Live Foods

The rnovement of live foods usually draws the attention of a box turtle. Sornetimes live foods are the key to persuading a box turtle to feed. Offering live prey to a box turtle also elicits interesting reactions and brings out an amusing side to the box turtle's character. Few turtles display as rnuch expression as a box turtle eyeing a prey itern and, with the determination and vigor so characteristic of turtles, chasing down that prey to catch and eat it. Offer live foods on a regular basis as an essential part of a box turtle's diet. Alllive prey rnust be offered in feeding dishes that prevent it from escaping and burrowing into the ground medium. Avoid offering more food than the turtle will eat at a sitting.

The following are recornrnended live foods:

. Live crickets: Keep live crickets in a small plastic terrarium overnight, and offer them nutritious foods before feeding them to turdes. Give the crickets tropical fish tlakes or finely ground rodent or monkey chow, along

with a slice of orange or grated carrots. Try to pinch off their hind legs before offering them to your turdes. To do this, pick up a cricket, hold it between your thumb and index finger, and pinch the hind legs at the level of the "knee" joints. This procedure causes crickets to drop their hind legs, thereby enabling your box turdes to catch them more easily.

. Mealworms (Tenebrio sp.) and Superworms (Zoophobas sp.): Feed your worms a high-quality diet before you offer them to the turde (these diets should be available at a local pet store). Offer small numbers of worms per feeding (one to three superworms per adult turde, or three to five regular mealworms), as your turde may regurgitate them if it eats too many at once. The chitinous exoskeleton of these insects can make them difficult to digest if they are not well chewed or if your turde eats too many. You can raise your own mealworms and offer soft, recendy molted (white) mealworms and superworms, which are more easily digested.

. Earthworms: Box turdes enjoy feasting on garden worms, bait-store worms, and small night crawlers. Just make sure to offer them to your turdes only in moderate amounts. Sometimes, feeding live earthworms to a reluctant feeder is a good way to get it to feed.

. Pink mice: Small, one- to two-day-old pink mice make good food for box turdes. After a few feedings, box turdes readily feed on pre-killed "pinkies:' Dip the rumps of the pink mice in a calcium carbonate powder prior to feeding, because newborn mice can lack necessary calcium.

. Other live foods: In addition to the previous suggestions, box turdes readily feed on small slugs and snails, as well as on various insects, especially larvae. Just remember that variety is important in a well-balanced diet.

Quick Tip

The best approach to feeding box turtles is to offer a varied diet