Spotted box turtle (Terrapene nelsoni)

Short answers

Spotted box turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

150×70 cm land enclosure or outdoor pen.

Spotted box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–31 °C, basking spot 35 °C, at night 16–21 °C.

Spotted box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Spotted box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 40–60 years.

Spotted box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–31 °C

Night temperature

16–21 °C

Basking spot

35 °C

Humidity

50–70 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

150×70 cm land enclosure or outdoor pen

Substrate

Soil and sand with leaf litter, room to dig, a damp corner, a shallow water dish

Feeding

Food

Insects, snails, earthworms, windfall fruit, fungi

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

11–15 cm

Life expectancy

40–60 years

Origin

Western Mexico – thorn scrub and oak forest

Protection status

CITES II; very rarely kept

Brumation

A cooler dry spell of 8–12 weeks

Cohabitation

Single housing. This is the least stressful, as box turtles react sensitively to stress and relocation. A pair only works in a large enclosure with hiding places and the option of separating the male if he harasses the female. Do not keep males together.

Notes

The rarest box turtle, and barely present in Europe. A pronounced rainy- and dry-season rhythm; the animals are buried in the dry season and active only after rain.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) – Intermediate
• Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) – Intermediate
• Three-toed box turtle (Terrapene triunguis) – Intermediate
• Flattened musk turtle (Sternotherus depressus) – Intermediate
• Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) – Expert
• Loggerhead musk turtle (Sternotherus minor) – Intermediate
• Rough-footed mud turtle (Kinosternon hirtipes) – Intermediate
• Mississippi mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Spotted box turtle (Terrapene nelsoni) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (150×70 cm land enclosure or outdoor pen), substrate (Soil and sand with leaf litter, room to dig, a damp corner, a shallow water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.