Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I'm a new mommy to a baby eastern box turtle. I've had her for about 2 months now and she pretty much stays buried all of the time. I have only seen her come out once on her own. Anyway, she hasn't eaten anything yet. I've been checking on her periodically making sure she gets soaked and everything. She has been keeping hydrated by drinking water, but she ususally doesn't do it on her own. I show her the food and she has a variety, but she ends up not even taking a bite. I've tried the gel, mushed sticks, and box turtle food fom the can. She just turns her nose up at these. Should I try something else? I wasn't sure if it was still early for her to be out and about, but it's the end of May and I want to make sure all is okay. I just want to make sure she grows up healthy.

Thanks in advance =)

more info.

where did you get her?

had she already come up from hibernation on her own if you know?

have you read any care sheets to make sure you have the proper setup for this breed?

is she wild caught or from a captive breeding?

reptiles take a little bit to get used to new surroundings. this is sometimes seen in hiding and not eating. this is especially true with wild caught one's.

there is reason for concern going on two months without food! a young one has very little fat reserves usually to survive very long. in fact captive hatchlings are not recommended to hibernate the first year most of the time. turtles sometimes die during hibernation for this and other reasons. as I read once somewhere..."it is not a cozy sleep, it is a time when minimal life support is being used to sustain itself until better conditions arrive." or something to that effect.

I don't recommend any processed or canned stuff as a staple, only occassional treat, if at all. most of that junk is just not good for them. but as Melissa Kaplan once overheard, from I think it was a Zoomeds rep., "people will buy whatever has a picture of their pet on it." the implication is that we are stupid.

try some earthworms, crickets, mealworms, slugs or other invertibrates to get her started. they're usually big on the earthworms. just make sure whatever you give, it comes from a pesticide and chemical free environment. not from your pesticide sprayed garden or phosphate treated fertilizer.

Mick
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"A man that should call every thing by it's right name, would hardly pass the streets without being knocked down as a common enemy."

The Complete Works of Goerge Savile, First Marquess of Halifax, 1912.

Hey, sorry for the lack of info.
She actually was found in my pool. I found her in the skimmer floating in 100mph circles and didn't think she was alive. I watched over her for a while and she, surprisingly, came out of her shell so I decided to keep her. She is curently living in a large plastic tub on my screened porch. I did attach lighting to her tub in one corner because the sun does not reach in very far. Her substrate is a combination of fir bark and peat moss. I made hiding places and plenty of shaded areas so she can choose. And she has the usual food dish and soaking spot. I have only seen her come out of hiding once on her own. I do check on her often, though, but usually all she does is drink some water and bury again. If I try earthworms, etc., how is the best way to feed them to her? Overall, she looks healthy and is very curious when she does come out.
Thanks so much for the reply.

ok get some care sheets though, and check out boxturtlesite.org and anapsid.org for info. there are specific care requirements that must be met.
*you should find something other than a plastic bin to keep her in. it needs to be more open and allow circulation of air if outside. plastic and glass retains too much heat and it will cook her in direct sunlight. it also does not allow UV passage (see below)
*also, it should be mostly shaded, allowing her to decide when to get in and out of the sunlight. she needs to be able to thermoregulate herself.
*she will need more than an ordinary light bulb. she needs UVA and SPECIFICALLY ^UVB^, to metabolise calcium and phosphorus for proper bone and shell growth. natural sunlight can provide this, but being inside a screened in porch is useless. the UV rays from the sun do not pass well through plastic, most glass,
fine wire screen and the like.
*just rinse the worms clean and put in front of her. she knows what it is.

there are many, many more things to know if you are going to take on a wild turtle that has been surviving on it's own. please think about that situation with the turtle's best interests in mind. it is not always best for an inexperienced person to take the turtle and substitute for all it's needs. especially a wild one which does not adjust well to captivity. you will have to learn all the things that this turtle already knows from birth about how to survive. it is like trying to catch a moving train. these hunger strikes are common with wild reptiles, many times in the hands of inexperienced, they die. it is a serious matter and if she doesn't start eating immediately, I recommend you find someone who is experienced in your area with raising and breeding turtles. prefereably a rescue or conservation organization. there is too much to catch up on and she's running out of time if she hasn't eaten since you've had her.

Mick
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"A man that should call every thing by it's right name, would hardly pass the streets without being knocked down as a common enemy."

The Complete Works of Goerge Savile, First Marquess of Halifax, 1912.

Yes, please tell us more about the set up, including light and temperature ranges (if indoors/applicable).
Moving food (live stuff) can be much more of an appetite stimulant than the commercial stuff you mentioned, especially after a soaking or a good misting.
I agree with Mick's (and the sources' he cites) opinions of commercial preparations in general, although I do keep Reptomin around for the hatchlings.
I even started making food for our cats and dogs a few months ago...its been like turning back the clock: 10 year old dogs frolicking like they did at 4 years.
Really, you can make food for your turtle, that's much healthier and less expensive ounce for ounce, at home with whats available at your local market and your backyard (presuming you don't spray chemicals).
Stephanie

I had the same trouble getting my turtle to eat, but the earthworms did it. You do want to check the temp., they don't eat when they are too cold.