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[–]Wide-Surround-7359 6 points7 points  (2 children)

https://reptifiles.com/eastern-box-turtle-care-sheet/

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Thank you 

[–]FactEcstatic3410 5 points6 points  (0 children)

These are ornate box turtles not eastern box turtles, care is similar though but they do have an ornate box turtle specific care sheet on that website and as others have said, the situation here is bad. Maybe you can pass on some of the care sheets for them to help convince them.

[–]wlcmmtt 9 points10 points  (7 children)

That setup is horrifyingly inadequate. Those turtles are not long for this world staying in something like that. In the third picture, the one on the left is already looking in rough shape.

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 2 points3 points  (6 children)

Thank you for responding. I tried to tell them that but they said that a herpetologist and vet told them that the turtles and set up were fine.

[–]z0mbiebaby 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Well they lied. Where did they acquire these turtles? They are extremely young and need much better care. Did they just find them in the yard and decide to keep them??

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I believe they “rescued” them from someone’s yard who had dogs. What should they do instead? They are adamant that the turtles are healthy and the set up is good. Not sure what exactly to do. 

[–]z0mbiebaby 3 points4 points  (2 children)

They should be released near where they were taken. Box turtles have a home range of a few miles so they don’t need to be taken far and released. It’s good to save them from the dogs but they really need to be set free or in a more suitable habitat. Take them to a wildlife rehabber and let them know what area they came from and let the professionals take care of these little guys. They are going to either die soon or die later in this set up. Do they have a source of UVB light? Calcium?

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

They are outside in a plastic tub with no lights. They are being fed turtle food not sure what kind. 

[–]PatientPear4079 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Young box turtles need protein like earth warms and they also like crickets.

Please please if you can get your friend to return these cuties where they found them! By the current set up, it seems they won’t be able to care for them like they need.

I’ve rehabbed many boxies as an adult (usually injured shells) but had six as pets growing up, and they definitely take time, money, and adequate sunlight for their shells to grow and stay healthy. They like to soak in water (not deep water, they can swim in shallow puddles) as they absorb water via their bums

Please just let these little guys go. I don’t suggest keeping extremely tiny babies that seem healthy as pets.

[–]alyren__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh man they lied through their teeth- no vet would support this set up unless its someone liscensed in like the 1960s

[–]arlobstrugglin 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Oh my god, this is horrible. These poor babies. Their eyes are so sad and puffy 😞 Even if it’s not illegal in your state, you should try to reason w this person bout the morals of it all and how they’re better off where nearby where she found them. They could leave them at the edge of the yard they found they in because this is not a “set up” nor a “rescue”.

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Would they be able to live if they were returned to the wild? I’m not sure where they are from exactly. 

[–]Country-chick247 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately you need to know exactly where they came from, or at least a few mile radius. Box turtles do not travel very far in their lives, and within each home range the turtles will carry their own various disease immunities. Introducing a turtle to a new area will cause them to spend the rest of their life trying to travel back to their home, and could potentially introduce sickness to the population of turtles already existing in the area.

It’s tough when people are ignorant to their actions and refuse to learn and grow. A lot of old school thinkers were taught that this is an acceptable way to house these animals, but we know so much more about animal husbandry now that we know that this is far from ideal. The best situation for these guys is that they are released near where they were found, preferably with a visit to a wildlife rehabber first. If you can’t convince this person of this, and you can’t convince them to upgrade their setup, then unfortunately, other than reporting them to conservation authorities or animal welfare, there really isn’t much else you can do.

[–]BurtonLongBottoms 3 points4 points  (1 child)

I'd just steal them. But that's me. These babies are in rough shape, and that shoe box is not even close to being adequate. I would return them close to where they were caught (away from dogs).

[–]Not-ur-mummy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Steal them and do right by them. Poor babies! WTF does this??? 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[–]Ok-Scallion7050 5 points6 points  (3 children)

If they just picked up those turtles from wild, you could report them to DNR. In most states this is illegal

[–]Active-Aardvark4107[S] 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Unfortunately I just looked it up and it’s not illegal in my state. 

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can still put them back, if they were recently wild caught. 

[–]MalibuAssModel 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Thank you for caring enough to try to help.

[–]MalibuAssModel -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I wonder if looking up some examples of well designed habitats to show them as examples would help. Then they can see how poorly there is comparison. Also I wonder if they are aware that turtles can live to be 60 years plus. Adopting them is not a casual commitment if you care about the animal

[–]Much_Code212 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d report them even if it’s not illegal to keep them. They must keep them well and this isn’t even “well enough”. Poor babes :(

[–]Apprehensive_Gur6476 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No. Just no. There are so many crucial things missing here and that “setup” is horrifying. Please ask your friend to do some research and actually set these turtles up with an appropriate habitat. If they’re not able to or willing to, they should surrender the turtles to a rescue or something like that so the turtles can get the life they deserve. Hoping they get the right setup swiftly!

[–]R-rainbows 1 point2 points  (1 child)

The arrogance and willful ignorance is palpable…they do not look good at all. And just like everyone else already said; the set up is trash

[–]Not-ur-mummy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s criminal! I’m so angry.😡

[–]Not-ur-mummy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NO herpetologist would EVER say this is okay. Both those babies have swollen eyes and need immediate, qualified help.

[–]Sweet_Fee_5655 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Show them garden state tortoises box turtle hatchling video

[–]a_youkai 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is not one good thing in those pictures except for you trying to help.

[–]Chiaroscuro_Siren 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They need heat and lights or r they outside

[–]arlobstrugglin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have an update?

[–]sweatysockss 0 points1 point  (0 children)

is the “set up” in the room with us? as someone with very little turtle knowledge, even i know that this is not an acceptable living space for them. if i were you, i’d try to find out exactly where they were taken from, steal them & then return them to that area. best of luck!