Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is the box turtle I recently adopted. She seems to be doing fairly well. She is active daily now and is eating some but definately needs to eat more variety. She is eating mustard greens pretty well which is surprising as the former owner could not get her to eat anything but corn when she would eat. She also likes strawberries. Doesn't know what to do with worms although she did catch a beetle while outside the other day. I will keep trying new things and hopefully get her on a better diet. She has 3 toes so I am assuming that is what she is. I am soaking her daily and getting her outside part of the day.

I do have many years experience with aquatic turtles and iguanas but other than doing short term rescue/fostering I have not maintained one for a long period of time. I have however read everything I can get my hands on.

Does everyone agree that she is 3-toe female? How does she look?
She does seem thin to me.

Thanks and sorry for the long post
Linda

She is a three-toed. Very pretty and I can't tell if she is thin from this picture-but her skin does look loose on her back leg. With a good diet she will fatten up. Try waxworms.

It often takes time to get them eating well but all my three-toeds are good eaters, so unlike many ornates-they really like a variety of foods. I would chop her favorite mustard greens and corn with some other good foods (cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, or yellow squash and insects) and see if that will entice her to eat other things.

Good luck!
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Tess Cook
www.boxturtlesite.info

A large healthy female Three-toed Box Turtle. Animal protein will fatten her up. Try moistened Dog Kibble with a good Calcium with Vitamin D3 supplement added. I feed mine moistened floating Catfish Chow occasionally.
Feed well thawed frozen Mixed Vegetables. The best greens are Collards. You can buy them chopped and frozen and mix with food. Bananas, Grapes, Berries, Mushrooms, Melons, Squash, Carrots are all good. Tomatoes OK, as well.
No - Cabbage, Spinach, or Iceberg Head Lettuce.
Your Iguana looks healthy enough. Just about the same diet.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Great looking turtle. That's a little strange that she doesn't know what to do with worms. Mine can't contain their excitement.

That's one groovy iguana!

Thanks for your replies. I have tried all of the foods mentioned. I always have fresh food as my lizard eats it as well. Should I be concerned if she refuses live food? I will try the waxworms and I thought about maybe a few crickets?

I really appreciate you help and guidance.
Linda

Mine loves crickets. When I first bought my captive bred three-toed, that's the first thing I fed him. I coat the them in calcium and multivitamin before feeding him. I've been feeding him the Reptomin turtle sticks once a week as part of his protein portion, and the rest of week he gets salad dusted with calcium and multivitamins. Once a month, I offer him low-fat, dried, dog kibbles soaked in water until soft... He loves it. I've cut back on the protein since he was starting to get a little bit of the paramiding, and trying to give him more salad, and putting cuttle bone in the cage for him if he needs calcium. He loves the cuttle bone! So far, his shell looks a lot better... Looks like I caught it in time!

I forgot to mention that I have UVB light on him... So I guess that help with fixing the paramiding. The UVB helps him regulate vitamin D3 and the amount calcium in his blood I guess.

My husband got busy and built her enclosure on Sunday. It is 4' by 6' wood enclosure with a wire and wood top that locks. I just have to paint it and then set up the inside. I had him put wood bumper guards around the inside of the entire enclosure to prevent her from climbling and falling on her back. I lined the inside with a tarp and drilled a series of holes in the bottom to prevent flooding. I did put hardware cloth over the bottom as well. We added castors and think it will work well. Is there anything else you guys can think of?

I am going tomorrow to buy hosta and daylillies for the inside and will add some rocks and tree branches. I have looked at several enclosures here on Kingsnake to get some ideas.

Thanks and as always any suggestions are appreciated. I attached a picture of my mali Ichabod. I like sharing my photos
Linda

Beautiful lizard. I love those things.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer