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Box Turtles
(3 Toe and Ornate)
| Scientific Names: |
Terrapene ornata ornata (ornate)
Terepenne carolina triunguis (3 toe) |
| Distribution: |
Central to southern USA |
| Climate: |
Hot and Humid |
| Size: |
4- 5 inches |
| Temperment: |
Very friendly |
| Hardiness: |
Problematic if improperly set up |
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Special Considerations:
The main problem encountered with box turtles is repiratory disorder. The main cause or this is inproper heating and humidity. Be sure to keep a basking area of 94- 100 degrees and keep the humidity between 60- 80%. If you fail to provide these conditions the turtles' eyes will start to close and it will not feed. Soak daily for 10 minutes. Box Turtles come from Texas. In the summer Texas is hot, even at night. It rains every few days, if it doesn't rain then the turtles will burry themselves until it rains. Move your thermometer around the FLOOR of the cage to make sure that there are no cold spots. |
| Housing: |
40 gal. terrarium or larger |
| Lighting: |
Use Full spectrum flourescent lights, Zoo Med 5.0 work well. |
| Heating: |
We use T-Rex basking lights 60 - 100 watts |
| Temperature/ Humidity: |
Daytime temp:80- 85 degrees ambient
Basking temp:95- 100 degrees basking
Nighttime temp: 78 - 84 |
| Water: |
Provide a shallow bowl that is lage enough for the turtle to soak in. |
| Food: |
Crickets, mealworms, superworms, earthworms, dark leafy greens, thawed frozen mixed vegitables, red fruits |
| Calcium/ Vitamins: |
2 times per week for adults |
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