Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I am about to acquire my first pair of Ornate Box Turtles. I have been reading this forum, and others; as well as, reading every website I can find on the care of Box Turtles. (There is a lot of good information out there.) However, I have a couple of questions I have not seen addressed.

Indoor enclosure questions:
I live in NE Ohio. Our winters get very cold, and are very long. We can have freezing temps and snow as early as mid-October and as late as early-May. We had a light snow last night. My intentions are to bring the boxies in during the winter months. I was thinking of putting them in a large kids pool. The ones I have seen have an 8’ diameter and are about 18” deep.
1)If I add 6-8” of soil/substrate will this make a good winter hibernation home? Or is it way bigger than they would need?
2)At what temps should I bring them indoors?
3)How long should they be cooled for hibernation? 2 months? 3 months? 6 months???
4)What temperature should they be maintained at during hibernation? My basement is about 55 degrees year round. Is this too high or too low for winter?
5)Will they need UVB lighting during the winter hibernation period? I know they would need UVB light if they are inside and not hibernated; such as, any time they are inside for hospital care. But what about while buried and hibernating?

Outdoor enclosure questions:
I saw on Bill’s Box Turtles the enclosure he made using PVC pipe. I am building something very similar. It is 8’x16’ with the ability to subdivide into smaller enclosures. My intentions right now are to give my first pair the run of the entire 8’x16’. If I ever produce any hatchlings I would divide out a 4’x8’ enclosure for them.
1)How many Ornate boxies could I comfortably house in the 8’x16’ enclosure?
2)How many if I subdivide for hatchlings?
3)How many hatchlings (keeping to mature size) could I keep in the 4’x8’?
4)Not an enclosure question – How long before a hatchling could be moved into the enclosure? How old should they be? I am assuming ual maturity.
5)In the 8’x16’ enclosure with 2 turtles, how many ‘pools’ should I add? How many feeding stations?
6)What plantings do well with boxies? What plants are non-toxic? What plants can withstand their digging and munching?

Feeding question:
I understand the diet requirements – 50/50 protein and veggies/fruit. Ever being frugal I don’t want to waste food, but I also don’t want to under feed my babies. What is a good starting place? How much will two boxies eat at a feeding? How many crickets, earthworms etc.? How many tablespoons or cups of veggies and fruit?

Thank you for taking the time to read this LONG post and for your responses.
Blessings,
Shari

0.1 Okeetee Corns
0.1 Anerytheristic Corn
0.1 Northern Pine
0.1 Redtail Boa
2.0 Dachshunds
1.0 Guinea Pig
2.0 Standardbred Horses
3.36 Assorted Chickens
And the hardest to keep....
2.0 Teenagers
1.0 Husband

And soon....
1.1 Ornate Box Turtles
1.1 red Corns
1.1 Striped Corns
1.1 Hypo Corns
1.1 Okeetee Corns

You ask great questions! Let me answer them one by one. These answers are just my opinion, and othert folks may have differing views.

>>1)If I add 6-8” of soil/substrate will this make a good winter hibernation home? Or is it way bigger than they would need?

The size is fine, as is the thickness of substrate but the basement temp of 55 degree is not cold enough for true hibernation. The turtles will still be using a lot of their reserves at that temp. Better to find them a cooler spot-say about 40-45 degrees or keep them warm and awake in artificial summer like condidtions.

>>2)At what temps should I bring them indoors?

I do it when the turtles start to dig into the ground themselves usually, when the day time temps won't go above 60 and the night time temps are in the 40's.

>>3)How long should they be cooled for hibernation? 2 months? 3 months? 6 months???

I put mine into their hibernation box in mid November and take them out in early April. I can extent their time outside because I put a clear plastic sheet over their night time pens so a greenhouse effect is made.

>>4)What temperature should they be maintained at during hibernation? My basement is about 55 degrees year round. Is this too high or too low for winter?

Too high as I stated above

>>5)Will they need UVB lighting during the winter hibernation period? I know they would need UVB light if they are inside and not hibernated; such as, any time they are inside for hospital care. But what about while buried and hibernating?

No UVB light is required but at 55 degrees they really won't to hibernation, yet will be too cold to eat. Please make an effort to find a cooler spot or keep them up all winter with heat and lights.

>>1)How many Ornate boxies could I comfortably house in the 8’x16’ enclosure?

I like to give at least 10 square feet per turtle so in your case, 12? But it depends on the lay out. If you have just a grassy area without mounds, logs, rocks, shrubs and dens for the turtle, you may not want to keep that many in there.

>>2)How many if I subdivide for hatchlings?

Well, however many 10 square feet to take out, 1 less turtle.

>>3)How many hatchlings (keeping to mature size) could I keep in the 4’x8’?

Depends, they don;t nee as much obviously as an adlut. But hatchlings of different sizes should be kept apart, so you'll have to subdivide that every few years.

>>4)Not an enclosure question – How long before a hatchling could be moved into the enclosure? How old should they be? I am assuming ual maturity.

I keep mine indoors and up all year for the first three years. By then they are usaully about 3 inches long.

>>5)In the 8’x16’ enclosure with 2 turtles, how many ‘pools’ should I add? How many feeding stations?

One per turtle for each station.

>>6)What plantings do well with boxies? What plants are non-toxic? What plants can withstand their digging and munching?
I use ground cover like Vinca and ground ivy, ornamental grasses, boxwoods. They won't eat your shrubs. There are lists online of edible plants you can try.

>How much will two boxies eat at a feeding? How many crickets, earthworms etc.? How many tablespoons or cups of veggies and fruit?

That will be a trial and error process you'll have to go through with these turtles when you get them. I feed mine every 3rd day in the summer and some eat more then others. They eat for about 10-15 minutes and then stop. I've learned to gauge how much food to put down so there is little waste. But until you know each turtle, just give them as much food as they will eat. Mine usually will eat 2 large nightcrawlers and a few rteaspoons of mixed vegetables and fruits. I give them the veggies and fruit first or they would never eat them, lol!

Good luck!!!
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Tess
Kingsnake.com Forum Host

Tess,
Thank you for your response. It was very helpful, and has provoked a few more questions.

Since my basement is too warm, I could possibly set-up the smaller “indoor” enclosure in my barn. That would keep wind and snow off of them, but would not keep them above freezing temps. I could possibly put lights over them to keep above freezing, but that becomes a fire safety issue. I will definitely have to work on this. Fortunately, I have some time.
Any suggestions on lowering the temperature of my basement?

If kept inside and warm all winter, will they breed? I do not plan on breeding every year. More than likely the subdivided enclosure I mentioned will be used to house the male(s). He will be put with the female every 2nd-3rd year or less, or I may destroy eggs I don’t want.

Regarding the feeding: Have you, or anyone tried the method mentioned in this website Turtle Buffet
It sounds like a very convenient way to keep their food. I would of course make a much smaller batch.
Any comments?

Thanks again,
Shari