Three-Toed Box Turtle

• Three-Toed Box Turtle

  (Terrapene carolina triunguis)

   

  Three-toed box turtles are so called as their domed shell and a hinged plastron allows them to tightly seal the shell up when they feel threatened, they grow to approximately 13-18cm long with a brown to olive shell, their brown skin has some yellow/orange scales on the head and forelimbs and the hind feet usually have three toes, with four toes is not uncommon. They are known to live for up to 50 years and their natural range is the central United States where their general habitat is damp woodlands with plenty of leaf litter, shallow ponds and scrubby vegetation. This habitat has a good supply of moisture throughout the growing season so in captivity an environment with humidity levels around 60-80% and plenty of moisture is required, a digital hygrometer gives an indication of enclosure humidity level. A gardener’s pressure sprayer used to moisten enclosure daily will help with humidity too. 

   

  Housing Three-toed box turtles are very active and need as large an enclosure as you can give them, as a ground dwelling animal the footprint is more important than vertical space. Like other reptiles they need room to exercise their natural behaviours and length in the enclosure makes it easier to achieve a temperature gradient. A 90cm x 45cm terrarium will house a juvenile for the first 12 to 18 months then a 120cm x 60cm but it is best to move them outdoors into a 1.8m x .9m x 0.6m. area into a natural environment.  

   

  Lighting Box turtles are most active during the day so in a woodland environment get exposed to dappled and shaded sunlight throughout the day, in captivity indoors UVB lighting for shade loving animals is needed whereas if in an outdoors enclosure none is necessary.  Nowadays big advancements have been made with UVB lighting with T5 fluorescent considered the best, a T5 HO in 7% or 5.O rating with the light covering half the enclosure at the heated end which will simulate warmth and light from the sun (a basking spot). The other end a LED light can be as they produce very little heat allowing a cooler area, these hot and cool zones allow them to thermoregulate and give them a choice of temperatures. If the light is on top of the mesh lid the distance to the basking area should be around 35cm and if under the mesh then around 45cm approximately. A normal 6500k bulb will provide any plants used enough light to thrive and add to the turtles needs.

  Heating Turtles are cold-blooded (ectothermic), which means that their body temperature is regulated by the environment they are in and in the wild they warm up by basking in a sunny spot, so indoors you need to simulate this. A 75w Philips PAR30 Halogen Flood Bulb or similar can achieve this but whatever you use a basking area of around 30°C and a cool area of 21-24°C should be aimed for, a good reptile thermostat will help regulate this and ensure the temperature won’t get too hot. Allowing a winter hibernation period is essential for the health of the turtle so the temperature overnight can drop to 15C, just turning heating off overnight can achieve this. Nighttime temperatures as low as 10°C are tolerated but if outside you may need to bring your turtle indoors over winter. You can create hibernation boxes to give a more stable environment while they are sleeping. Two digital probe thermometers one at either end will allow ease of monitoring the temperature gradient in the enclosure. 

  Substrate A substrate made up of 50% Topsoil, 20% Sand and 30% Coir and about 10cm depth with 2.5cm of leaf litter or sphagnum moss over that will allow them to dig in and hide. You can add a clean up crew of slaters, worms, springtails to help clean up faeces etc. or manually remove what you can see daily.

  When housed outdoors choose a location that is not too wet, has access to both shade and sunshine with well-draining soil, the perimeter fence must be smooth, 60cm tall and 30cm into the ground to prohibit digging out. A mesh lid will help keep out any potential predators.

  Décor, Plants Items such as logs, branches, flat stones, piles of leaf litter, and live plants work well in the enclosure to add enrichment to stimulate natural behaviours in the animals. Provide at least 2 hides or caves as shelter for them, rolled cork or hollow logs are ideal but make sure to secure any items that may fall on them. 

   

  The Tortoise Table https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/ has an excellent database of appropriate and edible plants for the enclosure. 

  Food Three-toed box turtles are omnivorous and their diet should consist of roughly 50% animal matter and 50% plant matter, though they seem to prefer live food. Items such as black soldier fly larvae, mealworms and the beetles, cockroaches, earthworms, slaters, silkworms, locusts, snails and for greens and fruits, banana, Opuntia cactus, mushrooms, salad greens, grapes, dandelion, bok choy, strawberry and tomatoes to name a few. Cuttlefish helps to trim their beaks and add a bit of calcium to the diet as well as mineral supplements occasionally. Remember commercial foods are available too and variety creates balanced nutrition to keep them healthy.

  For water a large plant pot saucer makes a good shallow receptacle and can easily be cleaned regularly as they can foul it easily.

  With good husbandry and care Box Turtles can live up to 50 years old in captivity so they can be a pet for many years to come.