Buyer question
Is a Box turtle tortoise good for beginners?
Usually not: our Animal Library rates the Box turtle tortoise 2 out of 5 for beginners (harder than they look).
Source: the Box turtle tortoise page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Box turtle tortoise in the Animal Library
The detail
Box turtles are small land turtles from the United States and Mexico with hinged shells that close completely. They are not true tortoises: they need humidity, shallow water and a varied omnivorous diet.
- Best fit
- Experienced keepers, legal areas
- Handling
- 3 out of 5 (Shy, can close up)
- Setup complexity
- 4 out of 5 (Humidity and space)
- Feeding ease
- 4 out of 5 (Omnivore)
What to weigh
Box turtles are protected in many US states, and wild collection is often illegal. They live for decades and need humidity and space.