Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my boyfriend brought home a baby box turtle that he found at the construction site he was working at. should i keep him till winter to give him a warm place to sleep and release him in the spring?. or is it best that i let him go now? will he be able to survive in the wild if i keep him over the winter? will he make it through the winter if i let him go? i love turtles but dont know much about their care. i will be doing my research. but wanted to know what everyone thought about this. thanks for any help.
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brandy

Depends on your location and the temperatures. If the turtle was already in hibernation and dug up at the construction site AND already warmed up and temps are low......probably hold till spring and release. If he was up and about and "just found" and the temperatures are still mild release now.

There are alot of variables to take into consideration.....location and day/night time temperatures would be helpful along with how long you have had him (sorry if you already mentioned that - can't see original post) plus anything that has been done to him since he was found (warmed, fed, etc..), and how is it acting...so on and so forth.

jen

he was found yesterday on his back with mud and concret all over him. we are in new jersey and its getting pretty cold. we feed him some collard greens and crickets. thanks for your help.
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brandy

jen, unless you are experienced in caring for box turtles you should call the New Jersey Dept of Natural Resource and ask them for the name of the closest wildlife rehabber. This small turtle will need several things to survive the next 5 months-a suitable container, thermometer, suitable bedding, heat lights, UVB light, vitamins and minerals, and different kinds of live foods over the months. If you can get face to face help from an experienced box turtle keeper that will help as well. Sometimes people don't know a turtle is growing incorrectly because they see the deformity happening slowly.
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Tess
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