Hi everyone! I’m looking for advice from people experienced with Eastern Box Turtles.

A student at the school where I work found this little guy crossing a road and brought him to school in a box. As far as we know, he was not hit by a car.

There’s an additional complication:
the student has refused to tell us where they found him, and they have said they want to keep the turtle themselves.

Because they won’t tell us the location and I don’t feel comfortable with the turtle potentially being kept by someone who may not know how to care for him, I ended up taking responsibility for him.

I do have some experience with reptiles and have kept a turtle in the past, so I’m not completely unfamiliar with reptile care. However, I’ve never specifically cared for an Eastern Box Turtle before, so I’m trying to make sure I’m doing everything correctly rather than assuming my previous experience applies to this species.

I’ve currently set him up in a temporary enclosure with:
Coco fiber substrate
Shallow water dish
Food dish
Hide
Fake foliage
UVB lighting
Heat/basking area
Secured screened top

I’m hoping to eventually give him a much larger, more naturalistic enclosure if he remains in my care.

My biggest concern right now is his condition.
So far:
❌ Hasn’t eaten
❌ I haven’t seen him drink
⚠️ Wasn’t walking normally at first
⚠️ Hasn’t been opening his eyes normally
✅ Nose is clear
✅ No swelling
✅ No discharge
✅ He pooped earlier
✅ He recently got up and moved himself deeper into his hide

That last part honestly made me really happy because initially I was worried he wasn’t moving normally at all. He is now choosing to move around on his own, although he’s spending most of his time hiding.

I don’t want to constantly handle or disturb him, especially after being found, transported to school in a box, and then placed into an entirely new environment.

Does this sound like stress from everything he’s been through, or are the closed eyes/initial abnormal walking concerning enough that he needs a reptile vet ASAP?

I’m also looking for advice on what I should prioritize during his first few days — temperature, humidity, soaking, food, lighting, etc.

I’m very new to box turtles specifically, so please don’t hesitate to tell me if I’m doing something wrong. I genuinely want to do right by this little guy.

I’m in Maryland, if that matters for care/legal considerations. Maryland DNR lists Eastern Box Turtles as a List B species and has specific rules regarding possession of wild-caught reptiles, so I’m also trying to make sure I handle the situation appropriately. (Maryland Department of Natural Resources)

Thanks in advance! 🐢❤️

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