What you should know about Eastern Box Turtles: Terrapene carolina carolina

1) One difference between a male and female is generally the male has red eyes (just like in some people :-)

2) They can live to 100, (just like people) not such a biggie when you consider almost half of that time is spent hibernating

3) They spend their whole life in a 2 - 4 acre home range (again like many people)

4) They have an instinctive homing ability which is why once caught they should not be released anywhere except exactly where they were found or they will travel endlessly to get home crossing roads and putting themselves in harms way.. Not good!

5) Studies suggest they navigate by the sun and so can wander off their home range during long periods of cloud cover and cross a road. When the sun comes out they head home crossing that road again. (Also,their penchant for bright colors, especially yellows attract them to the yellow stripes on roads). Not good!

6) They like to stay hidden or dug in, in cool humid wooded areas and they like to come out when it rains to forage for food and water and to mate.

7) They mate only through random chance meetings (again just like some people) so low population density in an area dooms that population to extinction. Not good!

8) They can mate once and lay fertile eggs up to four years from that one mating. This helps to compensate for their inability to attract a mate. (thank God people aren't like this one)

9) Females can lay up to three clutches of from two to ten eggs, depending on the species. The eggs typically incubate for 75 to 85 days at 75% to 85% humidity. Box turtles exhibit TSD (Temperature-dependent Sexual Determination). Eggs incubated at 71 ° F (22 ° C) produce males. Eggs incubated at 79 ° F (26 ° C) produce a mixed ratio of males and females and eggs incubated at 88 ° F (31 ° C) produce females.

10) No two are the same (like people). Color and design vary from almost solid yellow to almost solid black with myriads of designs. Combinations and shades of white, black, brown, yellow, and red mark their skin and shells.

11) They have favorite nesting and hibernating sites in their home range. If a road goes in through their home range they may be forced to cross it at least once a year to get to nesting or hibernation sites. Not good!

12) To remain healthy they need access to direct sunlight or UVB which keeps their immune system strong and creates vitamin D in them which is necessary for metabolism of calcium and good shell growth.

13) Ahhh, the unlucky number thirteen! And unlucky is what you'll be if you decide to eat an eastern box turtle! Part of the box turtle's diet is poisonous mushrooms. These mushrooms don’t hurt the turtles, but they can kill people! The toxins accumulate in the turtle's body and if you eat the turtle it can kill you....what a way to go! Anyone for a MacTurtle burger without mushrooms? How about our Killer MacTurtle burger with mushrooms?

And, if legal in your state, eastern box turtles can be kept outside in garden like turtle pens with water gardens year round (with little attention as long as they have food, water and a place to hibernate) where they'll reproduce and thrive on the worms, snails, bugs and plants in the pen. You can treat them to water melon and cantaloupe rhines, berries or other fruits and vegetables, even (a little) quality low fat canned dog food* in summer and although they like to hide, if you have several, there will always be one or two out foraging around so you can appreciate them.

* see details under "Diet" further down the hub page

The Eastern box turtle shell has the greatest variety and brightest colored patterns of all North American box turtles. There is tremendous variation in shell patterns, but 6 general patterns are apparent.

1. "Bear-paw" has a paw print pattern on each scute.
2. "Hieroglyphic" where each scute appears to be drawn by an Egyptian scholar.
3. "Radiated" pattern (the most common) consists of radiating jagged stripes.
4. "Spider Web" pattern is similar to the radiated with the lines fanned out.
5. "Thunderbird" pattern is where each vertebral scute has what looks like a bird with wings raised (looking on the back of the ebt with it facing you). The other scutes can be either a Spider Web or Hieroglyphic pattern - no other turtle or tortoise has that look.
6. "Bulls Eye" pattern is probably the rarest of all - this pattern has near perfect bulls eyes on each pleural scute with a dot in the middle and complete concentric circles around the dot. (a very rare and good example is that first pictured at the top of the page).

Because individual's patterns tend to be blended it's hard to find perfect examples of each of these patterns. Ability to breed for these specific patterns is as of yet undetermined.

Chance encounters are the only way a box turtle can find a mate. They have no way to attract a member of the opposite sex other than by bumping into them. They do not smell a mate or call a mate (with this one possible exception "the turtle phone".

The indentation in the male's plastron makes mounting a female easier as he snaps at the female's head. When she pulls it in her rear pops out a little making it easier for him to copulate. Males can actually damage a female's shell if she isn't cooperative. (noticeable in this picture on the right). Where females are scarce males will even try to mate other young males and can damage their shells above the head also.

Population density is vital to reproduction. When populations decline it becomes less and less likely turtles of the opposite sex will cross paths and therefore less likely that the population will reproduce at a great enough rate to overcome predation, roadkill, destruction of habitat from human progress and all the inhibitions to population growth. To help turn the tide against these overwhelming odds a female box turtle can mate once and lay fertile eggs for up to 4 years.

Once they have copulated (the picture to the right) they can remain attached for up to an hour...this position seems to bring certain ecstasy to the male... the female, not so much!

When mating season arrives, males' activity will increase and "penis fanning" can be observed. The penis looks like a purple flower and sometimes those unfamiliar with a turtle's normal anatomy may mistake it for a polapse. (see last video before comments at end of hubpage)

Indoor enclosures should be at least 48 x 24 x 15 inches(120 x 60 x 38 cm) for one adult box turtle.

Males and females should be housed separately.

Where the climate is appropriate it is better to house box turtles outdoors.

Enclosure walls should be a minimum of 12-15" (30-40cm) high to prevent escape from climbing walls. If housed outdoors, walls should have an inside lip at the top and extend at least 15" (38 cm) above the ground and at least 10" (25 cm) into the ground to prevent escape (turtles are capable of climbing over or digging under a fence).

Finely shredded hardwood mulch or high quality loam compost are appropriate substrates. Hardwood leaves, re hydrated sphagnum mossor re hydrated coconut shell is recommended to increase moisture. Substrate moisture content is very important in the health of a box turtle.

Live or silk plants and smooth pieces of wood should be added for a retreat from overexposure to ultraviolet light and for environmental enrichment.

Providing opportunities for exercise and a substrate (3-4" deep) for digging will help maintain the turtle’s health.

Daytime background temperatures should be 72-75°F (22-24°C) and several degrees cooler at night. A daytime basking area heated from above by a radiant heat source or lamp (85-88°F [29-31°C]) is essential.

BTW Florida's beak is overgrown! The shrink should have been trimming it over the many years it has been in captivity. If he doesn't do something about it eventually the turtle will not be able to open it's mouth far enough to eat. Shrink the beak, SHRINK!

These are the most common:

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

Gulf Coast Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina major)

Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis),

Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri)

Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata)

Desert Box Turtle (Terrapene ornate luteola)

Coahuilan Box Turtle (Terrapene coahuila)

Spotted Box Turtle (Terrapene nelsoni)

Taxonomy

•Domain: Eukaryota - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
•Kingdom: Animalia - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
•Subkingdom: Bilateria - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
•Branch: Deuterostomia - Grobben, 1908
•Infrakingdom: Chordonia - (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
•Phylum: Chordata - Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
•Subphylum: Vertebrata - Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
•Infraphylum: Gnathostomata - Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
•Superclass: Tetrapoda - Goodrich, 1930
•Class: Reptilia - Reptiles
•Subclass: Anapsida
•Order: Testudines
•Suborder: Cryptodira
•Superfamily: Testudinoidea
•Family: Emydidae
•Subfamily: Emydinae
•Genus: Terrapene

In the fragmented habitats that are typical of the eastern United States box turtle populations are so sensitive to losing adults that, in modeling studies performed by Dr. Richard Seigel of Towson University, a loss of only three adult box turtles from a population of 50 males and 50 females could put the population on a slow, and irreversible, decline to extinction.

Most box turtles never survive to reach breeding age (8 + years): Foxes, raccoons, skunks, crows, opossums, turkeys, domestic cats and dogs, and other animals eat turtle eggs and young turtles with shells not yet hard enough to provide good protection. Any turtles that do survive have to contend with roads and also with development which causes a loss of habitat, which also brings more roads, more dogs and cats, and more people who like to take turtles from the wild, hoping that they can make pets of them. Every one of the years (50 - 100) that a wild female box turtle can live is critical to ensuring that, of the three to five eggs she lays a year, at least one of her young will become an adult to replace her in that population.

Why are so many turtles are killed on highways? Could it be that when foraging for food color is important? Fact is yellows and reds are their favorite! They are attracted by bright yellow stripes on streets and go for them. No doubt they think they are flowers. If the Department of Transportation would orange stripes, the box turtle population could skyrocket.

The properties of the gömböc and

the "righting response", turtles' and

tortoises' ability to turn back when

placed upside down, are uncanny.

1. The iris of the mature male is frequently bright red, while in the female it is usually brown, yellowish brown or auburn.
2. The tail of the male is often longer and wider at the base than in the female.
3. The cloaca of the male is more caudal (further from the shell and closer to the tip of the tail) than the female’s when compared with the rear edge of the plastron.
4. Males often have a concavity in the caudal half of the plastron.
5. Females typically have a higher-domed carapace.

Box turtles are omnivorous, and opportunity often dictates what they eat in the wild.

High quality, pesticide-free vegetable sources should be provided. High quality, preservative-free, low fat animal sources of food are OK as occasional treats but not a diet staple. (A steady diet of cat or dog food can be too high in protein and fat for box turtles).

Vegetables should be finely diced and mixed together to prevent selective feeding.

All insects should be lightly dusted with a phosphorus free calcium power every other meal, and a high quality multivitamin supplement once a week.

Hatchlings and juvenile turtles should be fed daily and prefer insects over vegetation. A blender may be used to dice their food especially finely to ease ingestion.

When box turtles reach adulthood it is practical to feed them only once every other day.

Turtles should be fed in the morning.

Mature turtles will eat pinkies, which should be offered occasionally.

Foods should be offered on flat rocks or a plastic lid to prevent substrate ingestion. Each animal should be provided its own food dish.Leftovers should be removed to prevent spoilage.

Free-roaming animals are at great risk from dietary indiscretion.

Importance of Minerals and Vitamins in the Diet

Access to sun for basking is ideal.

An under-tank heater designed for reptile enclosures

should be used in a different area from the basking site.

A diurnal cycle of 12-14 hours of light and 10-12 hours of dark is ideal.

UVB full spectrum lighting must be provided 10-14 hours per day with bulbs replaced every 9-12 months.

When outdoors, a hollowed log, slanted board or heavy vegetation will protect from excessive direct sunlight.

Box turtles must have daily access to water for drinking, soaking and eliminating wastes.

Fresh water should be provided in a shallow container no deeper than ¼ the shell height (many are weak swimmers).

Because turtles tend to defecate in water, fastidious cleaning of water containers is essential.

Most Asian box turtles do best in semi-aquatic habitats.

The terrestrial keeled box turtle is the exception.

RESTRAINT

Box turtles rarely need significant restraint during exam.

Cranial exam is easier with an assistant restraining the forelimb from behind.

Once presented, the head is controlled with the thumb and forefinger.

Place thumb under carapace and the middle fingers on the other side midway on the carapace; be prepared for a pinch.

If poked or prodded, they usually do not retreat into their shell but may occasionally bite or pinch an unwary finger

The Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) not to be confused with the Eastern Box Turtle, is referred to as the "semi-box turtle," because the Blanding’s Turtle has a hinged plastron like the Eastern Box Turtle enabling the turtle to pull into its shell however without the closure the Eastern Box Turtle has. Although both may have yellow markings on their carapace, the marking on a Blanding’s Turtle are only spots or flecks unlike the usual patterns found on Easterns. In addition an adult Blanding’s Turtle (15-23 cm; 6-9 in. in shell length) is larger than the box turtle. The Blanding’s Turtle is essentially aquatic while the Eastern Box Turtle is terrestrial but they both can nest in similar habitat on land.

1. Take pictures like the two shown right.
2. Send the pictures and your address (or GPS location) to: turtle@piedmontwildlifecenter.org
3. Fill out the data sheet, found HERE.

"IT'S GOOD!".