Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Right now I'm keeping my ornate wood turtle in a reptarium since I heard that they can get stressed out by the glass aquariums. However, it's kind of hard to keep the temperature very high in the reptarium. I have a ceramic heater bulb and a UV lamp and that's it. It's as low as 70 degrees in some areas and about 85 degrees directly below the heating lamp. Could this be the reason for his lack of appetite? How warm does he need to be? Should I get a undertank heater? I would appreciate any advice.

My ornate wood turtle prefers it much warmer than that - despite what all the care sheets say. He also prefers MUCH more water than the care sheets recommend. I've got him in a 55 gallon tank with about 1/3 land and the rest water. I've got basking spot temps at about 90° and low temps at about 80°, the water is heated to 74° and he's got a rock to bask on that isn't heated in case he wants to be cooler.

He was very sluggish when I had him at the temps the caresheets online recommended. We visited the vet and she suggested bringing up the temps a little at a time until he seemed happy. Well, this is it - he's a very happy bugger now, has the best personality I've ever seen in a turtle. He eats from my hand and knows my voice. Good Luck!!!

Alison

Just curious, what care sheets were you reading? I'm wondering if there wasn't some confusion on Central American wood turtles vs. North American wood turtles, which do prefer it cooler.

Katrina

Here are a couple that I had still saved in my Favorites list:

http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/rpulcherrimacare.htm

http://www.centralpets.com/pages/critterpages/reptiles/turtles/TUR2639.shtml

that centrapets one is incorrect, males don't have a concave plastron, mine's a boy...and I'm 100% on that.
temps are too low. vague about feeding...
hell Im gonna create a care sheet for them based on what I've learned with my boy Donnie....

Its pretty important to be sure this species has access to a humid area. it stikes me that a repatrium is a difiicult sorrt of enclosure to keep moist. You should be sure to have a LARGE water area. Can you get a cement mixing tub into the cage?
Also is this animal a hatchling? If not, its likely a wild caught turtle and the parasite issue is one to consider. Many wild caught turtls that don't eat are experincing problem with gastrointestinal parasites (among othet hings)
have you had a vet to a fecal examination? have you wormed the turtle?

The heat is probubly inconsequencal when it comes to it's appetite. The main thing that i have seen with ornates is that they must feel secure when they are eating. I feared that mine would die because she would only eat like a bite a week or less, but then i read an article about this and then put some fake plans around the side of the tank and she has been an eating machine for years now.

Mine's in a 40 gallon terrarium, glass, he has a very deep substrate of basically dirt and he's fine. as long as they are able to bury themselves as they naturally do, they feel secure...it's a big deal to them. Give them that, their misting, water tub and good chow...they're happy.