Where can I find everything that I need for an outside turtle house?

Question

Specifically, flowers they will eat, moss, dirt, a log to hide under, some tall grasses or something for hiding also. Please, any thing that you know would help and please do not suggest that I should not be keeping turtles!!! Also how does a turtle use dirt vs. sand. These are Arkansas box turtles

Answer 1

Why does an outside turtle need a house? They're carrying one on their backs! Just feed 'em and they'll be fine. They're used to being outside. That's their natural habitat.

Answer 2

These are probably Three-toed Box Turtles (rather plain belly and shell), and can deal with a wide variety of conditions.

You'll want a largish pen- at least 4'x4', but 8'x4' would be a lot better. They can climb better than you think so make the walls taller then they are long. It needs sunny areas and shelters- large flower pots, plastic pet igloos, etc. can act as shelters. It should also have an easily accessible drinking/bathing dish it can get into that is no deeper than about 1.5".

A variety of conditions is nice- an area with loosened soil with sand mixed in that it can dig into or just scrunch down in is nice, as are things like mud puddles, rocky areas, etc.

Plantings- dandelions are great, and a variety of dark leafy greens and yellow-orange plants are good- but they mostly eat bugs, worms, snails, etc. (DO NOT spray your yard with ANY chemicals while they are out there- in fact, try to find a location that has not been sprayed for 5 or more years!)

One part of the pen needs to be very humid. A big translucent tub with a hole cut in the side left in a sunny area will work.

For more ideas, try http://www.boxturtlesite.info

Answer 3

I am not going to suggest that you not keep turtles. Turtles can be cool pets. But when you said box turtles, I was wondering if they were purchased or wild caught?

If you took them from the wild, did you check and see if that is legal in your state? The reason I ask is the fines can be pretty steep in some states for taking turtles from the wild.

"No turtle or tortoise can be collected from the wild at anytime for any reason in NJ (Poaching carries fines up to $5000 dollars per animal and we prosecute aggressively those who we catch)"
http://aboxturtle.com/state_laws.htm
That website also states "In many states box turtles are endangered. Individual states may have law regarding owning, breeding and/or selling. It is highly advisable to personally check with your local Fish and Wildlife Division to be absolutely sure you are legally keeping Box Turtles." It also has links for other states and their laws and restrictions.

It's always best to purchase turtles, or any exotic pets, from reputable dealers. If you did so, they would be able to give you all the info on setting up the turtle house.

Answer 4

Here is a website that outlines the "three toed box" and the "ornate box" which are both native to your state.
http://www.naturalheritage.com/citizen-science/boxturtle/basics.asp
If you need more info check out
http://boxturtlesite.org/hou.html

http://aboxturtle.com/ornate.htm

http://aboxturtle.com/threetoed.htm

they should have all of the info that you need.

Answer 5

I think you should go to the pet store.simple

Answer 6

try a pet store or look on-line