So, where do you position these helpful tools? You should place the thermometer and hygrometer at the cool end of your enclosure. If the heat and moisture levels in your turtle enclosure aren’t monitored, your turtle’s health and lifespan can be greatly affected. Attach the hygrometer and thermometerĪ hygrometer and thermometer will ensure the correct humidity and temperature levels for your box turtle species. Also, avoid putting water near the lighting, otherwise, you may heat it up a bit too much for your little friend’s body to handle. If possible, you should provide your pet with an even bigger area filled with water where they can easily soak in.īut make sure the water container is shallow enough for your box turtle to easily climb out. Create a swimming areaĭespite box turtles being more terrestrial than aquatic, they still need water to drink and walk into. Put a thermometer under this heat source and ensure it reads around 85 degrees F. It helps keep your turtle warm during basking.

This will create the warm side of your enclosure. And some of the plants to avoid include potato, rhubarb, tobacco, ivy, and tomato plants/leaves.Īlso, install a heat lamp at the hot end of your turtle enclosure. The best plants to consider include alfalfa, strawberry plants, clover, etc. Plants help provide protection and shelter for your box turtle. Plants will also have a hard time thriving in such a substrate. soil alone, can easily spread everywhere in your enclosure and even into the water cup. We recommend choosing a substrate that feels a bit hard. You can then add sphagnum moss or bark on top to give it a natural look. You can go with something basic such as organic soil plus coconut fiber and/or cypress mulch combination. There are plenty of substrate combinations and options to choose from.

Next, you’ll need to introduce the substrate you choose for your box turtle tank. The hot end should feature your box turtle’s UV-B lighting as well as a basking spot. The cool side should be at the lower end of the box turtle’s recommended enclosure temperature range. You’ll know which side to place the other essentials on. This will make things easy for you in the rest of the steps below. Also, you’ll need to divide your new turtle tank into hot and cool ends.

Box turtle habitat