Ok i got this "turtle" and need some advice!!!?

Question

about 2 years ago my dad found a turtle in the road and its a very populated area so it was a obvious pet so we kept him after trying to find owner here is a pic...http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb283/eminemfreak101/turtle.jpg we keep him in a 10 gallon aquarium with about 3 inches of whater on one end and rocks on the other take him outside in the sun and let him walk around yard exc anyway we cant get him nore have we very got him to eat anything but red apples and we have no clue what type of turtle or tortuse he is i know he isnt a water turtle but what can i do to change his diet into something better for hima nd find out what type he is?i have never had a heat lamp for him he sits near a window in summer and in a very worm room in winter i know he needs a 30 plus gallon tank he is around 5-7 inches side to side and 4 tall so i know that but i need some answers on diet and other stuff i mentioned to make him happy and health a pet store has already told is ....(continued)

like i said a pet store told us its illegal to have a box turtle wich we dont know what kind he is and if we call them for more info or bring him in to get evaluated they cant sell us anything and will take him vets too so we are looking for advice so we can keep him what do we need to do to keep him healthy and happy and we need to know what type of turtle he is so we can get a licence to keep him and get him a microchip wich is required in indy
thanks soo much for any advice
p.s dont tell me to get rid of him

Answer 1

You've definitely got a box turtle. They drink water, but they do not live in it! My sister and I bought a box turtle at a pet store-- we live in Indiana, I do not know what state you live in but it's weird you were told they were illegal to keep as pets. Go to a bait shop and get him/her some worms. Murtle LOVED worms, minnows (put them in a dish of water for her to catch), soft fruit, and lettuce. We had a "turtle pen," basically a fenced in area, where we would let her roam outside on nice days. We had her for close to 10 years before my dad let her go in the woods (he is not the brightest crayon in the box) and I believe they can live for much, much longer. You may have yourself a life-long pet. Best wishes!

Answer 2

That is definitely a box turtle. I have four of them and I keep them outside in a large pen. I sunk a plastic container in the ground to act as a small pond. They need a water area as they like to do their bathroom business in the water, but they are primarily terrestrial. About half of the enclosure is shaded. I feed them ZooMed canned box turtle food, red worms, night crawlers, meal worms, super worms, wax worms, grubs, crickets, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. The canned food I feed them is a blend of apples, corn, carrots, and it has the essential vitamins and minerals they need. They come running whenever they see me. I live within the natural range of the box turtle so I leave them out all year. They burrow into the ground usually in November and I don't see them again till March or April. I find this to be the most natural environment for them,as it is what they do in the wild. I'm not sure where you live but if you can I would let them live outside and hibernate in the winter. Whatever you do please take it out of the 10 gallon tank. That guy cannot be happy in there at all, it's way too small. If you are going to keep it indoors then you need to get a heat lamp. Cold blooded need heat to keep their body temperature regulated. They cannot properly digest their food without heat. Which can cause to illness and disease and eventually death.

Edit: I see you are in Indiana, where it is illegal to collect box turtles from the wild. It is possible that your turtle was wild and not someone's lost pet. You will have to get a license to keep it there. Good luck

Answer 3

I am mom to 4 who were all born past their due dates by 9 days, 11 days, 5 days, and 7 days. I do understand where you are right now. Unfortunately there isn't anything that anyone could say or do right now to make you feel better since the one thing you desperately want isn't happening. Especially with my first 2, by the time I was past my due date I was ready to hide and not talk to anyone until my baby was a year old. It was so frustrating to answer the phone and hear, "Are you still here?" By the time my third baby's due date came and went, I was used to it and I actually rarely shared my true due date with anyone other than my closest friends and family. I'd just tell people I was due in November. If they asked me when I just said the middle of the month (even though it was actually November 7). People really aren't meaning any harm and are actually trying to be encouraging and helpful letting you know you aren't alone. It doesn't really make things better, I know. Can you think of anything anyone might say that would seem more sensitive, understanding, and supportive? My guess is you can't think of any words that would fit those criteria since there really aren't any. With my third and fourth baby I was able to not dwell on the due date, but rather spend my last few weeks focusing on more important things such as spending quality time with my family, preparing meals for the freezer, washing and organizing baby things, sleeping whenever possible, and eating healthy. I doubt I could have pulled that off with babies #1 and #2, though. Try imagining the future, such as Christmas with your new baby or where you are going next summer on your family vacation and how fun it'll be with a baby along. Your hormones are playing havoc with you right now so everything you are feeling is perfectly understandable and normal.

Answer 4

This is a Box Turtle- protected by law in most of its habitat, and, depending on where you are, was probably wild rather than a released pet. (They do quite nicely in populated areas if left alone.) The picture does not help me nail the species- I see traits from both the Ornate and Eastern Box Turtles.

The right cares for Eastern Box Turtles (EBT) are simple, but can be awkward to provide in captivity. If you cannot provide the right cares, however, it should be given to someone who can- but NOT released- it has been a captive for too long to be safely released.

An adult EBT should have a home of about 4'x4', with a temp in the 70-85F range- cooler on one end with a warmer zone on the other. Humidity in the habitat should be high- 75% or higher in general with a hiding place that hits 90%+. The real problem is that it needs a lot of fresh air as well, so fish tanks, etc. are poor choices.

A water dish should be provided big enough for the turtle to sit in and soak in, but only about 1-1.5" deep and changed daily.

The diet should be about 75% 'bugs'- worms, insects, snails, etc. The rest would be a mixed salad of greens, mushrooms, berries, leaves, etc.

For the RIGHT way to care for this poor turtle, no matter which type it is, try these sources:
- http://www.boxturtlesite.info
- http://www.tortoisetrust.org
- http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

Answer 5

I can tell by the shell that he is an ornament box turtle they are relitively easy to keep but there not water turtles there land turtles so get him out of that water a good diet includes many vegtables like letuce, apples, brocholi, turnip greens, occasionally corn, peas, grapes, carrots tomatos and other sorts of vegeies and fruit. Meat is also important but should be fed sparingly like ham, turkey, and crickets(live)he'll like a climbing area and a place to hide also the petstore is wrong on the illigal thing
1. it's only illigal to sell a turtle 4in and under not give it a way or in this case find it
2. if you don't live near a foret or stream area it's probabal that the owner put it in a park or somthing for it to live in so your not taking it from it's natural habitat
MOST IMPORTANTLY NEVER FEED YOUR TURTLE SPINICH, COLIFLOWER, OR LEAVES THESE ARE THE
"DEADLY TRIO"

good luck

Answer 6

Here are some sites to help you better care for the poor thing. I don't know what makes you think that just because you live in a populated area it had to have been let go by someone. I guess if you knew what kind of turtle it was. ( I looked and am going to assume it is a box) We could determine where it was from and see if it was native in the area you live in but as long as you take good care of it it'll be alright.

here is one site -
http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html
here's another -
http://www.turtlecare.net/box_turt.htm
here is one with pictures (might help you find out what your turtle is) -
http://www.aboxturtle.com/gallery2/main.php

Answer 7

looks like an Ornate Box Turtle to me...

Ornates, like most turtles and tortoises, are not easy to care for. They should have an enclosure that will allow them to dig a burrow, or, at the very least, a good, snug hiding place. The enclosure should be large and include a small pan of water for them to drink from and soak in if they so desire. Ornates are quite prone to dehydration.

Food items should be mostly feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, and roaches. Dust these with a suitable vitamin and calcium powder.

Answer 8

A box turtle is mostly omnivorous. They like to eat rasberries, strawberries, and you can supplement with other fruits and some dry turtle food you get at a pet store. They do not need water in their terrarium other than to drink. They are land turtles. I would recommend buying a turtle book for assistance.

Answer 9

Here's a good Box turtle website...
http://www.aboxturtle.com/
You need to provide him with at least a 4 ft by 2ft area to wander. He needs a chin deep DISH of water that is easy to climb in and out of and the bedding in the rest of the enclosure should be kept damp but not drippy wet.
Here's a list of good box turtle food...
http://www.aboxturtle.com/box_turtle_diet.htm
You also need a heat light to keep the warm end around 90 degrees. Turtles won't eat if they are not warm enough. You'll also need a UVB light for the turtle to produce vitamin D3 for good shell and bone health.
If you're not willing or able to provide this turtle with everything that it needs I urge you to give it to a wildlife rescue so that they can care for it properly.
Here's a list of rescues...
http://www.theturtleranch.com/vetsetc

Answer 10

I am very suprised he is still alive after 2 years of living in those conditions. Most likely he is very ill. As mentioned, they do not live in water, they require a fresh salad and protein daily (lots of variety), need a heat lamp to bask, and 10-12 hours of UVB a day. A 10 gallon in not even big enough for a baby turtle--you can't regulate the temperature gradient. Poor thing.

http://boxturtlesite.info/bxbook.html