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Our Eastern Box turtle appears to have dry skin right now. We didn’t hibernate him this year as he lives in our house and thinks he’s people. He lives in a cut off 55 gallon plastic drum about 10 inches high with a heat rock and bed of beast substrate to retain moisture/humidity, and can get out whenever he wants to. He gets a bath every night and appears to like to swim or wad around for an hour or so. My wife usually dries him off and he walks around the house or sits in our bay window watching the birds in our feeder. He eats about an inch or so of a banana and an occasional night crawler just about every day or so. If that’s not enough
He also has his own heat pillow to sit in the bay window and my wife wraps him in a dishcloth and sits him down on the desk while she types letters, as I said this turtle thinks he’s people.

Getting back to my original question about his dryness is it ok to put Vaseline on his arms and legs or something else? My wife put some of her Nivea Lotion on him, we’re waiting to see what happens.

Thank you in advance for the response, I just wanted you to know what our turtle means to us and why we appreciate the Box Turtle forum.

Thank you very much Norristhenut

"heat rock"

you don't need this and it willliley contribute to the problem
get basking light instead, it will be much more beneficial. Box turtle havethe insticnt to seek warmth from well lighted areas and from above.

I'd add some moss and clean topsoil to your substrate and make at least soem of it 6 - 8 inches deep so he can burrow. Box turtles burrow to escape heat and to remain moist.

I'd also slow down with the banana until you eventually never use it any more. It has a terrible phosphous/calcium ratio and is also addictive in turtles.

He should have access to a large water dish (four times his size at least) to soak in at all times.
In addition you may take him out and soak hi in atub of clean cool water about 2 - 3 inches deep once or more weekely.

Once the dry skin develops, abcesses are not to far behind.

also
i would steer clear ok skin cremes except under special circumstances. Higher humidity (he may need a bigger enclosure where some section is conststly moist (and covered to keep the moisture in) and constant access to drinking water and more varied diet will help.

Try grating carrot sliver on his worms.
Offer mushrooms and insects dipped in squash puree and then rolled in calcium powder. Try fruits.

Get him a basking light (preferably one with ahigh UVB output) as soon as possible.

I see that he gets nightly soaks. I missed that in the original post. This is good provided he is safe from chemicals (shampoo, soap etc..) and i would bleach the tub between his use and yours to minimize personal health risks.

Its cool to keep a turtle "like a dog" but you must be careful that his needs are still being met. As you seem to be very attentive turtle parents, i am sure you will do what is best.