Reptile & Amphibian Forums

question on my 3 month old baby boxies. This is my 3rd or 4th time around but I am trying something new. I usually set up the tank with moss. These guys used to go into their little "pond" by themselves but about a month ago they relied on me to put them in there. No biggie. But a couple of days ago I decided to change their tank a bit, put about 1-2 inches of Bed A Beast and moss. Well, they totally buried themselves so its hard for me to find them to put in the water. The Bed A Beast is totally moist so hydration is not a problem. Should I be finding them? Or should I leave them till they come out themselves. Its like a hibernation even though I think they a bit too young. Temp is about 85 - 88 in there. Or do I take every thing out again and start with just moss?
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1 wood turtle
5 Eastern box turtles
4 Baby Eastern Box Turtles
1 Three Toed box turtle
1 red ear slider
1 red eye tree frog
2 Dumpys
1 Grey Tree Frog
1 Peeper
1 gecko, 3 rabbits,6 hermit crab, 2 kids, 1 husband
2 Weimaraners

The same thing happened to me. I set up this really nice virvarium for my ornate hatchling, and down she went, and doesn't come up. Sometimes at night I see her in her water dish. I used compost, so I know that there is a lot of little bugs in there. Sometimes I throw in a wax worm or two. I also take her out every couple of days and just put her in her water dish. There are lots of plants in there too. The humidity is high, and the temp is in the 80's. This is my first hatchling in a long time, so I hope I am doing everything right too. Good luck. Can you post a picture so we can see your set up?

" Should I be finding them? Or should I leave them till they come out themselves. Its like a hibernation even though I think they a bit too young. Temp is about 85 - 88 in there. Or do I take every thing out again and start with just moss?"

Young box turtles are instinctively very wary. It's critical to their survival. Sometime we don't notice that which may inhibit them to show themselves. ... Such as loud voices, a bump or thud or even noise from a TV or stereo. They rather hide then expose themselves to predators; and in their mind we are the predators.

So they will come out at night and take those much needed soaks. Young boxes can dehydrate very easily due to their relatively small body mass. The moist substrate will keep their shells from drying; but they need more water when young then full grown boxies. So carefully going through the substrate and finding them, then soaking them will not harm them. It just ensures they will be fully hydrated. I have found that by doing so; they eat more, and learn to become more trusting at such an early age. In a short time, they will come out on their own and feed/ soak on schedule.

Your bed a beast and moss substrate at two inches is great as are your temps. I'd also expose them to UVB light when they are feeding; as after they feed they will go where it's safe... dark and warm. Also I'd rinse them in standing water at the same temp they are at.... (water left out overnight) to remove some of the substrate before soaking them. They'll feed better and keep their water more clear for seeing their food.

Ric K.

I use bedabeast and keep it pretty damp, but if I don't see one, or all for a few days, I'll pull them up, make sure they soak and offer food.

If they want to bury themselves, that is probably healthy for them. As they get older they will develop more of a cycle where they come up periodically and then go underground for a short period.

My little 3-toed used bury himself so that his eyes were not visible, but I he is already showing signs of "growing up" - he now usually sits with is hind end under the Sphagnum and his head with eyes are exposed, and he watches what goes on around him.