Baby box quit eating

[LOSTVEGGIE]

hello i have a baby east. Box turtle i got in august. He has been eating quite well till 7 days go, i dig him out of his substate every day . I give him meal worms crickets, bottled water garden carrots peas apples fruit smal amount of cat food i put salmon oil the mineral vitamins romainelettuce berries .he moves around fine no breathing problems, no swollen eyes. Could i have uver fed him for a month please let me know. I have all the lamps needed and a heating pad plus a cool area in his tank

[FrogO_Oeyes]

Try earthworms as well, though you'll likely have to chop up bigger ones, and make sure there's a decent amount of water. Baby box turtles tend to occur in much wetter habitats than adults, and are also more carnivorous. As it's a baby, I wouldn't worry about over-feeding, but I also wouldn't worry much about being off feed a few days. If it's warm enough, it may be eating after dark. Shorter days could also be causing it to prepare for hibernation. Ensuring good lighting for the better part of 12 hours could make a difference, especially if there are no big temperature changes. Despite any thermostat settings, long sunny days can warm a house or room a fair amount, and loss of that lighting could produce enough temperature change for the animal to respond instinctively.

[LOSTVEGGIE]

THANK YOU Frog0, the little turtle may be coming out at night i always have to dig him out but he is in a different spot ever time from where he buries himself.i use a spray bottle with bottled or distilled water try to keep humidity to 60-70% when i can in the morning and after work, bedtime i hope this is enough. he is shown no sign of weakness ,temp is from 60 to65 overnight till morning, 70 to 80 after work till bed, but i leave the 4x5 heating pad on 24hrs

[joeysgreen]

The cool evenings might make it think it's time to prep for hibernation. Perhaps try raising night time temp's to 70. Your day time temps are okay but I would add a hot spot of 85 or even 90F (95F in summer) if you can do it without raising the rest of the enclosure's temps.

Ian

[LOSTVEGGIE]

Ian i dont want him to hibernate but i did increase the temp and gimli has responded very well , i just didnt know if he had enough in him to go off to sleep.thank you for your reply

[Vasiliki]

I wish I could offer some help for your little turtle. Unfortunately, I've not much experience with them. But I just had to comment that Gimli is the best name I've heard for a turtle in a long time, haha. Totally made me chuckle.

[pemry]

I would offer more live foods like mentioned above. Foods like wax worms, red wiggles and maybe even some crickets. You can also do baby food soaks to get some nutrients in him and that may stimulate an appetite. Use baby foods like sweet potatoe, pumpkin, carrot ext.