Baby Box Turtle Pet Care | Habitat, Lifespan and Food

Baby Box Turtle is mainly found in North America. Their habits and appearance are similar to the tortoise. They are a member of the American Pond Turtle Family. Western box turtle can live up to 25-35 years of age while eastern can live up to 50-100 years.  Their chance of death does not depend on age but on care. It all depends on how much care you provide to them.

As with the growing age of these turtles, they require more care and time. The survival of box turtles is not easy. A little stress can affect their health. Thus the needs of box turtles are complex and complicated. But these need not stop the pet lovers from making them their favorite pet. Hibernation is important for the box turtle in order to stay alive. Turtle Shell Rot is an infectious disease consequent to poor water conditions. Turtle can’t survive without its shell.

One can easily recognize the box turtle with their doomed shell that is a pivot at their bottom. They can grow up to a size of 8 inches. Male turtles are bigger than females. Their activeness is seasonally based. They active all day long during spring and winters otherwise Box turtles are diurnal.

Moreover, in cold winters, they prefer to hibernate under the ground.

Box Turtle Care

Box Turtle Care

Box Turtle requires great care so keeping box turtle is not an easy job to do. But still millions of people have Box Turtle Pet and nothing can stop them to love their turtle. Here are the few steps the one must follow to care their box turtle:

  • The first and most important thing is to make the enclosure of your box turtle. You can make it outside or inside but Box turtle loves to live outside. They feel good and healthier in sunlight. But keeping box turtle outside is a good idea if you are living in any area that remains warm year-round. Otherwise, keep them safe in a warm area either in your room or any place that you think is safe to keep your pet.
  • The second most important and one of the major steps is to keep them moist timely. It is one of the major Box Turtle Facts that their body needs to soak from time to time to rehydrate and maintain body temperature.
  • As box turtle pet is not easy to keep. They need privacy too. So make sure to provide them any soft material or anything in which they can spend “Privacy time”.
  • Box turtle is great in digging ground so if you are keeping them outside make sure that your walls are deep enough so they won’t escape.
  • Make sure to place them in a humid environment as dry air is harmful to box turtles.
  • Provide them pool time to time as they love to soak in water. Plus the pool must have the easy exit.
  • Use incandescent bulbs for light if you are keeping your pet inside. Box Turtles love good lightening and it is important for them physiologically plus psychologically.
  • Moreover, provide them adequate temperature according to their enclosure.
  • Turtle Eye Infection is common in the turtle community but in some cases, it’s dangerous for turtles.

Box Turtle Lifespan

Box Turtle Lifespan

Provide adequate care to box turtle as once they hit the maturity age the chance of death does not increase. Their average lifespan is 50 years but some may live for 100 years. Their growth and depends on food, water, illness. They can save themselves from any attack by simply hiding and closing their shell.  But the maximum average lifespan of Western Box Turtle is not more than 40 years.

  • Box Turtle Food

Here is the Eastern Box Turtle Diet plus western one diet plan that you must follow to keep your box turtle alive and healthy:

  • Box turtles are omnivores so their diet must include insects, worms, snails, mushrooms, spiders, caterpillars, green beans, berries, grass, crickets, flowers, fruit, and all other plants or small insects. 
  • As the exact food that will keep the box turtle healthy is not confirmed yet. But the best thing to keep them healthy is to give them different food. 
  • Make sure that the food you give to your turtle should cover all the vitamins, minerals proteins. So easy tip is to give different food in each serving.
  • It will be great if you provide them an adequate amount of calcium and protein.
  • Moreover adjust the diet plan of your turtle according to their health, type and activity level. 
  • If your turtle is young feed them full meals every day while if you have healthy adult box turtle then provide them full meals every 2-3 days.
  • Make sure to provide snacks on no meal day.
  • Avoid giving fatty meals or raw meals to your turtle.

Box Turtle Habitat

Box Turtle Habitat

Box turtle love to live near marshes, meadows, freshwater. Eastern box turtles are aquatic while the western one can live in the low desert. Box turtle can live in both dry and moist region but a place to keep them is in a moist area. If you are keeping them indoor here are the steps you must follow to create the box turtle indoor best habitat:

  • Their enclosure must be large enough.
  • You can use the turtle box or turtle table for them.
  • If you are in budget squeeze you can simply use a large plastic container to keep them.
  • You can use glass aquarium but avoid wire cages as wires could be harmful to them.
  • Don’t forget to create the escaped proof home for them.
  • Add the substrate to set up their habitat.
  • Provide them bulb or heat lamp to keep them warm.
  • Make sure to take them out in sunlight or provide them UV sources inside.
  • Moreover, keep the temperature moist or humidity must be 80-60% in their enclosure. 
  • Provide them pool from time to time.
  • Protect your box turtle from your pet dogs and animals. Otherwise, Box Turtle Shell will activate and they’ll hide in their shells in case of any danger.

Baby Box Turtle

Baby box turtle needs a lot of care. Enclosure and diet is an important thing to keep in mind. They can live outside or inside depends on the temperature. Once you set the perfect enclosure for them pick a diet rich in protein, minerals and vitamins for a baby box turtle. You can get more information about habitat, food and lifespan on PetsHoods.

FAQS

1. How to take care of a box turtle?

Box turtle is such a charming little thing. So if you’ve decided to take them home make sure to provide them adequate care. First thing is to make their perfect enclosure. Take them to good reptile vet weekly for a checkup. Make the turtle home with cardboard box, foam, grass and other things to entertain them. Provide them enough warm light. You can also learn about How to Take Care of a Turtle Complete Guideline here is the complete information which you need.

2. What to feed a box turtle?

Box turtles are basically omnivores. They can eat both insects and plants. Thus their diet must include worms, snails, eggs, flowers, fruits and all other insects plus plants.

3. How to care for a box turtle?

You can care a box turtle by providing them best enclosure, moist temperature, and enough food.

4. How to tell the age of a box turtle?

You can tell the age of a turtle by counting the rings. Let’s suppose the rings are 14 then the age of turtle will be 7. Every 2 ring is equal to one year. The other method is to tell the age by checking the size of a turtle. You can check it with the help of a turtle size chart. 

5. How long does a box turtle live?

Western box turtle can live for 25-40 years while eastern box turtle can live for 50-100 years.

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