NEED HELP.................Very Bad!!!!!!!!

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Posted by Greg_978 on April 29, 2003 at 06:43:16:

In Reply to: NEED HELP.................Very Bad!!!!!!!! posted by DMeyer20 on April 29, 2003 at 03:40:37:

Dont think about the past, the time is ripe to give this turtle the care it needs. It's not a rare turtle, the pet shop obviously is giving you a line.

Do some online research. You definitely need a better diet, more space. The substrate is good (cypress mulch), it should be about 3-4 inches deep. You dont need a hide if it can burrow. A basking light would be good. Depending on where you live, it could at least live outdoors during the warmer months, perhaps all year round if you live in the right climate.

Check this website, its a great start for taking care of the turtle:

http://boxturtlesite.org

:Ok, this might be a bit long and im sry but heregoes. I am strickly into boas but my new roomate has a turtle. He has had the thing for 15 years. He first thought it was a clown faced box turlte(store owner told him that when he was 5), but we took it to the petshop now and they said it was a three toed tortoise. I have been reading a few things and are the two the same thing? He knows even less about these animals than I do. He had the animal in a 10 gallon tank its whole life. I just convinced him to build a 3' by 3' wooden cage for him. The cage has an open top. We have cypress mulch in it and that is it. The turtle is 440 grams, a little over five inches long, and had red spots on his feet. I need all the info you got.
:1. Does in need a hot spot and what should the temp be?
:2. He feed it monkey biscuts its whole life, what should it be eating other than meal worms and the biscuts?
:3. What should the humidity be?
:4. Can it swim and if it can, does it like to?
:5. How many years will it live
:6. Does it need a hide?
:7. Should the substrate be deep enough so it can dig?
:8. ARe we using the right subsrate?
:9. Can it survive outside or should it stay inside?
:10. would a shelf be a good idea in the cage?
:11. Should it be soaked like snakes?
:12. do they shed?

:I know nothing about these animals, i just love herps in general and want to help this poor thing. So if i left out anything important please fill in. I understand this is long but i really appreciate those who took the time to help. Its hard to do research because i dont know if the types of turtles listed above are the same or different and anything about them in general and dont know where to begin. thanx again.. rambo(turles name) also thanx you

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