# I found a Box Turtle...



## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

Hey guys, this is my first post, and I haven't been around turtles much before now.
I was in my backyard, and I found a box turtle. I gave him food, and he went his way. He came back for more about 2 weeks later, and then again a few days later. That time, we picked him up, set up a terrarium we already had, and put him in. I don't have any accessible water in my backyard, and when I found him the first time, we was almost hit by a car. When we found him the second time, a cat was stalking him. We thought that it would be better for him to take him in. So far, he has been eating lots of fresh fruit, wading in his pool, basking on his rock, and hiding in his log. We have lots of plants in his tank to make it look real. We have a UV light for him in the day. And a soft red light over the water in the night. He has been very active, and he looks very happy. Do you think it is okay that we took him in? It seemed like the right thing to do, especially since he was in danger and didn't have the best access to water. Thank you for your input!


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## wellington (Oct 10, 2021)

Post a pic so we can ID it. If its native to where you live, you need to put it back. They should not be taken from the wild. In a lot of states it's illegal to take from the wild if they are native.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

Will do!


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

Mobi doing his evening bask


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

He has the Pet Association required terrarium room too.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 10, 2021)

That is a male eastern box turtle and he would be much better off back outside. Since your yard seems to be part of his territory, why don't you sink a large plant pot saucer into the ground and keep it filled with water for him.


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## zovick (Oct 10, 2021)

Capto Veritas said:


> He has the Pet Association required terrarium room too.


He looks quite happy. 

In what state are you, though? In some states it is illegal to hold native species in captivity. GA is one of them, but there are others. 

Just don't want to see you get in trouble for helping that Box Turtle.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

Yvonne G said:


> That is a male eastern box turtle and he would be much better off back outside. Since your yard seems to be part of his territory, why don't you sink a large plant pot saucer into the ground and keep it filled with water for him.


I see what you mean, but I just feel bad releasing him where he is so happy now, and there are so many predators outside.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

Plus, with all of the predators in my backyard, and the over speeding cars on the road in front of my house, I don't see any harm kind of helping him out.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 10, 2021)

Well, for one thing, it's against the state law.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

What should I do? I really want to help that turtle. Especially since it is the only turtle we have seen since we've lived here (15 years).


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## ZenHerper (Oct 10, 2021)

He really should go back outside to his natural territory where he can meet up with females and make more turtles.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 10, 2021)

You think I should do that even though I haven't seen one ever on this property (15 years)?


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## ZenHerper (Oct 10, 2021)

Yes. Your yard is not all there is to a turtle's territory.


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## wellington (Oct 10, 2021)

Capto Veritas said:


> What should I do? I really want to help that turtle. Especially since it is the only turtle we have seen since we've lived here (15 years).


He will not be happy in a small enclosure when he is used to having many acres to roam. It's not right to take from the wild! There are reasons its illegal too. 
Put the poor thing back in the wild away from the road so he can actually be happy and do what he is suppose to do. He is not tiny, some how he's managed for years to survive.


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## Capto Veritas (Oct 11, 2021)

Okay! Thank you for your input. I am releasing him today, and occasionally going to put strawberries out for him.


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## sue white (Oct 13, 2021)

This is how my dad explained to us kids when we brought something from the woods home.Would you like to live most of your life free to do what you want then all of a sudden find out you can't because someone else decided for you that you won't. Wild animals will always want to be wild.Yes they might get hurt out there but think of the days that their lives are enriched by living the live they are meant to And We always took them back and was happy that they were free


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## Cathie G (Oct 13, 2021)

Yvonne G said:


> That is a male eastern box turtle and he would be much better off back outside. Since your yard seems to be part of his territory, why don't you sink a large plant pot saucer into the ground and keep it filled with water for him.


Yes and maybe make sure to plant plants the little one would like to help him out if he needs it. Wild pets are just as much fun if not more, especially if they continue to visit you.


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## TammyJ (Oct 15, 2021)

This is such a tough call.

Just my two cents: if I found a wild animal that was obviously in danger where he was, from whatever threat, especially human/motor vehicle threats, I might make as large an enclosure for it as I could, and keep it until I could find a way to return it to a safer "wild" area than the one I found it in.

Why should I let it go into an obviously dangerous place that is too close to people and machines? Like sending it to its death...I could not do that. If it was an illegal animal to keep, I would call the relevant authority, and hope they would relocate it in a safe place.


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## Cathie G (Oct 15, 2021)

TammyJ said:


> This is such a tough call.
> 
> Just my two cents: if I found a wild animal that was obviously in danger where he was, from whatever threat, especially human/motor vehicle threats, I might make as large an enclosure for it as I could, and keep it until I could find a way to return it to a safer "wild" area than the one I found it in.
> 
> Why should I let it go into an obviously dangerous place that is too close to people and machines? Like sending it to its death...I could not do that. If it was an illegal animal to keep, I would call the relevant authority, and hope they would relocate it in a safe place.


I know exactly what you mean by that. The only thing is I read that box turtles have a very small range and if they even would relocate the turtle much farther away, it would die trying to return home. Maybe ? do things to your yard to discourage it from going to the road and just make your yard a safe haven.


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## Maro2Bear (Oct 15, 2021)

TammyJ said:


> This is such a tough call.
> 
> Just my two cents: if I found a wild animal that was obviously in danger where he was, from whatever threat, especially human/motor vehicle threats, I might make as large an enclosure for it as I could, and keep it until I could find a way to return it to a safer "wild" area than the one I found it in.
> 
> Why should I let it go into an obviously dangerous place that is too close to people and machines? Like sending it to its death...I could not do that. If it was an illegal animal to keep, I would call the relevant authority, and hope they would relocate it in a safe place.



Yep, me too. We find a lot of Eastern Box Turtles in the middle or right on the edge of major highways here. Cars & trucks swooping by at 70 mph, and they venture out & sadly get squished. If safe, I always stop & pick up the EBT and release it in a massive nature preserve with ponds & streams & mixed forest land that is usually about a mile or two from where these torts are found. Releasing them in a safe area gives them a fighting chance.


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## Cathie G (Oct 15, 2021)

Maro2Bear said:


> Yep, me too. We find a lot of Eastern Box Turtles in the middle or right on the edge of major highways here. Cars & trucks swooping by at 70 mph, and they venture out & sadly get squished. If safe, I always stop & pick up the EBT and release it in a massive nature preserve with ponds & streams & mixed forest land that is usually about a mile or two from where these torts are found. Releasing them in a safe area gives them a fighting chance.


Yes that's what I read is within their range only about 2 or 3 miles. Once, I had a turtle not a box turtle that was trying to cross a very busy street in front of my house. It's a major route for school buses and lots of traffic even though it's a one way street. My neighbor brought her to me thinking she might be my tortoise. I kept her overnight and called fish and wildlife on what to do with her. They said release her where I found her. Well I did but placed her facing the back of my yard where she could head back to the area she came from. She actually remembered coming through my front door I think because she came there first and scratched at my front door. Then she played around the front of my house in a flower bed and then left but was headed to an area much safer and didn't go back to the street. I can't remember what type of turtle that one was but was told their range is more like 12 miles (maybe more). I do think what my neighbor and I did may have made an impact on her to make her think twice possibly though. At least I hope so.?


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