Reptile & Amphibian Forums

with any luck this will be my first year with really little boxies, just need some first few days info, usually when I have painteds or snappers hatch I put them in a little bit of water till the yolk is gone, so they dont stick and nothing but water sticks to the yolk, haven't has any issues in 3 years so I must be doing something right, can I do the same with the little boxies just till the yolk is gone or how do you all do it?
-----
My Site
1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.1 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.0 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks

I just keep mine in a moist and dark environment for a few days. Frequently I just leave them in the container where they hatched, loosely covered, in the moist vermiculite, and in the incubator. Either that or on moist paper towels.
I don't think I'd recommend water because I'm picturing a little hatchling tipping over on its side and not being able to right itself because of the yolk.

Ditto, I'd skip the shallow water. I've heard of people actually raising box turtles in shallow water. I'd be way too scared that they'd flip themselves over and drown. I've actually had hatchling painted turtles do that. Now, I always give aquatic turtles deep enough water to flip over and baby box turtles very small water dishes.

Anyway, you can use moist paper towels. Personally, I remove them from the incubation media quickly because I'm worried that they'll accidentally ingest some. I go out and pick fresh sphagnum moss. It holds moisture well, allows them hiding and security, and also has mild antiseptic properties for the open umbilical area. Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers used to dress their wounds with fresh sphagnum moss because of the antibiotic properties. DON'T expect this with the bagged stuff from the store...in fact, it's been shown to harbor pathogenic mold spores due to harvesting and storage procedures.

Not to nit pick here, but I think you're referring to something other than sphagnum moss, a bog-type plant that, as it decomposes becomes peat moss (aka sphagnum peat moss).
Could you be instead referring to silvery 'spanish moss' that drapes so picturesquely from southern trees, and is an epiphytic plant?

Nope, sphagnum. I've done work with Project Bog turtle in my home state. The naturalist that heads that project is arguably one of the greatest southern naturalists of our time. He is very knowledgeable about animal, plant, and mineral. He told me about the antiseptic properties of sphagnum moss. As most people know, Bog turtles and sphagnum moss love each other. When he tells me something, I believe it. Maybe that's wrong of me. Steph, I know that you have a Botany background...is what I've said untrue? I must confess, I'm going by what I was told. Is it the antiseptic statement or the mold spores that you take issue with?

"I must confess, I'm going by what I was told. Is it the antiseptic statement or the mold spores that you take issue with?"

Neither, actually: its the statement you made that you can 'just go out and pick' sphagnum moss that made me wonder...it is a bog plant that is usually associated more with northern latitudes and or colder climates.

Maybe you're lucky and live near a source: I have to buy the stuff!

Ooooh, I see. I used to live on the East Coast of Southern NJ. There were so many sphagnum bogs there you could hardly walk through the woods without getting a "soaker" as we called it. (Sinking knee deep in bog water). Where I live now, we don't have any Spanish moss, but I do know of some sphagnum bogs. I'm suprised, Steph, you should have plenty where you are. As for use, I don't use it at all anymore. It's just too humid here, and I need to use dryer stuff. I think the original poster lives up North...the stuff is thick up there.

I live in deep Southeast Tx and there a few "peat bogs" here. Most are in The Big Thicket National Preserve, so you can't just go out and collect the stuff, but if you know where to look, it's sure there.

I dont keep aquatics very long after hatch just long enough for their yolks to absorb, all the eggs are collected from wild nests that were either in very bad locations, not burried right or raided, so I release all that hatch
I think with the boxies I'll just go with a paper towel till the yolk is gone then put them in something more natural.
-----
My Site
1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.1 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.0 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks

"I just keep mine in a moist and dark environment for a few days. Frequently I just leave them in the container where they hatched, loosely covered, in the moist vermiculite, and in the incubator. Either that or on moist paper towels. ?I don't think I'd recommend water because I'm picturing a little hatchling tipping over on its side and not being able to right itself because of the yolk."

I'd have to agree. I leave my hatchlings in the medium until all the yolk is absorbed.
Often they will stay in the remnants of their egg; a few bury down a bit deeper.
They have evolved to hatch with their yolk sac attached. Never have I had one that contracted infection left in the hatching medium. I believe it's much more risky to remove them when they are not ready to eat, are still weak from the toll of hatching, and not having absorbed those valuable nutrients; or endanger them by risking a tear in their unprotected yolk. Also... their umbilical cord is a closed system ( if not severed) covered with a solution that is a natural antiseptic.
Ric