outside the tank(s) they stay in.

All the adults learned routine within about a week & they all know when it's time to start the bathing & feeding every day.

Now during the time they were learning routine I found that some of them could not care less if I'm around while they eat... others do not want to be watched so I have to put the food in then leave for a while. When I hear them begin to walk around I know they're finished & I can come back in.



When I took in the baby Kibbles in geeze when was that? Nov. I think.. I just soaked baby Kibbles in that little critter keeper while the adults took turns in their bathtub & then fed the baby the same way.. in a little critter keeper outside the tank it lives in.

So far that baby has never refused a meal except when I've tried to feed a commercial food. I think baby is used to routine just as the adults are.



Frankly I'm surprised myself that the baby has been so easy to care for and easy to feed. This baby is like Shell E & Jane.. baby does not care at all if I can be seen during feeding.. baby will eat no matter what as long as the food offered is something it wants.
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PHRatz

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