All call to box turtle owners!!!!

[Offkillter]

ALL CALL TO BOX TURTLE OWNERS!!!! I have Two three toed turtles one female one male,needless to say we've been expecting babies.Today I noticed the female beginning her nest.I know it is fairly common place for her to dig several test holes before depositing her eggs.I figured I was going to add more substrate in her tank in hopes of giving her a more adequate nesting site.I went and got the dirt came back and noticed she had filled the nest in.I figured she had ditched the site and would try again later.No she had in fact deposited two eggs I accidentally discovered while while turning the soil.Initially we were going to let them incubate naturally in her nest.I F'd that up.So now I have them in a little tupper ware container with a couple of inches of the natural nesting material(dirt).My question is this I know in turning the soil i have inadvertently turned the eggs is there any way to put them back in a more advantageous potion in hopes to of saving these little guy's
Please any suggestion from turtle breeders is welcome P.M me if you'd like.very much appreciated.Mike

 

[BQC123]

Never tried box turtle eggs, but if they were just laid, you should be ok. I have screwed up with other turtles, and been just fine. I also pick up road kills, and remove the eggs to hatch. Almost 100% success rate even after that trauma and beig tossed all over.
I would worry after they have been incubating for a bit.

 

[Offkillter]

Never tried box turtle eggs, but if they were just laid, you should be ok. I have screwed up with other turtles, and been just fine. I also pick up road kills, and remove the eggs to hatch. Almost 100% success rate even after that trauma and beig tossed all over.
I would worry after they have been incubating for a bit.

How do you incubate them(hovanator or otherwise).I have them in the tank and the temps generally range between 79 which it currently is and 85.Do you think this will be fine or should I take them out and provide some other heat source?
Thanks,Mike.

 

[BQC123]

I always used a cheap incubator so I could keep stable temps, and skew for the desired sex ratio. A stable temp between 79-85 should be fine without an incubator. I use one because I have it.
I have dealt with snapping, painted, and softshells. Most of the time I target 80-82F.

---------- Post added at 01:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:50 PM ----------

Also, for incubating I use vermiculite. I add water and squeeze it until all the water that will come out does. This is put in a container. I bury the eggs halfway , and cover with a lid. The lid is opened maybe once or twice a week for air exchange, and to check the eggs.

 

[Offkillter]

I always used a cheap incubator so I could keep stable temps, and skew for the desired sex ratio. A stable temp between 79-85 should be fine without an incubator. I use one because I have it.
I have dealt with snapping, painted, and softshells. Most of the time I target 80-82F.

---------- Post added at 01:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:50 PM ----------

Also, for incubating I use vermiculite. I add water and squeeze it until all the water that will come out does. This is put in a container. I bury the eggs halfway , and cover with a lid. The lid is opened maybe once or twice a week for air exchange, and to check the eggs.

Thanks very much.We just ponied up the dough for an incubator and is heating as we speak.I figure even if the baby turtles don't hatch we can use it for our ducks so it won't be a total waste of fifty bucks.As soon as it's up to temp I'll swap them over and cross my fingers.Thanks again.

 

[BQC123]

Be sure to let it run, and make sure it is holding a good temp. Mine always takes a bit to set up, but works fine once i get the temp right.

Relax though, you should be fine. I have incubated eggs from roadkills, dugout nests, and a flooded nest. Many I had no idea of the original orientation, and have had virtually 100% success so far.

If I can be any help at all, let me know. Be sure to post your results!

 

[SandDeku]

ALL CALL TO BOX TURTLE OWNERS!!!! I have Two three toed turtles one female one male,needless to say we've been expecting babies.Today I noticed the female beginning her nest.I know it is fairly common place for her to dig several test holes before depositing her eggs.I figured I was going to add more substrate in her tank in hopes of giving her a more adequate nesting site.I went and got the dirt came back and noticed she had filled the nest in.I figured she had ditched the site and would try again later.No she had in fact deposited two eggs I accidentally discovered while while turning the soil.Initially we were going to let them incubate naturally in her nest.I F'd that up.So now I have them in a little tupper ware container with a couple of inches of the natural nesting material(dirt).My question is this I know in turning the soil i have inadvertently turned the eggs is there any way to put them back in a more advantageous potion in hopes to of saving these little guy's
Please any suggestion from turtle breeders is welcome P.M me if you'd like.very much appreciated.Mike

The whole wall of text kinda confused my eyes... so i could only read some of it.....

If your question is how to keep and incubate box turtle eggs. All I can say is--- you can try using an incubator made for chicken eggs. Just try getting one that you can cover with soil. The soil needs to be loamy-ish and moist(not soaking wet but moist). The temp should be kept high(look up on the specific species temp. as I'm not aware of the actual temp you should use for that particular species.). I don't think touching the eggs will do that much actual damage... As long as they don't get "cold" they should be fine.

You keep a box turtle in a tank? Tanks are not appropriate enclosures for box turtles imo as well as the opinions of people from the turtle community. You can try refering to turtle times it's a forum(google it first since there's a wrong link) as well as very good one at that.

good luck.

 

[Offkillter]

Be sure to let it run, and make sure it is holding a good temp. Mine always takes a bit to set up, but works fine once i get the temp right.

Relax though, you should be fine. I have incubated eggs from roadkills, dugout nests, and a flooded nest. Many I had no idea of the original orientation, and have had virtually 100% success so far.

If I can be any help at all, let me know. Be sure to post your results!

We let it run for a few hours to get to temp and are maintaining good humidity.
I'll post pictures if we get any babies.
thanks again.

And SandDeku,I understand your concern about the tank issue.When my wife initially brought them home we had a very large out door pen.Unfortunately we are rather en-experienced turtle keepers and tried to hibernate them through winter outside,like the lady we got them from told us to.In doing so the female got a serious respiratory infection and we nearly lost her.Fortunately we have a very experienced reptile rescue lady in Sonora and she nursed her back to health and returned them to us a couple of months ago along with a very large aquarium in which to house them.I figure if we provide them with adequate stomping grounds proper food and lighting then as an owner we are doing the best we can.They eat well and seem very happy.

Thanks,Mike.

 

[SandDeku]

We let it run for a few hours to get to temp and are maintaining good humidity.
I'll post pictures if we get any babies.
thanks again.

And SandDeku,I understand your concern about the tank issue.When my wife initially brought them home we had a very large out door pen.Unfortunately we are rather en-experienced turtle keepers and tried to hibernate them through winter outside,like the lady we got them from told us to.In doing so the female got a serious respiratory infection and we nearly lost her.Fortunately we have a very experienced reptile rescue lady in Sonora and she nursed her back to health and returned them to us a couple of months ago along with a very large aquarium in which to house them.I figure if we provide them with adequate stomping grounds proper food and lighting then as an owner we are doing the best we can.They eat well and seem very happy.

Thanks,Mike.

If you wanna keep them indoors during winter you could always do what most turtle keepers do. A "turtletable". Ill show you a video of one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL1xb4WPVU8

The key is to provide enough room, ventilation and visual barriers. Glass windows stress the crud out of them. No turtle is any different from each other in the sense of that. They look pretty pathetic inside a small tank. They tend to just sit in a corner or not eat properly. They should be quite active. Box turtles are pretty active. Make a turtle table that is around these dimensions at the very least:
7ft(or so)longx 3.5-4ft widex 4ft tall. Make sure the corners to the "lip" of the enclosure have something to cover them in. Not like a lid. But like say.... think of a "krriter"keeper and the lid. You know the plastic colorfull part that has for ventilation? sorta like that. without the lid on the opening. But not that enclosed. Just a s mall boarder so the turtles don't climb out. Don't make the mistake of thinking they can't climb out. You'd be surprised what these dang critters can do. ;(

Turtle tables are quite cheaper than a tank.

This is a tutorial. Don't just follow this guys idea. There are many ways to make em:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrQbCVjhEdY&feature=related


This one provides more ideas with the most "Creativity" but the glass they have there. Atleast make sure that if you do use glass for visual purposes make sure that there is wood covering atleast 7inches from the floor. So you don't stress it out. Because if it "thinks" it can get out itll die trying to get out. You know that saying? "Ill do it--- or ill die trying"? It'll basically become obsessed to get out. As well some even just completely stop eating. Depends on the individual. But I'm sure its stressfull on all boxies and tortoises as well.

Good luck--- just make sure to provide an extremely powerfull light. Turtles, tortoises and box turtles as well as terrapins are all "sun lovers"; like cactus they love the sun or like a sunflower. Provide 8-9hours of sunlight and if you can let them in a playpen outside SUPERVISED for atleast a couple of hours a day ESPECIALLY during the morning(provide shade with water bowl and hide out in the shade to make sure you don't cook the turtle. lol) which will get the MOST out of the sun from. The sun is strongest during morning, and midday hours.

Becarefull what you feed them. Keep their diet mixed. Box Turtles sometimes become obsessed with foods--especially when they are only fed one diet. Try mixing it up. Every meal should not be the same. Say today you could feed it like say.... chopped earthworms(fresh kill--- because they also become obssessed with moving foods and affixiate to those foods. Think of em like a lil kid. Don't wanna eat his veggieS lol)mixed with something like squash with berries sprinkled with calcium powder. Make sure to instead of feeding on a dish. Try find a rock with a "Gritty" surface. This will help keep their beaks trimmed and every once in a while try feeding something that is kinda tough to bite into. Heck even half an apple so he has to work for it. You know? Then the next time you feed it you could feed it something like say... pheonix worms(pre killed), on top of shredded carrots, with some vitamin powder as well as some different type of berries. I say berries because they're pretty healthy. Try feeding different kinds. Like blue berries, black berries, raspberries, etc. But they're only 10% of th e diet while 30% should be proteins and the rest should be veggies. Heck try to feed grasses as well if you can. This helps keep the stomach clean and such.

Good luck bro. Hope this helps.

 

[Offkillter]

SandDeku,great suggestions.The turtle table is as good as done!

 

[SandDeku]

SandDeku,great suggestions.The turtle table is as good as done!

You're welcome. I dealt with box turtles before(I delt with alot of species of turtles--- where I lived we had more pets than we do now because of the space-- long story short we had the space and money) anywho. I think they'll be happier with atleast a turtle table. Make sure they get enough ventilation and it's kept humid.