Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Fl Box sleeps in her water bowl. I know they are semi-aquatic, but wasn't sure if she would develop shell or skin problems from sleeping in it all night long.

My male Florida does the same thing. He stays in the pond all day, and when my dogs wake me up at 3:00 in the morning wanting to go outside, he's in there then. I don't know why, but he loves it in there.
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Cliff

My Collection:
0.1 Florida Box Turtle
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles
1.1 Ornate Box Turtle
0.0.1 Desert Ornate Box Turtle
1.1.1 Redfoot Tortoises
2.1 Russian Tortoises
1.0.1 African Sulcata Tortoises
1.0 Burmese Python
0.1 Virginia Opossum
1.0 German Boxer
1.0 Pit Bull
1.1 Chihuahuas

Just keep an eye on her and make certain that the water is extremely clean. Some turtles stay in the water as a matter of preference, while others may soak excessively due to an illness. Watch her carefully. If she appears and acts healthy, than you probably just have a water lover.

I've found that Florida box turtles especially benefit from acidic, tannic water. It certainly isn't necessary, but it seems to help in keeping their skin and eyes healthy and clear. You can use blackwater extract or age the water with some peat. Blackwater extract is easier, but peat is cheaper.

Thanks, guys. She seems healthy. I think she just loves the water. She sits in it for hours and now and again pokes head all along the bottom like she's trolling for food.

I usually see one or two of mine spend a lot of time in the little pond here, usually during heat waves. My pond has great filtration and recirculating pump, so the water is very clean.
I even have gray tree frog tadpoles in there this year...

I origially that there could be something wrong with my FL box turtle, because I've never seen a box turtle that spends hours and hours in the water, especially at 3:00 AM when I take my dogs out. But he was eating real good, he just loved to spend alot of time in the water. I know they love water, but I didn't know they loved it that much. Another thing I thought of though, is when they're wild caught, do they have different habitat preferences? I don't know anything about my Florida's habitat, except that he was found near a gas station. He may have been a soaker in the wild, hanging out near small ditches or streams.
-----
Cliff

My Collection:
0.1 Florida Box Turtle
2.2 Eastern Box Turtles
1.1 Ornate Box Turtle
0.0.1 Desert Ornate Box Turtle
1.1.1 Redfoot Tortoises
2.1 Russian Tortoises
1.0.1 African Sulcata Tortoises
1.0 Burmese Python
0.1 Virginia Opossum
1.0 German Boxer
1.0 Pit Bull
1.1 Chihuahuas