Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have had my easterns(3) out in their cage for about a month now. but all they do is hide under the log in the center of their cage. they have a hidebox, an overturned pot and the log all for cover, but they never move from under the log. the grass in their cage now about 2ft long becouse they never move to knock it down. why dont they ever do anything elese? is this their natural behavior?
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0.0.6 Common Mud Turtles
1.1 Russian Tortoises
0.3 Eastern Box Turtles
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family

What do I know, but that sounds pretty strange! I have never introduced an Eastern to an outdoor enclosure and not had him/her become very active . . .unless a cold spell hit. Do they even hide after it rains?? Have you actually checked them close up to make sure they are OK? Is it possible (I hope not) that you used the wrong type of DE on those ants and the turtles became ill or something? Well, that's a loooong shot . . .it's probably some normal acclimating process or something. I'm sure you'll get better feedback that this. Good Luck!

about the ants i never used the de, they look weel enough one has an eye problem but thats besides the point. theres more info on the reply for rattay's post.
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0.0.6 Common Mud Turtles
1.1 Russian Tortoises
0.3 Eastern Box Turtles
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family

Arolf,

Need more info on these animals to help.
Are these animals coming out of hibernation? If so they usually take a few days/weeks in nice 50-70 weather to acclimate. If they are not, and if the temps are warm, something doesn't sound right.

You may want to have them checked by a vet to make sure they are not ill.

If these animals are newly acquired and potentially wild caught, they can be very shy but even wild boxies will wander through a nice grassy enclosure when you are not around.

Give us some more info so that we can help you.

How long you've had these animals.
What the temps are.
Describe the enclosure.
Do they look healthy.
Are they eating.

Just so you know, my Easterns are just waking from hibernation in the NE so they don't do much but that is normal. In the next couple weeks, they will become much more active as day temps hit 60s. Easterns that are awake in warmer parts are likely already eating and mating.

Paul

as i said i just got these turtles the end of last summer, they have been in my 80 degree room all winter. so they havent hibernated. i rescured one turtle from my brother which kept him in an old wagon with a 2x4 on top, i have no idea when it came from befor then, one i recieved from my uncle which got it from a teache at his sons school, it was cb. the last one i found in the middle of my street a couple of houses down (i live in surberbia hell so its not wild) . as for the temps the hottest it got was 95.4 and the lowest was 57.0 in the last week. the eat on tomatoes and worms whenb i dig them out and feed it to them. the cage is about 7.5x10 it has wodden walls goin up about 2 ft and a screen top. ther is a wooden hide box, a up[side down flowerpot, and a watter bowl in three of the four coners. there is a howlowed out log in the center of the pen.
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0.0.6 Common Mud Turtles
1.1 Russian Tortoises
0.3 Eastern Box Turtles
1.0 Hamsters
3.0 Dogs
2.3 Family

I don't know if this is the best idea, but I have done it in the past and it has worked. When I got one of my eastern box's he stayed under his log and wouldn't move. I let him stay there for a couple weeks to get adjusted to the new environment, but then I removed the log from the cage making him have to go and explore a little. After he walked around some I put the log back in his enclosure. If your turtles get stressed out easily I am not sure if this is the best idea, because it may have the ability to overstress your animals.

Or maybe just move the hide to a different part of the enclosure? Then he would at least have to walk around a bit!
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0.1.0 snapping turtle
0.1.0 painted turtle
0.1.0 ornate box turtle
0.1.0 Australian shepard
0.0.12 chickens
3.2.0 children
1.0.0 husband