Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yesterday evening at about 7:30, our Millie (Eastern)started to dig, and we watched her(from a discrete distance) for over two hours, at which point it started to rain. This soon turned into a torrential downpour which ended up flooding the nest-to-be, and Millie abandoned her work at about 10pm or so.
At this time, some of our other turtles came out to hunt, and were very successful, from what we were able to observe: between about 10 and 11pm, we watched quite a bit of hunting activity, but once the rain tapered off, everyone went back to bed.
I wondered if anyone else had seen their turtles active at night: my impression was that they were diurnal, but it looks as though they are ready whenever opportunity knocks....
Millie was successful tonight, by the way, creating a new nest about a foot away from the first, and a little bit more up-hill (smart girl). She accomplished all the laying within 45 mins. I'll have an update on the egg count in the morning: its almost minight, she's still covering them, and I'm too tired to trust myself with lifting them.

Cool! Congratulations!:}

Well, Millie is quite the trooper! 4 eggs were in the nest, so I transferred them to my incubation set-up this morning before 12 hours had passed.
Interesting (to me) observation: Millie was still on the nest this morning. It was completely covered up, but it looks like she spent the night there. I wondered if anyone else has had this happen? When I approached her, she moved a little, so I picked her up & weighed her, then put her back & she then wandered off.

She may have been exhausted and just stayed put to rest. Mine usually head for a water dish and take a soak for up to a day or two.

You saw the main reason why box turtles do well outdoors and not so well to terrible indoors. Their activities are dictated by the weather and the seasons and each type of weather presents a different reaction. Hunting in the rain is when I see the most of my boxies, and when I see the most crossing roads. Night time or daytime it doesn't really matter, cool rain gets them going like gangbusters.

One of my ornates, Gracie, layed a cluth on Easter morning and she stayed on or near the nest for several days - have never seen this activity in my gulf coast gals. My turtles also kick into "hunt mode" during rain. I'm in San Diego so unfortunately my turtles sleep through the majority of our rain storms, but also usually come out of hibernation during a rain.

Oh! That is just the cutest, cutest, cutest picture!!!!

During the hot summer months I found mine doing this on a regular basis. I found this odd at first also but it kinda makes sense. Mine also did this during evening rains. This also makes sense when you consider how much they love earthworms. If you notice, earthworms are force out of the ground during rains.
Ed

I knew they were active during rain storms, I just thought they weren't very active at night, so it was a treat to watch them in action. I realize now why they aren't necessarily interested in food after a nighttime shower...they're probably stuffed!
As for Millie- we had noticed her marching around and soaking and drinking alot in the two or three days before she started digging. She has retreated to a shady corner under a hydrangea and has eaten, so she'll probably settle down again shortly.
Do any of you find that they are good barometers? Mine sometimes come out in anticipation of rain, it seems.
Thanks for the feedback.

I've come home from work only to find them actively hunting at around 11pm or later. I'd then waste an hour or so just watching them. Very entertaining.
Ed

StephF:
I was wondering if you could help me locate a reputable dealer and/or people who could give me help getting started raising Eastern Box Turtles. I've tapped a bunch of sources and have gotten a lot of information on caring for them, but I need some help in how best to purchase the little critters. Any advice or contacts you could offer would be most appreciated. Thanks

I would recommend that you first try to adopt rescued turtles: contact your local herp society as a first step. I have not purchased a pet in the last 20 years: there are plenty out there that are waiting to be adopted.

I second Steph's point. Check rescues if you can find them, then focus on captive bred animals. You won't see too many for about another month, as they are still very seasonal animals. After mid-summer, when hatching starts, you'll see plenty on Kingnsake classifieds alone, about $35 apiece. They will last into the fall that way (my hatching times are usually in late september, early october).

Raising them from wee babes is pretty easy. Get the biggest floor space tank you can afford. Fill in with a mix of bed-a-beast and soil (bed-a-beast to help hold moisture in soil) toss in some clover seed or grass seed, put in a small hide place like a half log or something, put in a shallow glazed plant saucer for water, easy to get in and out of for their size, and put a uvb flourescent bulb (reptisun 5.0 is my choice) on top, and a dome fixture with a ceramic heating element in it on top. Hook the ceramic element through a thermostat, put the sensor down on the soil top and set the temp to about 80. Put the flourescent on a timer for 14 hour days. Plant some ferns or pothos if you wish in the soil. Mist every morning and every evening, change water daily. Move babies to a shallow pan and soak every day in a few millimeters of lukewarm water. After soaking for 15-20 mins, put in a bin with some finely minced grub (60% meat, 40% plant matter), let them eat for 30 mins, then return to home.

After a year, move them outdoors in a protected pen (they are still small and prey for predators then).

Wow!! That had to be so wild to watch them doing their thing like that. Like a fly on the wall , if you will. Thank you so much for sharing what you saw!!

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Be well
Tiff =)