Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have just been given a 3 toed box turtle, which a friend of my husband's found at a construction site. This poor little guy has spent the last week in the back of a truck...no food or water, but thankfully, looks to be in very good condition. He feels heavy, surprisingly, and shows no sign of injury. I am really not sure how to begin caring for him, and he is very shy. I have put him in a shallow pan with tepid water, put an earthworm in it with him to try and encourage him to eat, but he doesn't seem interested in eating or drinking. His head is barely sticking out of his shell, and he just seems very afraid. I've had boxies in the past who were so tame that they actually ate from my hand, but this little guy is obviously not used to any human contact. I know if I release him in a strange place, his chances of survival may be slim. I've thought about keeping him in my fenced in back yard with food and water, but I am worried about how he will adapt. I also realize that hibernation time is not far off, so I am writing to ask advice. Should I enclose him in an area with soil and leaves so that he can bury himself? Also, what foods would be the best to encourage him to eat? He's beautiful and has already touched my heart. I want to do everything right for him. Can anyone give me some advice? If releasing him is the best thing I could do for him, I will, but I'm afraid that out of his home (which no longer exists) he will either starve or be killed by preditors. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

put him? in a quiet shady corner of the yard in a big tub or some such so that he can't escape. water that he can drink and lay in(if he wants)some nice wiggly food and veggies. stand back and leave him alone. it takes time for box to adjust.

It's unfortunate, but I really don't think you can release him back to where he came from. The best you can do for him now is to block off a corner of your yard, and loosen up the soil to about 2 feet, than put at least 2 more feet of leaves on top of that to give him a place to hibernate. Leave a pan of water out for him, If you can't find any leaf litter now as it might be too soon to find fallen leaves, just pull them off a tree, and they will eventually dry up. If he is used to hibernating he may get sick if doesn't get a change to.

Bummer about his home range being made into more human sprawl. Is there nothing left of his old home? Turtles can live in suburban areas once the contruction is done. You might want to check the area out again next year.

For now, depending on where you live, he may be on his way to true hibernation, in which case you can make a predator proof pen for him outdoors and let him hibernate. But I would not let him just wander in your fenced-in backyard since no fence will keep him in for long. You will have him loose in an area he is not familiar with, which you said you wanted to avoid.

Or you can keep him up all winter in a indoor set-up. In this case you must give him summer like conditions to break him of the desire to hibernate. That means-hot (use heat lamp, or incandescant bulbs if your home is warm), humid conditions (mositure lovinf bedding); 12-14 hours of light a day (use both UVB and UVA=plant light sources); plus live insects as part of the diet. It is not as hard to do as it sounds

If you decide to put him outside to hibernate you should put as much effort into it as you would if you were going to set up an indoor enclosure. A proper hibernation pen should be made with a base of deeply spaded soil with added leaves for thermal protection. The area needs to be in a place that will not flood in spring, and the turtle should be protected from predators, ie,the pen should have sides and a top. Check out the hibernation chapter in my online book at www.boxturtlesite.info/bxbook.html for more information and tips.
Good luck
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Tess Cook
www.boxturtlesite.info