Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi!
I´m taking one or two Terrapene carolina boxies. I have a question.
How large terrarium should be for one boxie? What abaut for two? (male female OR female female)
What abaut the humidity? One page on the internet says that 60-80% humidity is Ok. Is it?

And how is the pool, how big should it be?
-V

Box turtles do best when kept outside.
Not to get too personal, but where do you live that you would feel compelled to keep your turtles indoors?
Stephanie

Sorry, I forgot to ground why I want to keep them inside.
I live in Finland. Here winters are could, and summer is short.
Why is it hard to keep them inside? Is it cos of the light, space, or what?
I´ve heard, that there is two boxie keepers in finland. So they got the same problem, but I haven´t found them yet... So I dont know how they are solwed this.

They are difficult to keep as pets indoors for several reasons.
They require full spectrum (includes UVA/UVB) lighting: such lights are usually expensive and need to be on for 14-16 hrs per day.
They require high humidity: this can be difficult to maintain because home heating tends to be dry.
They need to have a temperature gradient of 75-85 degrees fahrenheit: this can be challenging. They require a large enough indoor enclosure to allow for such a gradient, as well as allow for variety in terrain, and room ro move about.
They will try to escape from any enclosure, especially if they can see out, so a glass terrarium would not be a good idea.
In other words, unless you are prepared to spend a considerable sum of money on specialized equipment and can construct a large habitat, you may very well find yourself spending large sums of money on veterinary care.
Please reconsider if you can only manage a glass terrarium. Even hatchlings will outgrow one in a year or two.
Regards,
Stephanie

Is it possible to keep box turtles outside when it get to be 110 degrees outside during the summer time?Also on average the humidity is about 0-10 percent.

I think that there are some folks who post here who keep turtles in the southwest and can offer more specific advice.
My understanding is that Ornates can tolerate less humidity, and, if provided plenty of shade, a water source (also in shade), and loose soil to burrow in, would be okay for most of the year.
Hopefully someone can go into specifics for you.
Stephanie

>>They are difficult to keep as pets indoors for several reasons.

Full-spectrum lighting isn't necessarily expensive--it's relative to your budget.

Build the enclosure out of plywood. Give the turtles an area of moist substrate in which to burrow, and ensure part of that area is covered--such that the turtles can wedge themselves into that space. I built an enclosure like this for about $50 US.

I've kept my two box turtles both outdoors and indoors for extended periods, in several states across the US over the past 22 years or so. They can be more tolerant than many people are led to believe, but it's still better to try to meet their "most favorable" conditions as best you can.
-----
Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

The big thing in northern Europe is to make glass tanks. These aren't exactly 'fish tanks' because they are designed specificly for turtles and tortoises. The Dutch and the Germans are fantastic when it comes to keeping and breeding these things indoors. They use these kinds of enclosures when they are not kept outdoors.

You do have to keep in mind that Eastern boxies seem to really like space and are very particular as far as the boxies go. If you don't get it 'just right' they don't seem to do well regardless if it is indoors or not.

Check some of the European turtle and tortoise clubs for more info.
-----
Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care