There are several different species of box turtle available in the pet trade. Four species come from North America: the eastern box turtle, the three-toed box turtle, the Gulf Coast box turtle, and the ornate box turtle. Chinese box turtles and Malayan box turtles are imported for the U.S. turtle trade.
American Box Turtles
American box turtles are partially aquatic — they spend most of their time on dry land within range of shallow, fresh water. All four of the American box turtle species are usually wild-caught. Box turtles are relatively easy to find throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States and the northern parts of Mexico.
American box turtles live on mostly plant matter foraged on dry land — they are omnivorous when young but mostly herbivorous when grown. They may forage for aquatic plants while swimming, but time in the water is more often used for rehydration and waste disposal. Sleep time is spent dug into burrows or wedged underneath something for safety from predators.
Ornate Box Turtles
These American box turtles are a little less hardy than other American varieties. Adults that are captured for sale do not adapt well to life in captivity and have a high death rate. These turtles are mainly insectivores, and may like to feed underwater.
Give your ornate box turtle a hollow log or slab of bark over a dry mix of sand and soil for digging and hiding. These turtles need a constant temperature and constant humidity — make sure they have access to shallow, fresh water at all times. Your ornate box turtle may also need a misting on hot days (above 85 degrees Fahrenheit).
Chinese and Malayan Box Turtles
Both of these imports need more water than your average American box turtle. Both the Malayan and Chinese box turtles need a large area of water — at least half of the total enclosure size — for swimming. The water should be at least as deep as the turtle is high. A large kitty litter pan sunk into the ground may be the perfect swimming hole; just make sure your turtle has a way to climb in and out.
Be sure to keep the swimming water clean — especially for the Malayan turtles. And keep the water warm! These turtles do not withstand cold temperatures well; anything under 70 degrees Fahrenheit can be dangerous.