Did I find a Box Turtle?

[Socrates]

Look what I discovered in my own back yard. Is this a box turtle? It was underneath our trailer, probably trying to be out of my dogs' reach. I won't keep it, but I'm taking it to a Fish & Wildlife Reservoir this morning so that hopefully nothing will happen to it.

---
Wendy
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[Zoo Keeper]

Yes, you have found a box turtle. It looks like an eastern.

 

[Wade]

When you take box turtles out of their home range, you run the risk that it will not be able to find a suitable hibernation site when it gets cold. If you haven't already released it somewhere else, you may want to reconsider. They often turn up in areas that you wouldn't expect. Chances are, it was just passing through your yard on the way to it's spring feeding/breeding grounds.

Wade

 

[Betty]

Cute turtle!

I like to stop and pick them up if I see them on the road.

In one pathetic incident, I saw one as I was drivng by it. So I stopped. Now please keep in mind that this was quite a long time ago and I had just gotten my driver's license a few days before. I didn't have a lot of driving experience....

So I put my pickup in reverse and backed up to where the turtle was.
th-thump

I drove over it. Yes, I did.

I discovered I cracked part of his shell, but he was still alive. I felt so awful when I put him down in the grass by the side of the road.

The funny thing was a year or so later, that same turtle ended up in my yard. The crack was still there, but other than that, the turtle seemed fine.

 

[Socrates]

When you take box turtles out of their home range, you run the risk that it will not be able to find a suitable hibernation site when it gets cold. If you haven't already released it somewhere else, you may want to reconsider. They often turn up in areas that you wouldn't expect. Chances are, it was just passing through your yard on the way to it's spring feeding/breeding grounds.

Wade

Wade, I still have it. It's STILL in my backyard. And I haven't captured it or anything...it's just grazing and hanging out.
I'm worried that it might be run over by a car when people get home from work, or that some kids find it and torture it. I live in a very quiet neighborhood, however, there are tons of young kids (8-15 year olds), and I wouldn't want anything to happen to it. There is a ditch close by as well, and also some wooded areas are left.
Unless I hear from you otherwise, I'll just leave it be then, so that I won't disorient it unnecessarily.

 

[Socrates]

Cute turtle!

I like to stop and pick them up if I see them on the road.

In one pathetic incident, I saw one as I was drivng by it. So I stopped. Now please keep in mind that this was quite a long time ago and I had just gotten my driver's license a few days before. I didn't have a lot of driving experience....

So I put my pickup in reverse and backed up to where the turtle was.
th-thump

I drove over it. Yes, I did.

I discovered I cracked part of his shell, but he was still alive. I felt so awful when I put him down in the grass by the side of the road.

The funny thing was a year or so later, that same turtle ended up in my yard. The crack was still there, but other than that, the turtle seemed fine.

Thanks Betty. I thought it was adorable as well. My son told me that on his way to school yesterday there was a complete traffic stand-still because a JUMBO turtle was trying to cross the road. Somebody eventually lifted it up and put it on the other side. Luckily nobody ran that one over. Apparently it's their time of year to wander around, but I honestly don't know anything about them, other than that their face and skin reminds me of a dinosaur. Terrific creatures.

---
Wendy
---

 

[Wade]

What color are the eyes? If they're brown, it's likley a female and she may be scouting out your yard as a possible egg laying site. Males have bright red or orange eyes. Females also hve flat plastrons (bottom of shell), while males plastrons will be distictly concave.

It would probably be OK to re-locate it somewhere nearby, like within a mile or so, as it should have no problem re-orienting itself. The only potential problem would be that it might come right back accross all the roads it already crossed to get to your yard! They're very determined in their seasonal movements. If you get the impression of the general direction the turtle is going, you might be able to make an educated guess as to where the turtle is going and escort it there. They're fairly common here in the Richmond area, even in the densley populate suburban areas.

Wade

 

[Socrates]

What color are the eyes? If they're brown, it's likley a female and she may be scouting out your yard as a possible egg laying site. Males have bright red or orange eyes. Females also hve flat plastrons (bottom of shell), while males plastrons will be distictly concave.

The eyes are dark brown, no hint of orange at all, and the bottom is flat. I just came back from shopping and checked to see if she was still there, and yep, sure enough, she is BACK underneath the trailer, where it's moist and shady, and she appeared to have been digging until I spotted her. She is about 6", would that be big enough for her to be sexually mature?
I'm pretty puzzled and confused as to what to do with her now. Kids will be coming home from school in about 2 hours, and with this weather, I'm sure there will be plenty of "street action". I checked my entire fence, and there are only 2 locations from which she could have entered without having to dig. 1 entrance goes towards the front of the house and the street, and the other to my adjoining neighbor's backyard (who has a German Shepherd running loose).
Perhaps I'll just leave her for now, especially since it's really hot outside as well. (over 90 degrees and humid)

 

[Wade]

If she's starting to dig around, she really might be preparing to nest. If so, she's probably not going to wander to far today. Sometimes they'll dig a few "decoy" nests before making the real one. She might dig in and then sit in the hole for a day or so before actually laying. Eventually, she'll lay them, fill in the hole, and be on her way.

Wade

 

[pategirl]

I've found several box turtles myself this year....I kept one, he has a lage bump on his head, possibly a tumor or something. Its a hard lump, but he eats and everything just fine. Here he is:

 

[Wade]

That appears to be an ear infection, which is a common ailment in box turtles. Something about coming out of hibernation leaves them vunerable to this, so it is seen most often this time of year. It might not be a bad idea to try to lance the lump and try to drain the fluid. An injected antibiotic might not be a bad idea either, but you'll need to see a vet for that.

Wade

 

[FryLock]

i saw my first wild turtle on this tuesday a terapin of some sort with a black shell and dark red ears, well i say wild i was walking along a canal in the UK but hay beggers cant be chosers and afaik they have only bred in the south of england so its probally not causing much trouble, i was still stoked to see it living free tho

 

[Wade]

Likley it was the red-eared slider, Pseudemys scripta elegans, a native to the mid west US that has been transported all over the place via the pet trade. These are popular pet turtles, but they grow to a larger size than most people want to deal with so they end up getting released. They've proven to be quite versitile and now there are breeding populations all over the world, including the UK.

Wade

 

[Socrates]

She's gone

So my little friend decided to leave my yard afterall. She was still there yesterday evening around 8:30, but as of this morning she's gone.

I certainly thoroughly enjoyed watching her for an entire day. I even offered her some lettuce and fruit, which she must have eaten because that is gone as well.

 

[Wade]

She could just be burried in somewhere getting ready to lay. If not, she probably moved on. I suspect they've adapted to do most of their traveling during periods of low human activity, key to their survival in populated areas! Maybe your yard was like an oasis for her.

Wade