What is this turtle?

[Corranthe]

This guy lives in my front yard and I'm just wondering what you can tell me about him.

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[catfishrod69]

Eastern box turtle. Good find. I hardly see them anymore. Alot of people engrave their initials and the date into the bottom shell. Then release the turtle. Ive been wanting to build a escape proof paddock in the yard for them, and catch a few to keep as wild pets. Would be pretty easy, as long as they have access to water, and can burrow down in the winter time.

 

[Ludedor24]

and can burrow down in the winter time.

I remember the first year we moved into our house near the creek It was winter time. Once the weather warmed up we decided to dig up some old plants on the proptery and found about 10 of these baby turtles burried in the dirt. Was a really nice find.

 

[catfishrod69]

Thats pretty awesome man. Great find. I figure a little outside commune of them would be minimal maintanence. Basically all you would have to do is water them, and then just make sure they cant get out.

I remember the first year we moved into our house near the creek It was winter time. Once the weather warmed up we decided to dig up some old plants on the proptery and found about 10 of these baby turtles burried in the dirt. Was a really nice find.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

They can be very personable pets. I have kept them on and off since I was a kid. With all the development around me now, it is a rarity to find one. Ron

 

[catfishrod69]

I live way out in the sticks, and still have a hard time finding them. It seems like i usually find a few during the last part of april, first part of may (mushroom season), but the past few years i havent seen any at all.

They can be very personable pets. I have kept them on and off since I was a kid. With all the development around me now, it is a rarity to find one. Ron

 

[Corranthe]

Wow. I hope this one finds a boyfriend or girlfriend then. He is really cute and he seems interested in sticking around our yard because of the creek that acts as a moat in front of the house. I don't want to pull him or her out of the wild, but I do want him to stick around.

 

[catfishrod69]

Fence off a good section for him, and make sure to bury blocks a foot or so down so he cant bury under them to get out. Access to water, and the food already growing in your yard, then a place for him to bury down into in the winter, and then you can call him your wild pet!

Wow. I hope this one finds a boyfriend or girlfriend then. He is really cute and he seems interested in sticking around our yard because of the creek that acts as a moat in front of the house. I don't want to pull him or her out of the wild, but I do want him to stick around.

 

[oldmanofthesea]

One of their favorite foods is earthworms. I always collect them during a heavy rain and the box turtle goes crazy for them!!!!! Ron

 

[Terry D]

Keepers, Just make sure these guys have a moist area of soil in their "pen" to burrow in and a shady area they can escape to. They can easily overheat and die rather quickly. I kept a male and a couple of females many years ago in an old freezer that had been converted into a worm box before I got it. I never observed the female lay any eggs but she definitely did- as I found 2 little flat-shelled babies when cleaning the enclosure one day. I have NEVER found a baby in the wild. They seem to have "phantom" status there.

Good luck with them,

T

 

[catfishrod69]

I have a very small stream that runs by my house. Would be a good spot to fence in. I thought about also making like a large hide box thats dug out underneath and filled up with straw. I know what you mean, i have never seen a baby either, those and crows and pigeons seem to be born full grown .

Keepers, Just make sure these guys have a moist area of soil in their "pen" to burrow in and a shady area they can escape to. They can easily overheat and die rather quickly. I kept a male and a couple of females many years ago in an old freezer that had been converted into a worm box before I got it. I never observed the female lay any eggs but she definitely did- as I found 2 little flat-shelled babies when cleaning the enclosure one day. I have NEVER found a baby in the wild. They seem to have "phantom" status there.

Good luck with them,

T

 

[desertanimal]

If it has a concave plastron, it's a male. Flat plastron, it's a female. Easy to check. Males also tend to have red eyes and females browner ones, but the plastron is just as easy to check and more definitive.

I found a baby once, when I was a kid. In northern VA. I didn't keep it, but it was one of the cutest things on the planet.

 

[The Snark]

Not wanting to sound ultra negative, but if you do establish an outdoor enclosure take stock of any predators that could invade. Wild dogs or whatever. Not that you would have my problem but... I found a couple of turtles a while back and fenced in an area. Took a bleeping Mongoose a week to discover the enclosure then dug under the fence and pffftb.

 

[Tarac]

Yes, I was thinking of racoons. Sneaky little buggers that will eat anything they can and what they can't eat they will shred just for fun.

Please be sure to check your local regulations on keeping these turtles. Their populations, as noted from first-hand experience by other members in this thread and with myself added to that list, are dwindling rapidly. Many states prohibit keeping them at all even though they are not technically classified as endangered... yet. I see them occasionally here, especially crossing rural roads near mesic hammocks after rain or during light rain, presumably due earth worms surfacing to escape the wet ground. They are very nice turtles.

Added:

http://www.vafwis.org/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Status&bova=030068

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/permits/guide.asp

I'm not entirely certain, but from this brief Google search it sounds to me like they are indeed protected in Virginia- "223 nongame-protected"

And then "NO Threatened and Endangered Species may be held for personal use" which would include the Eastern Box.

Sorry! Best to let him/her return to the breeding population so as not to contribute to their total extirpation in your area.

 

[Corranthe]

We only picked him up once to get a better look at him. He comes and goes as he pleases. I'm grateful for all of the information! I haven't seen any others but I really do hope he sticks around and gets a girlfriend soon.

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[Thistles]

I used to find them all the time in Loudoun county, Northern VA. I've only found one living baby, but seen 2 others splattered on driveways. I've since moved away, but they were always a fun part of spring and summer for me.

 

[lizardminion]

Not wanting to sound ultra negative, but if you do establish an outdoor enclosure take stock of any predators that could invade. Wild dogs or whatever. Not that you would have my problem but... I found a couple of turtles a while back and fenced in an area. Took a bleeping Mongoose a week to discover the enclosure then dug under the fence and pffftb.

Wherever mongooses, cats, and dogs roam, open season without the need for a permit all day, every day and the legal ability to keep a gun is a necessity.