Box Turtle Owners and Reptile Specialists?

Question

I have a thirty year od box turtle who is extremely picky. He eats only Fancy Feast cat food, lettuce and water. I have tried Box Turtle food, assorted fruits and vegatables, worms and snails. He will not eat them. Every 2 years a trip to the vet is needed to trim his beak and a nail clipping as he willl only eat that soft food. He has a turtle pond that he can sit in. He has a large enclosure with a house, an underglass heater and a towel covering the bottom.The Vitamen D light and heat lamp I got for him, did not work as he hid in the house. His home is near a double pane window so he does get light . I put supplements in his water. He gets to walk around the house on occassion.Tubby is spoiled! Anyone have any ideas how to improve this diet? I did have a little planted area for him and he wasn't too impressed by that either.

Answer 1

Wow! Sounds like lil Tubby is very spoiled! ;) But that is probably how he made it to thirty three. Yes, that really isn't that old for a turtle but considering he is a pet it is...most pet turtles don't fare so well. Trust me. :)

It sounds like you are dealing with a little picky pot! For whatever reason, he really likes that cat food! With that in mind, did you ever try feeding hard cat food? Maybe since he likes that flavor he might be inclined to try out the hard stuff? Then at least he would be giving his beak a little workout. Also wondering what he would think of those little whittling posts/beaks posts for birds? Would he use that at all? Have you ever tried hard iguana or bearded dragon food? They are brightly colored and made of a mismatch of things. Something might appeal to him in there but I don't know...he sounds pretty picky!!!

Ever try dandelions? They are a fave of my quasi-picky beardie and nutritious. Might be a way to sneak some veggies in there.

Here is my last thought...laugh if you must. Take your boxed turtle food and the cat food and put it in the blender. Mix it up really well--might need to add some water so it maintains the consistently of cat food. Or you could do this with veggies or what have you. You might just be able to sneak in some variety that way.

If that doesn't work, I guess I wouldn't worry. If your turtle is healthy other than the beak trimmings then he is getting what he needs even if us humans wouldn't consider his diet "optimal". :)

Good luck with your picky turtle.

Answer 2

I have to say that I am not impressed with the housing or diet.

Lets get the habitat fixed to see of that improves the appetite. These guys like warm and humid conditions- about 75-85F temps, 70% humidity overall and a 90%+ area. They also like space.

A tank with an underground heater can develop too warm of a floor, and a towel almost guarantees that the heat is not getting through well and that the air is very dry. Heat lamps can overheat places (causing the turtle to hide in a cooler area) and they further dry out the air.

A common habitat set-up is:
- A plastic tub or similar container that is as big as possible.
- A good ceramic ceramic heat emitter hanging over one end, either on a thermostat or raised and lowered to provide the right temps.
- A good lamp (UVB is great, but plain light is OK) that is not too bright (They do not like strong light most of the time.)
- About 2" of a soil mix. A common mix is about 1/2 sand and 1/2 coconut coir (Bed-A-Beast)- by weight (about 1/4th sand by volume). Dampened and kept slightly damp.
- A humidity box on the warm end (a simple plastic box and lid with a hole in the side and about 1" of sphagnum moss or similar product and kept very damp) to provide the higher humidity.
- A shady area on the cool end.
- A shallow water dish, about 1" deep, kept filled and clean.
- A shallow dish of some sort to put food on.
- Cover the habitat at least partially to help hold in heat and humidity, but allowing as much fresh air as possible.

Once we get a warm, humid habitat going, you should see the appetite increase.

For a good diet, try this:
1/3rd worms, insects, crickets, caterpillars, Superworms, etc- but not mealworms.
1/3rd other meats- good quality canned or moist cat food, cooked chicken, hard boiled eggs, beef heart, etc.
1/3rd salad- dark leafy greens, mushrooms, shredded carrots or other yellow-orange veggies, etc.- but not much fruit (a little strawberry)

As for changing the diet- just stop offering the bad stuff. It won't starve itself if it is healthy.

Try http://www.boxturtlesite.info for more.

Answer 3

I do not recommend box turtles as a beginner pet. They need very specialized diets, special lights, and most of them are taken from the wild and are full of parasites and never adjust to living in a "cage" IF you live in an area that is warm year round, or you can provide a large indoor enclosure with all the proper lighting for the winter, look into a russian tortoise. Make sure you spend the extra money to get a captive bred tortoise though. If you find a reptile that is cheap, please consider the cost to care for it. Turtles/tortoises need to see a vet at least yearly to be checked and treated for internal parasites. If a turtle/tortoise becomes sick, they do not show signs until they are very sick and will need vet care.

Answer 4

Try blending the cat food with more nutritious foods. Keep adding more and more of the healthy food. Try red foods. Boxies are attracted to red foods like strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes.
The key is to keep offering the foods and eventually they will try them. =)
Try feeding on a large piece of slate($1 at home depot) It will help to keep your turt's beak and nails worn down.
You do need a UVB bulb for your Boxie. Without one it will get MBD (metabolic bone disease) which can cause shell softening and health problems. Glass filters out all of the UVB and so light through the window won't work.

Answer 5

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12 lb Wheatgrass Seed Turtle food grass Tortoise wheat

Answer 6

Improve his diet by adding some more meat. Such as raw rat, mouse etc. Maybe he will eat this but maybe not so just give it a try.

Answer 7

try some raw hamburger and raw stew meat cut up in small pieces a couple of times a week, my box turtle loves it and I have had it for twenty years.

Answer 8

if you only offer him box turtle food and nothing else he will start eating it i promise