Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,
I work at a Ski Resort in the Mid-Atlantic and one day this summer I notice a Turtle outside my office window. The next morning the turtle was still in the same place. When I got ready to go that day that Turtle was in the same place. I walked up to it and picked it up. It was moving but wasn't freaking out or anything. But I thought something was wrong. So I decided to bring it home and nurse it back to health. I went online and found out it was a Eastern Box Turtle. I saw that they eat warms which he or she just loves and bananas which he or she will eat every once in a while. It's the winter now and I still have the Turtle. I have become a little attached to the thing and my wife and two little kids just love him or her. I'll stop calling the Turtle him or her and call it Rexee that's the Turtles name. We build Rexee a nice little home and he seemed very happy. Lately he just has not been himself. He's not as active and is not eating like he usally does. He hasn't ate anything in 4 days and he's usally eats 2 warms every other day and a little banana. We don't know what to do. My Wife thinks we should bring Rexee back up the mountain and let him go. I don't know if that's a good idea or not. How worried should I be about Rexee not eating and not being as active? Should I take Rexee to a Vet before I let it go if I let it go? Do Turtles go to Vets? Will he be okay in the cold weather now that he's been inside for 6 months. Any help anyone can give me would be great.
Go Irish,

No, it wouldn't be ok in the cold weather: please don't even consider releasing it now! Box turtle hibernate in the winter, and they have weeks to acclimate to changes in temperature....if you released yours now it would surely perish.

Not eating for four days is not really cause for alarm in the greater scheme of things, although you should check for a bubbly nose, open mouth breathing (gaping), puffy eyes that don't open readily: if your turtle has any of these problems, let us know.

Can you tell us a little more about the habitat you created for your turtle? What do you keep it in? Does it have uvb lighting? Does it have a water source for drinking and soaking?

You may be able to make some adjustments to it's habitat that would encourage it to eat, and keep it healthy for a springtime release.

Also, what state are you in?

Yeah, dont realest the turtle, that is deffinently the worst thing you can do.

You might want to go get a vet check, and see if he has parasites/worms, also if it cold they slow down, especially this time of year they will slow down.

Kyle
www.turtleinfo.tk

Thanks to everyone for the advice about my Turtle. He has no bubbly nose, no open mouth breathing (gaping), no puffy eyes that don't open readily. I didn't think letting him go in the cold was a good idea. He ate a worm last night so that made me feel better. His home is a 10 foot X 12 foot portable sand box with a small divider in the middle. The walls are hi enough that he can not get out. Half the box is filled with sand and half the box is filled with soil. He also has a little pond (water bowl) on the side with the soil. The side with the soil also has a couple turtle friendly plants that my wife purchased. We keep the sandbox in our heated basement in the winter and in the basement and outside in the summer. He also spends a lot of time out of the sandbox walking all over the basement. Does anyone have any suggestions for improving his living quarters? Does anyone know what other things Turtles like to eat besides worms and bananas. Rexee has to be tired of eating the same thing all the time. Thanks again to everyone for all the help.
Go Irish

Oh good, glad to know his home is heated. That there's no bubbling & such. Maybe a vet check up isn't needed right away.

He could probably use some full spectrum fluorscent reptile lighting, maybe a basking light for daytime too.
If he'll eat crickets from the pet store they give you an easy way to give him vitamins & calcium because the powders stick so well to crickets.
Being a box other than ornate you could feed him/her dandelion green, squashes all sorts of berries.. there's a huge menu this turtle could be enjoying.
Check out www.boxturtlesite.org
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PHRatz

I agree with Ratz, UVA/UVB lighting could really help to sustain the turtle's appetite throughout the winter. Nearly any living bug or worm of appropriate size could be considered as a food source, as well as a wide array of fruits and vegetables. Some commercial pellets(soaked) and canned foods for turtles may also be accepted.

I'd lose the sand. Sand can be an irritant over time, and even turtles from sandy regions can have complications with too much sand. I'd replace the sand area with an area full of nice organic matter in which the turtle can dig. Leaves or pine needles from your yard would be a nice, cheap choice. Cedar chips and pine chips can be harmful. Aspen can be a messy pain and can cause impactions. One poster also recommends mixing wood bark herp bedding with some sphagnum moss.

As far as releasing the turtle, the very best thing to do would be to contact your state's wildlife management or resource office. Ask for the resident herpetologist before you tell them any specifics. Sometimes the advice you get depends on who answers the phone, so it's best to talk to the expert.

Good luck...I'd love to see a picture.

Make sure the habitat is nice and moist...eastern box turtles like high humidity! I agree with Ken: the sand isn't doing any good and in fact may be harmful, so you should get rid of it and just use dirt/leaves or something more moisture retentive.

They eat a tremendous variety of foods in their natural habitat, so there are lots of choices for you. Berries are always popular with my bunch, and winter squashes, too. The website that Ratz directed you to has a great list of appropriate foods.

In many states it's illegal to release animals (even native ones) into the environment. Not to mention that the turtle may not be able to re-adapt to living in the wild.

There are factors that "tell" reptiles when they should be hibernating, such as shortened day lengths and colder temperatures. It may very well be that your animal thinks it should be hibernating, and therefore could be the reason it is not eating.

This would be especially true if the turtle is an adult that spent it's life in the wild hibernating for 20, 30, or 40 years (or more).

Those who do not hibernate their turtles often find that the reptiles slow down or go off feed during the winter months. You did not mention what temperatures you are keeping the reptile at. In order to eat and remain active throughout the winter, the turtle will probably need to have a heat source in its environment.

You may also want to consider hibernating the animal.

Tim

Third Eye

Everyone's given some good advice so far.
I'm with Kyle about seeing the vet though. Because of the circumstances that you found Turtle in, it can't hurt a thing to have a check up with a reptile vet who knows how to treat turtles.
Yes there are vets out there who treat turtles every day.
It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to their health.
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PHRatz

Really pretty one in your photo.
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PHRatz

Thanks! And I agree, having the animal checked by a vet is a darn good idea. Sometimes the early stages of a respiratory infection (which can occur when the weather gets chilly) are hard for a new turtle owner to detect. A qualified vet can determine a problem like that with relative ease.

Tim