Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After some weather hiccups in the last week of March and beginning of this month, I'm happy to report all my turtles are up for good this year. I have been feeding everyone on a regular basis for two weeks now and they are all active and healthy. The two Eastern juvies look very good; their color brighter from last year. They all had a treat of mulberries this morning, leaving them with berry stained beaks that made it look like they all were wearing lipstick.

The big enclosure is filling in nicely too. This spring I have added two to three times the plants: ferns, hostas, squash that is flowering nicely right now, grasses, and some lamium. I will post some more pics once everything is filled out completely.

Who else has boxies up for the year?

Not all of mine are up yet, but a few of the ones that are up have been foraging on their own. I'll start preparing meals for them next week.

I have seven up so far. All of the ones up are now in their new enclosure. I have one more that may be up but I have not found in the yard yet. I made some of the turtle food that I got the recipe from Jeff but so far they don't seem all that interested in it
-----
Vichris
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"- Marcus Aurelius

Vichris Variables

Sounds about right to me. I have found over the years that mine are just not very interested in eating when they emerge from hibernation, so I don't typically put food out for them until May.

My adult 3-toed took the longest to really start eating. But in the last week he has really got an appetite and has devoured everything I've put down. All of my turtles were a little picky at first with the fruits and veggies but scarfed up the snails and worms I was giving them. Now everyone is eating anything I offer.

Does anyone know, is that how it is in the wild? Do box turtles go straight for protein when they emerge from hibernation? It makes sense that the would, to build up some strength...

I think that they probably go straight for protein because that's about all that's available to them in the spring: fruits and vegetables come later.

I just put all of mine outside yesterday because today it's suppose to get into 70s. They all ate a nightcrawler. Chris, Steph is right and I failed to mention that the mixed food is not taken well during the first month or so after brumation. Mine usually will only eat nightcrawlers and even then only once or twice a week, for a while then I gradually keep offering the mix and not crawlers, usually by mid May when it warms up and the night temps are no longer cold and they really get their appetite, thats all they eat the rest of summer.
-----
Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

Well, after an 85 degree day here yesterday, seems all are finally up! My old girl who is the last down first up was up since last week,the rest all followed yesterday.
I was surprised about how shallow they actually dig down here in central NJ. Seems most were at most about 6 inches below, with a good layor of leaves over that(which I lay over after all dig down) Our winters can be very cold and harsh. We had 1 good snow this year,but it was cold.
Anyhow glad to see them all foraging. I will begin feeding tomorrow,since the temps are supposed to stay in the 80's for a few days.

Phil