I volunteer at a nature center where we keep a variety of herps for public education purposes. We have one 3-Toed Box Turtle, and lately, she will hardly eat. Normally she eats well, and we feed her a variety of foods including fruits, worms, and crickets, but lately, she just has not seemed interested in food at all. She'll occasionally eat half a worm or a cricket or two, but that's it. She won't even touch the different fruits we try. She stays inside where the temperature is pretty constant and she has artificial lighting, so I don't know that she realizes it's winter or if that would have anything to do with her lack of appetite. Does anyone have any suggestions? (By the way, I might mention that we're state funded, so we don't have a huge budget to try anything too fancy.) Should we just wait it out and see if her appetite improves in spring. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Box Turtle Won't Eat
Replies (1)
You mentioned that the temperature is pretty constant... what is the temperature? 85 at the warm end of the habitat is a good temp. to try to maintain.
There shouldn't be cause for alarm if the turtle doesn't eat for a couple of weeks, and you said that it is eating lightly.
Wriggly, moving food can stimulate the appetite, and I have found that berries of any kind are favorites, as are slugs & small snails. An aromatic fruit such as canteloupe or strawberry may get its attention, too.
Weigh it regularly to monitor it, because significant wieght loss during the winter isn't desirable.
Good luck
Stephanie
