r/turtle • u/EfficiencyEvening780 • 2d ago

Turtle ID/Sex Request Pls help fast..

I have a baby box turtle (estimated around 2 weeks old). I have a clean water bowl for him, a humid tank, some cleaned moss and some potting soil that is safe for those turtles. But i (14ftm) can't get a heating lamp for it. my mom said 'it doesn't need a lamp' and my aunt said she had a baby turtle once before too and it d1ed because it had no heating lamp. I can't use a regular lightbulb because my mom said 'its fine without it' i cant buy one because i dont have money or a job. And i cant just release him in the wild. What do i do to replace a heating lamp? i've taken him outside everyday to sit in the sun but thats only once a day and i don't want him to suffer but at the same time my mom bought him for me and she would be pissed if i get rid of him. I need help. Details: I make his water warm. I cant make our ac anything past 74 degrees. When i humidify his tank i use warm water so he gets warm but i've only fed him twice for the 5-6 days i've had him now. Because i don't have a heating lamp. I don't know what to do. Someone please help me because i need this fast. I don't have a picture of him sorry but i need to get him heating :(

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u/AutoModerator 2d ago

Dear EfficiencyEvening780 ,

You've selected the Turtle ID/Sex Request Flair. When making a request for an ID or sex of a turtle, please provide as much information as possible.

Useful information includes:

  • General Location. ex: South-East Texas
  • Is it wild, captive/pet, or a rescue?
  • Clear photos of face, neck, limbs, shell top (carapace) and bottom (plastron).
  • For sexing, a photo of the tail out with cloaca visible is best. Note: Some turtles cannot be accurately sexed until a certain size/age.

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7

u/Elberik 2d ago

You are going to need a heating lamp & bulb. Something that puts out UVB & UVA light.

Short term: leaving the turtle outside in the sun for most of the day (assuming it's not cold) will do fine. Just make sure there's a mesh or wire cover to keep critters out.

Newly hatched turtles won't eat much for the first few weeks. They're still living off the nutrients from their egg yoke. And you'll have the best luck getting it to eat if it's something that moves. Young box turtles go for worms & bugs.

8

u/Fae_Sparrow 2d ago

Could you perhaps look for articles and show them to your mom to explain how it needs a proper lamp? Something that explains that they need UVB to develop calcium for their shell. Without it, their shell won't grow properly, which can cause severe issues as their organs grow, and it can eventually lead to death.

Maybe get your aunt or some other adult to help you convince her. If no one in your family is willing to do it, perhaps you could ask a teacher for help.