I have some Box Turtle Questions.?

Question

How big of a tank will I need for two box turtles??? Do I need a light for him/her?? What should I feed them? Where is a good place to find some box turtles for sale in Minnesota? Then my last question...can anyone show me a picture of a set up of the tank for these turtles?? So I know what to do.

Answer 1

first, go buy a good book on box turtles, read up on it, then go about getting one or two...you can always ask your local pet shop about ordering turtles for you...if they can't get box turtles, check on the ornate box turtle or ask about the Russian tortoises, similiar in size

Answer 2

box turtles spend their entire lives roaming around in an area the size of a football field.  do not under any circumstances put them in a tank.  that's just cruel.  

Answer 3

For two box turtles, I would say a 50-55 gallon tank at a minimum. You need a 100 watt heat lamp and a UVB lamp. A good place to find for sale box turtles is a local animal shelter or Craigslist. If both of those fail, you can just go to a pet store and buy them. Usually PetSmart sells them. Don't listen to that person that said release them in salt water. He has no idea what he's talking about.

This is NOT my set up, but you can do something like this one. It's nice and simple. The only thing it's missing is a UVB lamp and a pan of water.

http://flickr.com/photos/fixie_and_boxie...

Answer 4

Yes you need a UV light.A large tank,at least 50 gallons ,or a large storage container ( Rubbermaid,Sterlite,etc) You will need coconut husk fiber as bedding,a shallow water dish large enough for the turtle to get it's entire body into,and easy to get out of,a hide box and an undertank heater for one corner of the tank. They eat earthworms,slugs,snails and beetles. They also like crickets,grasshoppers,dog food ( I feed mine Bil-jac frozen) Repto Min sticks,corn, apples,shredded carrots and romaine lettuce. Some fruits they like are peaches,bananas,apples,berries,etc. Oh,and a cuttle bone,like the ones sold for birds,for the turtle to nibble on - it provides calcium and helps to keep the "beak" sharpened and keeps it from overgrowing.Just do a search on box turtle care and feeding. Austin's Turtle page is a good site. I don't know where you would get one in Minnesota.

Answer 5

Please consider the potential life-span of these turtles, they have been documented to live 80 years or more when taken care of properly... if you do not want to devote this much of your life to a reptile, get something like a slider or a lizard...

Do lots and lots of research, and if you do go for it, I suggest captive bred, as this is the only legal means of obtaining them through most of their range.

I would give tank pointers, but mine (well, eventually, they're my father's still now) have a 15 x 12 outdoor enclosure... much better than tank life here in Florida.