New Turtle-species?????

[TortaP]

I was gifted a turtle!!!! Exciting, however I would like to know a little more about her (I was told it's female) and how to care for this type of turtle.

I got her last night and already am worried I'm not caring for her properly. Temporarily she's in a plastic tub with a tray of lukewarm water, a stone that she hides under and a small heat lamp. She drank two trays of water and would have refilled her tray with more until I she projectile spit the water she had just taken in completely across the tub. Vomit??? Defense mechanism??? Is she unhappy???

This morning she was sleeping under the rock. Apple appears untouched.

[bettababy]

She appears to be a species of box turtle, but the closest I can come to an exact species is Coahuilan Box Turtle (Terrapene coahuila). There are a lot of species of boxies out there and it has been a long time since I have had to ID one, so this may or may not be the right one.

I CAN tell you that projectile vomiting, especially in a baby turtle, is not a good sign. Have you had her checked by a vet yet? When you bought her, did you see her eat before you took her home? Did you get a list of the foods they were giving her at the store where you bought her from?

What foods have you tried to offer besides apple? What is her ambient temp in the tub? And does it vary from the temp not under the heat light? Does she have both lighted and shaded areas? Heat at night?

She needs water, but should be getting most of her fluid from her foods such as green leafy vegetables (collard greens, mustard greens) and fruits (apples, bananas, etc) Avoid citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, and stay away from spinach and lettuce unless a vet gives the ok. Most turtles and tortoises cannot tolerate those types of foods, but I am not exactly positive of her species...

The best suggestion I could offer you would be to get an exact species name from the place she came from (if possible) and to give a call to a vet about the vomiting and lack of eating. It is possible she vomited because she drank too much water in a short period of time, but it is also possible she is sick, especially if she isn't eating. It doesn't take long for dehydration to set it, so I wouldn't wait long to consult a vet. Baby turtles don't have a very strong immune system.

Sorry I can't be of more help to you.

[bettababy]

One more thought that just occurred to me after going through your photos again... what type of bedding is she on? If its cedar get it out asap! Cedar is toxic.

[Ramenuzumaki]

i agree get her out of the cedar if thats what it is!
i also agree with consulting a vet. you can never be to safe ne?
i can however tell you she is a Three-Toed Box Turtle[Terrapene carolina triunguis]. You can tell she is a box turtle by the "hinge" she has on her plastron [the bottom of her shell]. When box turtles go into their shell his "hinge" will close them up almost entirely in their shell, which is a pretty nice defense mechanism. you can tell she is a three-toes by her hind legs. They only have three toes! :O

by the looks of the plastron and the claws i do think she is female. males have longer thicker claws, and a concave plastron so they dont slip off the female during mating. Females have short claws and a flat or convex plastron. :)

now then. you need to decide NOW if you want her. That turtle will most likely outlive you if you can keep her healthy and well taken care of. She could be a nice pet to pass down to children of the proper age. She'll probably live 30-40 years and up to 100 years if you take real good care of her.

While it is possible to keep three toed box turtles (especially hatchlings and juveniles) in a large indoor terrarium (aquariums are too small), they do much better in outdoor enclosures where the climate is agreeable. They should have easy access to a shallow pan of water at all times. As well, they should have access to hiding spots, and loose litter for burrowing.

unlike most TURTLES box turtles arent aquatic. They are like tortoises n like to be on land. It is not unusual for three toed box turtles to wade into shallow water to drink and have a soak, perhpas moreso than other North American species. Provide a large shallow pan of clean water at all times, but make sure they can easily get in and out of the water without tipping (or drowning, of course). Regularly mist their pen or run a sprinkler for added moisture, as three toed box turtles prefer a bit more humidity than others.

If kept in an outdoor pen, make sure there are both sunny and shady areas available (the turtle should be able to move from cooler to warmer areas as necessary). Indoors, a terrarium will need a heat source as well as a UVB emitting reptile light. They use the UVB to help make vitamin D3 which is used to help their shell. Provide a basking spot with temperatures of 85 - 88 F, maintaining the terrarium with a gradient down to about 75 F. The nightime temperature should not drop below 70 F.

Adult three toed box turtles are omnivores. Approximately half of their diet should be made up of vegetables, fruit, and hay/grasses. The remainder is made up of low fat protein sources; whole live foods are ideal (earthworms, slugs, snails, mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers, small fish, etc) but cooked lean meats and low fat dog food can be added as a supplement. Hatchlings are more carnivorous. More on feeding box turtles can be found in "Feeding Box Turtles."

Natural Habitat: three toed box turtles can live in a wide variety of habitats from woodlands to meadows, but are usually found near a water source. They often venture into shallow water, perhaps moreso than other North American box turtles. As with other North American box turtles, three toed box turtle hibernate when it is colder (in warmer climates they stay active longer). They are found from Missouri south to Texas and Alabama. Box turtle populations are declining (listed by CITES as threatened, and import/export permits are necessary). Many states protect box turtle populations and have laws against collecting box turtles from the wild. It is best to get a pet box turtle bred in captivity from a reputable breeder. Wild caught turtles do not adjust well to captivity and many die from the stress. Pet stores often carry wild caught turtles.


I am 99.8% sure thats the three toed box so this information should help you out! i hope this helps. I'd call a vet about the spitting though. :(
i hope she gets better! keep us updated

[ranae19812003]

I believe it is a 3 toed box turtle most likely it was wild caught due to all of the damage to its shell. Also as for age and sex it is a female which is aprox 12-15 yrs old you can age the box turtle by the growth rings on its bottom shell although after 15 yrs the shell is normally worn smooth. As the poor turtle was most likely wild caught it could be suffering from stress or some kind of disease. I f it is suffering from stress you will most likely end up with a dead turtle but if it is sick you need to get her to a vet asap. good luck and hope she makes it