Bringing my three toed boxing in for the winter. What is a good sized fish tank for her? I am not using a Rubbermaid tub. I want to use an aquarium. What is a good size?
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Bringing my three toed boxing in for the winter. What is a good sized fish tank for her? I am not using a Rubbermaid tub. I want to use an aquarium. What is a good size?
>>Bringing my three toed boxing in for the winter. What is a good sized fish tank for her? I am not using a Rubbermaid tub. I want to use an aquarium. What is a good size?
Are you going to hibernate it? If so, it doesn't matter if you can see the turtle or not. I hibernate mine in a shoebox in my garage. I check on them once a week.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet
I use a clear Rubbermaid for indoors because IMO they have more floor space than any glass tanks I ever see, aside from custom made.
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PHRatz
Can I hibernate them outside in NJ jersey?
What part of jersey are you from??
I am from South Jerse, Near Deleare Mem Bridge.
After overwintering hatchlings and yearlings using both glass tanks and Rubbermaid totes, I can say that I definitely prefer the totes.
The portability factor has proved to be the clincher for me: the totes are light weight which makes them much easier to manuever when its time to clean them out.
They are also less expensive, and are available in a huge range of sizes, and are of course much more versatile.
Stephanie
I've never had any luck with keeping boxies indoors but if you have to do it the Three toed seems to be the most resilliant of the group.
You're going to need at least a 40 to 75 gal breeder tank. This should give you a good surface area for the turtle to cover. In your situation a glass tank would be better than the rubbermaid because it would be easier to maintain a temperature gradient assuming you don't keep the house too warm.
Also, hibernating outdoors is an option in your area if you keep the turtle above freezing and in a relatively well drained area.
Your best bet is to talk to someone locally who keeps boxies. I know there are many and I also know that many hibernate their turtles outdoors but these are experience people. I don't recommend this for you until you are more comfortable with the animal.
>>Bringing my three toed boxing in for the winter. What is a good sized fish tank for her? I am not using a Rubbermaid tub. I want to use an aquarium. What is a good size?
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Ed @ Tortoise Keepers
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care
I keep my ornate box turtle indoors most of the year, because I live in NY and it is to cold for the majority of the year for him to be outdoors, and it is cold for to long for him to hibernate. After trying several things to keep him in, I now keep him in a 75 gallon glass tank (48 inches longX18 inches wide). Smaller tanks were not enough room for him, even with exercise out of the tank. I had a hard time keeping rubbermaids warm enough and also wanted something that looked better. I tried keeping him loose in a room with a couple heating/lighting stations, but the overall temp of the room proved to cold. I also tried making a pen indoors, blocking of a 4foot by 3 foot area for him, but again keeping the temps high enough was a problem. With the tank I do keep a small fan set on low pointed into it because there isn't very much air movement. I also use 10.0 uv bulbs because the tank is rather tall. I keep him on carpet for ease of cleaning and disinfecting. He has a water dish on the cool end in one corner and he has 3 hiding areas (one is a humid hide). I have kept him in this for quite some time now without problems. I do take him out and let him run around daily for about an hour in a "turtle safe" room. Otherwise he bangs on the glass. I also have a black back ground going around the sides and back of the tank, only the front is open. Without this he was always trying to get out. He seems more content to stay in his cage with dialy outings with more of his view blocked. I also soak him daily for about 20 minutes and he gets fed every other day, with feedings alternating between veggies and bugs.
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