Reptile & Amphibian Forums

65 degrees and high humidity are the bane of any turtle from dry country.

Someone posted this under the heading "just dodge the need to spend $95 next time"
What does that mean? Are ornates from "dry country" I will have to do some research on this. Everything that I've read about box turtles seem to indicate that Ornates need humidity the same as Eastern Box turtles. Any thoughts on this one?

I think that comment was made in reference to the fact that much of an ornate's range is more open grassland or even semi-arid landscape.

"65 degrees and high humidity are the bane of any turtle from dry country.

Someone posted this under the heading "just dodge the need to spend $95 next time"
What does that mean? Are ornates from "dry country" I will have to do some research on this. Everything that I've read about box turtles seem to indicate that Ornates need humidity the same as Eastern Box turtles. Any thoughts on this one?'

I believe they are referring to the fact that Ornates are a western subspecies of Boxies. It might answer some of your questions if you did read all you can on them. I did answer some of them in a post further down the thread... Please see Link to my post below. .... Think you missed it.... With all that's occured I can see why.

Regarding Nora, you may want to ask the Vet...via phone call (since you paid for his knowledge) about varying the injection sites ( since you will be giving it 7 days to prevent skin ulcerations/inflamations. Baytril aka enroflaxacin is a powerful antibiotic that can have side effects.... Vet may have explained them to you. I would watch Nora cautiously during the treatment.

Two months from now you will look back on all this as a piece of cake and will be posting to others on how to care for sick Ornates. Take all in stride and know- we all have been there.

Ric K.

Link

Ornate boxes come from dry country. Drier than T. carolina. They're like many arid country tortoises - their habitat is dry (except after occasional rain), but they have many temperature and humidity OPTIONS from multiple burrows/pallets.

Your turtle has not been given options. You have OVERcared by providing only a couple measures you thought were right on the money, and now the turtle has told you you're wrong. Providing exact measures is the wrong approach to have as a reptile keeper.

Provide a range of temperature options, humidity options and let the most knowledgable individual pick which are right for the time. The most knowledgable individual is the turtle. And the turtle's knowledge will cause its preferences to change, depending on the time of day, what it's eaten, so on. No vet can give you better info than that. No vet can beat the reptile subject in knowing what's best. So all you have to do is provide for the reptile's OPTIONS.

OPTIONS are everything to captive reptiles. Let this soak in, then we can talk about ways to adjust your situation.

"OPTIONS are everything to captive reptiles. Let this soak in, then we can talk about ways to adjust your situation."

A puerile statement to assume - that all boxies given the choice; will make the best decisions for their survival. Boxies live by instinct, not knowledge. People can acquire knowledge and make good or incorrect choices such as making an injudicious post to a sincere attempt to help a boxie.

Because a boxie reacts to heat as do all COLD BLOODS; including insects, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians and countless others doesn't
give credence to the the statement they have knowledge. Heat tropism is not a choice but rather a response variable.

An earlier post made by you stated that not all boxies are meant to live. You stated it was nature. Then if a captive one gets sick maybe it was not meant to live by your standards. Yet the person who saves it; when perhaps it would have died in nature( your philosophy) is chastised by riddles of knowledge and choice that are of one person's opinion and not substantiated by fact or studies.

Many boxies make choices that cause their sudden demise like crossing a road during heavy traffic..... Now if they had knowledge ( they had the choice) to wait just a hour.. It/ they would have survived.

Boxies don't make the best choices especially in a captive situation. Given the choice many, many boxies will eat Reptomin over Natural Foods because it's easier to gather and they get lazy. It this the best choice? It was made by the boxie?

Most boxies will choose bananas over turnip greens yet bananas are high in phosphorous and very low in calcium. If fed bananas often because it's the boxie's choice; it will lead to calcium binding and deformed shells. Yet the turnip greens that is turned down for bananas has an 8 to 1 calcium ratio, low protein which lessens the chance of pyramiding, and high vitamin A which prevents eye problems and fights respiratory diseases.

Most boxies will choose tomatoes, or cantaloupe ( both fruits which are not great foods for boxies ..but ok in small amounts) over turnip greens. Even grape leaves (great boxie food) which have a 4 to 1 calcium ratio are shunned over bananas, cantaloupe, or tomatoes. Same is true for Kale which has a 6 to 2 calcium ratio.

Most boxies given the choice will eat mealworms ( a poor choice...low in all nutrients) over turnip greens, kale, grape leaves or a dozen other foods much better for them.

Many boxies given the choice will eat cheap fatty dog-food over any of the superior foods listed above....that will greatly shorten their life span!

People can attain knowledge; and people make choices with that lack of or attainment of knowledge. Give it time and let it "soak in"

Ric K.

I give my ornate box turtle one very humid hide. The humdity inside of it is usually around 80% (higher if i have just watered it). He has another hide that is more open and is usually only a bit higher than the tank. His entire enclosure is normally around 50% humidity. He also has a layer of moss that is kept most (the very top usually dries and under stay moist with regular watering). He buries in that as well on occasion. The humidity does vary depending on when I last watered his tank. With the moss it will hold 50% humidity for a couple days before I need to water it again. Inside the hide I don't have to water it that often. The humid hide is also the warmest, being right under the heat lamps. He usually goes there after he has eaten. He also sleeps there (the heat lights turn off at night though). I can usually tell by his behavior alone if I need to add more water. If he is sitting in his water dish a lot then the humidity has usually dropped in his hide.

Everyone else has pretty much summed it up.
I do live in Ornates natural range, and yes it is very dry here most of the year. Winters are especially dry, but usually stay within the 20-40F temperature range (warm days may reach the low 60s). As for how they survive in such dry conditions, they're active mornings and evenings spring-fall, when the humidity is higher. This is also to avoid the extreme heat.
If you're still curious I can look around on my comp for pic or two that should clarify the type of region.

>>Everyone else has pretty much summed it up.
>>I do live in Ornates natural range, and yes it is very dry here most of the year. Winters are especially dry, but usually stay within the 20-40F temperature range (warm days may reach the low 60s). As for how they survive in such dry conditions, they're active mornings and evenings spring-fall, when the humidity is higher. This is also to avoid the extreme heat.
>>If you're still curious I can look around on my comp for pic or two that should clarify the type of region.

I live in the natural range of the desert ornate & what you've described pretty much sums it up for my region as well with the box behavior. With the exception of this winter our winters are generally a little warmer than you describe.
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PHRatz