For example, a 12 inch (30 cm) turtle needs at least a 4. 5 sq ft (0. 42 m2) of space. If you have two turtles of 12 inches, you need 9 sq ft (0. 84 m2) of space.

If you build the enclosure from wood, waterproof the inside bottom and sides. Nontoxic paint or water sealant works well. This keeps the enclosure from absorbing water. Do not use treated wood, as it may harm the turtle.

Wading pools are rather large, so you need a large amount of floor space for it.

Turtles don’t like to be out in the open and constantly visible. It can cause them stress and they may hurt themselves.

Place a cover on your habitat. You can use mesh screening or hardware cloth over the enclosure. Don’t place any objects along the sides or in the corner of the enclosure. This just makes it very easy for the turtle to climb out.

The potting soil should not contain additives like perlite, fertilizer, or Miracle-Gro. Avoid aquarium gravel or sand. They hold too much water, which can deteriorate your turtle’s shell.

Place an incandescent lamp on a far end of the enclosure to create a warm side. This should be set up on a timer so the turtle gets 12 to 14 hours of heat each day.

Make sure the lamp doesn’t make any part of the enclosure too hot to touch. This can burn your turtle.

These types of heaters should never be used on plastic or wooden enclosures.

Place the UV light around 18 inches (45 cm) from the turtle. Pet stores sell lights that are a heat lamp and UV source in one, which can be convenient.

If your box turtle starts burrowing constantly, you need to up the moisture because they are searching for it in the ground.

You can use a hollow log or commercial hiding area. Box turtles are easy to please, so a plastic tub, a tipped-over flower pot, or some other solid area that provides cover will suffice.

Use around an inch thick flat and quite wide rocks to make a climbing material for your turtle. If your turtle is tiny, it helps to use something that isn’t too thick to ensure it is easy for climbing.

Box turtles don’t care what their swimming are looks like. You can get a bowl from a pet store, or use paint trays, storage tubs, flower pot dishes, shallow ceramic bowls, or any other shallow container that will hold water. It is best to use filtered water in their habitat. You can install a water filter in their pool to keep the water clean. If you don’t have a filter, replace the water every two to three days. [14] X Research source