The General Care and Maintenance of Box Turtles: Including Sections on Chinese and Malayan Box Turtles

Although box turtles rank among the most popular and beautiful of all the turtles (virtually no other turtle can match an outstanding male eastern box turtle), they are also among the most neglected and mistreated of all turtles sold in the pet trade. Unwillingness to confront the health problems associated with commercially collected box turtles and the lack of readily available information on their requirements are the primary reasons for their failure to establish in captivity. This book was written for people who care about box turtles and appreciate their beauty and interesting behaviors. If you think of box turtles as just an inexpensive and relatively disposable child's pet, save yourself some money and save a box turtle by simply not acquiring one. Remember, box turtles are not Mutant Ninja Turtles. They can't live in damp, dark sewage systems and they don't usually like pizza. On the other hand, box turtles, which have been on earth thousands of years longer than any mutant turtles, may teach you one or two lessons about the delicate balance of life, natural law, and the many ways in which intelligence is manifested in nature. The purpose of this book is to present background information and guidelines for care which will lead to increased survival of these turtles in the pet trade and in the homes of prospective owners. A section is included on the care of two species of Asian box turtles of the genus "Cuora" which are now commonly sold in the pet trade.