What can I feed my Eastern box turtle?

In the wild, Eastern box turtles’ diets can include a wide variety of food sources such as flowers, roots, fungi, berries, snails, slugs, insects, fish, and frogs. In captivity, box turtles should be offered 50% protein, 20% fruits, and 30% vegetables to meet their nutritional needs.

What can you not feed an eastern box turtle?

Potato leaves contain toxic compounds – neither you nor your box turtle should eat them.
  • The leaves of rhubarb, potato and tobacco plants.
  • Avocado peel, seeds and leaves.
  • Tomato leaves and vines.
  • Poison ivy.

How often do eastern box turtles eat?

How often should I feed my box turtle? Most young turtles eat daily, while older turtles can be fed daily or every other day, depending upon the pet’s individual appetite, body weight, and overall health.

Can you have an Eastern box turtle as a pet?

Box turtles can make great pets if cared for properly. … With proper diet and housing, captive box turtles usually live up to 20 years of age, but some have been reported to live 30-40 years.

Can turtles eat lettuce?

Desirable vegetables to offer include dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, collard greens, mustard greens, carrot tops, endive, Swiss chard, kale, parsley, green beans, dandelion greens, turnip greens, and clover.

Do box turtles bite?

They rarely snap, hiss or bite like many other turtles, so children are often allowed to keep one as a pet for a few hours or days. Box turtles will quickly eat a meal of fresh tomatoes, cantaloupe or earthworms, and after we’ve enjoyed observing them for a while, they can be released unharmed back where they were …

Can I keep a box turtle I found?

Yes, plenty of people keep these turtles as pets without getting sick. But getting one on the spur-of-the-moment because you “found” it is not the best way to stay safe. Especially if you have a young child or elderly person at home.

Can a box turtle swim?

Box turtles can indeed swim. Sometimes they are actually seen swimming in the wild. However, most species are not particularly adept at it, and they often look clumsy. … As opposed to the long webbed feet of aquatic species such as cooters and red-eared sliders, box turtles’ feet are usually shorter with individual toes.

How can you tell if a box turtle is happy?

A healthy and happy turtle should have clear eyes with no discharge. They should also not show any signs of difficulty breathing. Swollen, cloudy, or “weepy” eyes with a discharge are all common signs your turtle is sick. Another very common sign is mouth breathing or straining to breathe.

How do you tell how old a box turtle is?

What should I do if I find a box turtle in my yard?

NEVER DISTURB, PICK UP , OR MOVE A BOX TURTLE UNLESS IT HAS A VISIBLE INJURY OR IS IN IMMINENT DANGER. If you find a turtle in the road, move it to the other side in the direction it was going. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RELOCATE IT. Turtles have small home territories and should be left where they are found.

How do you attract box turtles?

Invite box turtles into your garden by cultivating a plant species native to your region that provide favorite turtle fruits. In sunny areas, encourage dense clusters of brambles and let the ripened berries fall. Choose species that fruit at different times during the season.

Do turtles get attached to their owners?

Yes, turtles do get attached to their owners. They can sometimes express their emotions by showing playful behavior when they are around their owners. … Remember that turtles very keenly observe the person who provides them with food and water and other basic amenities.

How do you tell the difference between a male and female box turtle?

The underside of the shell, or plastron, is also a handy indicator to help reveal the gender. Males have a concave dip within their plastron (which helps the fella out during reproduction) while females generally have a flat plastron.

How long does a eastern box turtle live?

Warmer nests tend to produce females, while cooler nests produce males. Eastern box turtles reach maturity at 10 to 20 years old and can live to be more than 100 years old.

Why does my turtle stare at me?

Their probably wondering what your up to or are interested in something that you are doing. I’ve more than once had my tortoise stop and stare at me. Here is a photo of a surprised tortoise, she wasn’t expecting me to be there and stopped to have a look.

Do turtles get lonely?

Do pet turtles get lonely if they don’t have a companion? No! The fact is that turtles will be totally fine on their own. They don’t need to share a tank with another turtle to be happy and content, and you don’t need to worry about turtle loneliness!

How do you play with your turtle?