Box Turtles

Mr. Man is an American box turtle or box tortoise , which is a genus of turtle that is native to North America. My four year old daughter and I stopped into the local pet store just to look around. “This particular pet store consists of aquarium type pets, snakes and spiders that sort of nature.” Thinking by stopping here and window shopping would be a great end to a perfect day, also thinking there is no way my little girl would possible want anything from this pet shop. “Boy was I wrong!”

It was a huge fight between now Mr. Man the box turtle and Nickel which could have been our new pet chameleon. Settling with the turtle I just kept thinking to myself “It’s a turtle how hard could it be to take care off, this is going to be easy pea's.” This line of thinking was way wrong, the thing stinks, the water gets dirty really fast and Mr. Man is one picky eater.

So, here is a real quick guide to caring for a box turtle.

American box turtles can be great pets! As long as you have the correct knowledge on how to feed, keep a safe habitat and the time to care for the turtle.

A Home Box Turtle Home and Keeping it Clean

Because the box turtle in nature never really settles into one dwelling for too long, a very large aquarium is needed. I have read however that a large Rubbermaid tub is also a great and cheaper choice for a box turtle habitat. And because again in nature the turtle can survive all types of weather, you can keep the turtle outside or in, which ever you prefer.

Inside your turtle enclosure you will need flat smooth rocks or a store bought platform. Turtles in nature love to crawl out and onto a warm flat rock, to bask in the sun. You will also need an 80 watt aquarium light bulb to serve the purpose of acting like the warm sun. Some turtle owners will suggest an air pump and filter and others suggest just an air pump. Not using a filter has its down fall and that is you will have to by hand wash the rocks and aquarium at least once a week. Turtles breathe underwater, so they do require the water to be clean. On a personal note “I also wash off Mr. Man’s shell during the weekly cleaning. Gunk and slim builds up on his shell as well.” Avoid decorating your turtle’s home with small rocks or pebbles they will try and eat them. As far as the proper amount of water, I usually fill the tank up enough so that Mr. Man can still reach is back legs on bottom and lift his head to the water’s surface. I also allow the top of his platform to stay above water for when it is sun bathing time. Water temperature should be kept at anywhere between 60 degrees and 75 degrees, turtles are adaptable to all different temperature waters.

I have also read that some box turtle owners set up a large auarium like I have described minus the water. Instead they will fill with a bit of sand, large smooth rocks, lamp and a container to act as a water hole for the turtles to enjoy. Either way is perfectly fine nad sand aquariums like water will need to be cleaned as well.

Food for a Box Turtle

The American box turtles are omnivorous they will eat fruit, small bugs, worms, mollusk’s, greens and store bought turtle sticks, (these turtle sticks have all the nutrients a box turtle requires). Now with that said early my box turtle is a picky eater and I started him out with the store bought turtle sticks, that I fed to him twice a day. Why turtle sticks? “Well there cheaper, much cheaper than the rest!” One day I picked up by accident a thing of turtle sticks, except this was a mixed pack, one section turtle sticks, a second section with dried krill and the last section with dry baby shrimp in it. Well to get to the point, once Mr. Man had a taste of shrimp and krill, “I can’t get him to eat the turtle sticks anymore!”

Extra Stuff to Know About the Box Turtle

Although pets including Mr. Man the box turtle, will have different attitudes and behaviors, attributes vary from pet to pet. Mr. Man the box turtle, I have found is very needy and is capable of becoming attached to certain individuals. In the case of Mr. Man when he sees me coming he starts swimming, right into the side of the aquarium and yet he keeps swimming, even though he is getting nowhere. I am the only one in the house he does this for, “I even think he likes it when I wash his shell?”