Care Sheet for:

Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene Ornata)

 

Difficulty/Care Rating: 6

 

Range/Habitat: Central and Southwestern U.S. to Northern Mexico. Grassland to Semi-deserts.

 

Sexing: Males have a longer tail than females. The most noticeable trait is the indentation on the plastron of the males.

 

Size: To 6 inches.

 

Husbandry: Box turtles do well if they have proper conditions. Temperatures during the day in the 80’s with nighttime drops. Most species hibernate in the wild so they can be kept outdoors year round. Inside a wide spectrum UVB bulb is necessary. As basking area with temperatures in the 90’s during spring/summer. The most common problem with box turtles is deficiency of Vitamin A. This causes the eyes to close up. A shallow bowl for soaking is important. Any food with betakerotene is helpful for Vitamin A. They are omnivorous and will take numerous types of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.  Care should be taken not to feed a diet too high in protein. Males will fight during breeding season. A large cage is a must for adults. At least a 40 gallon breeder tank for a pair of adults.

 

 

Breeding: Breeding usually takes place in the Spring after hibernation. However, breeding can occur year round especially after rainstorms. A reduction in photoperiod and temperatures is a must. Egg layers producing up to 3 clutches of 2-5 eggs.

 

*This care sheet is for general information purposes only.

 

 

 

Provided as a courtesy by:

Herpetological Breeding Research

Ft. Pierce, Florida