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Caring for Your Box Turtle
By Mark Burgess, DVM
Box turtles are small land-dwelling tortoises
from the forests and plains of the eastern and
southern U.S. Nearly all pet box turtles were
caught in the wild. When you obtain a “wild
pet,” you must try to duplicate that pet’s natural
conditions in order to keep him/her healthy. If
they stay healthy, box turtles may live 60-80
years or more. They tend to be mild-mannered
and shy. Their maximum size is 5 to 7 inches
long, depending on the variety of box turtle.
If you’re thinking about getting a box turtle,
please adopt one from a rescue group rather
than buying from a pet store or breeder. There are many wonderful turtles out there just
waiting to be adopted. To find a turtle rescue, do a search for “turtle rescue” on the Inter-
net or visit the website for American Tortoise Rescue at www.tortoise.com.
Feeding
Box turtles are slow-moving and can’t chase fast prey. A good simple diet is 75-85 per-
cent vegetables and fruit, and 15-25 percent box-turtle food. Your choice of veggies can
include dark leafy greens such as spinach, collard greens, kale, and dandelion greens;
avoid iceberg lettuce, since it is nutritionally poor. Consult a nutritional guide to choose
veggies with good calcium content. Fruits should be used sparingly, as a treat. A good
variety helps minimize the risk of nutritional deficiencies; ideally, your turtle should regu-
larly eat at least 8-10 different veggies and fruits.
Various types of dry and canned box-turtle or tortoise food are available; the best are
probably the pelleted foods, which are brightly colored and smell fruity. A couple of the
more palatable brands are Pretty Pets and T-Rex. The pellets can be offered dry, soft-
ened with water, or crushed and sprinkled on dampened veggies as a powder. A diet that
includes a good variety of veggies and commercial food is complete and balanced, and
your turtle does not need additional supplementation. Avoid high-protein, high-fat foods