Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys,

Just a general question on box babies hiding all the time. I set up a nice 10 gallon for 2 hatchlings and filled it up with lots of soil and debris as well as plants. I wanted to make it as natural as possible. However, they always tend to bury themselves throughout most of the day, if not for the entire day (and sleep at night). Should I always dig them up for their daily soaking and feeding sessions? I'm afraid this stresses them out. The humidity is high and temperatures are around 80 F. How can I stimulate them to come out more on their own? Thanks.

Johnny

you might try giving them something bigger, atleast a 20Gallon Long, or a kiddy pool.
more room = more stuff to do

New hatchlings just sleep alot, much like other new babies.
How damp is your soil? I usually put mine in damp bed-a-beast and maybe pull them up every other night to soak and eat. I keep a shallow plant saucer with water in it at all time so they can soak at will and as they get older they will likely get up and out on their own and usually will get in the water on their own although this varies somewhat with personality. Once they are eating worms, mealworms and reptimin well, I'll usually alternate, giving them "protein" on one night, reptimin one night, then offering fruits and veggies on the third night. I usually start out with romaine lettuce, then add tomatoes and when our family has corn, the babies get corn and they usually love it.
A ten gallon tank will be more than sufficient for two hatchlings for the first 9 months to a year.

By the way, glad they survived their trip! Keep us posted on their progress when you can!

Coool!

Thanks for the advice. Yea I'm in a college dorm right now and do not plan on leaving them in the 10 gallon for long; after they're bigger, I have a nice outdoor enclosure waiting at home back in TX. Tonight, one of them (Sponge) did come out and soak himself (no pun intended) so I take it that's a good thing. I filled the tank with like 50 worms of all sizes to make sure they can get a little bit of live prey from now and then, but I like the advice on various foods to offer. Anyway, thanks again for the tips.

Johnny

Go ahead and soak them - the more often the better, you can also try feeding them while you are soaking them. I usually keep my hatchlings in shallow water for the first few months until I am sure they are eating, and are doing good. Make sure the water does not go over the hight of the middle of their shell.

Bill G.

I soak my babies daily for their first several months, then go to every other day... I do soak/feed/soak, or soak with food in the water (if it's reptomin).

Mine will stay hidden almost exclusively for their first several months (3-6). Towards the end they start coming out for regular routines of soaking, wandering, etc, and this is when I start offering veggies 24/7 on a dish in their enclosure.

Mist them often. Doing it every morning when the lights come on seemed to be when mine would come out and start exploring more.