# Can I put a Box Turtle with a Russian tortoise?



## tortoise_watcher (Jul 19, 2008)

Hello, I have a Russian tortoise and today while I was out in the woods my dog discovered (what appears to be) a box turtle it is a few inches bigger than the Russian tortoise and I was wondering if it will be a problem to keep them in the same cage? 

Does anyone know about this?

Thanks, B


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## sushisurf13 (Jul 19, 2008)

dont do it! they will both suffer. Is the Boxie native to your area? if so, he should be released right where you found him.


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## tortoise_watcher (Jul 19, 2008)

Yes the box is native, I am guessing since I found him in the wild, can you please provide reasons for your advice? as in why both will suffer and why I should release the box turtle?

Thanks, B


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## Laura (Jul 19, 2008)

If you read other threads, you will see things about mixing species, Qaurantine, and deaths for people's animals who didnt take keeping things seperate, seriously. 
A animal living in the wild should stay there. Its where he belongs. If you want a Box turtle look for one that was captive bred (cb) but still keep them seperate. They carry different 'bugs' and one bug from one can be deadly to the other. They also require different care and diet. 
If you were out walking in the woods and found raccoon, would you bring it home or leave it where it was?


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## Yvonne G (Jul 19, 2008)

All of our native turtles and tortoises are becoming scarce in the wild. When a female lays eggs, they may all hatch, but not all of them live to adult-hood, and it takes years for those babies to start reproducing their own off spring. When you remove even one little turtle, you remove those genes from the gene pool and add to the further decline of our native turtles and tortoises.

You say you were walking in the woods and discovered a box turtle. Let me ask you this: if you were out walking in Afganistan and found a Russian tortoise would you be walking in the woods? The two animals require totally different habitats.

Please put the box turtle back in the same area of the woods where you found it. If you just turn it loose anyplace, he might be killed trying to get back to his home range.

Welcome to the forum! Tell us about your little Russian tortoise. Aren't they great?

Yvonne


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## Yvonne G (Jul 19, 2008)

I neglected to address the "cage" part of your question. Your Russian really needs to be outside. When you say "cage" it pulls up a picture of a small wire area that's really not suitable for a wandering tortoise. Can you post a picture of your Russian's habitat so we can better understand?

Yvonne


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## tortoise_watcher (Jul 19, 2008)

Okay, I few things, when I bought my russian tortoise it was in a smaller glass cage then I have it in now, so how can that be bad for it, it seems to be doing fine in it's cage.

Also, how do you think you got your domesticated turtles? at some point someone took them from the wild and introduced them to domesticated life.

....I'm not trying to be confrontational here just bringing up some valid points. I feel that some of these comments are over sensitive or paranoid. Even your domesticated cats came from the wild at some point, it all starts somewhere. think about it.

Regards, B

PS I've decided to keep them separate to avoid any problems with that part.


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## stells (Jul 20, 2008)

That poor Turtle one min its strolling along in its natural habitat the next it is confined in captivity, i'd be ashamed of myself if it was me


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## tortoise_watcher (Jul 20, 2008)

So I guess selling him on eBay would be out of the question then?


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## stells (Jul 20, 2008)

well yes as you aren't allowed to sell livestock on ebay  Which state are you in?


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## tortoise_watcher (Jul 20, 2008)

I was just kidding, but on a serious note -- remember all of your domestic animals once came from the wild, so poor poor domesticated animals, who no longer have to look for food and water and protection from the wild. If you ask me it's a pretty cozy new life for the little fellers.


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## Redfootedboxturtles (Jul 20, 2008)

Seems like it did pretty well for all those years with out any help. 

Any ways. Please do research if you are going to keep the box turtle. Its one thing to take it from the wild as a pet. Its another to take it from the wild as a pet only to let it die in captivity. 

Post some pictures so I can ID what type of box turtle it is and provide you links to information about that particular species.


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## stells (Jul 20, 2008)

Maybe so, but i didn't handpick any of my domesticated animals from the wild personally, and wouldn't survive if placed into the wild now whereas this Turtle would and would go back to living its natural life 
Again which state are you in?



tortoise_watcher said:


> I was just kidding, but on a serious note -- remember all of your domestic animals once came from the wild, so poor poor domesticated animals, who no longer have to look for food and water and protection from the wild. If you ask me it's a pretty cozy new life for the little fellers.


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## RTfanatic (Jul 20, 2008)

The big catch with removing a box turtle (or any turtle/tortoise) is that you do not know how stressed the local population of box turtles is and you don't know the ramifications of removing him from the local population. In most areas box turtle populations are stressed and in many area they are, or are becoming, unsustainable due to human encroachment. That includes road injuries, mowing injuries, injuries from pets like dogs "playing" with them and of course being removed from the wild. He or she could be a a critical link in the local population as either a male or female in the population due to the other reasons. Regardless of the decisions made in the past that have resulted in wild caught animals being captured and then bred, those impacts are not as important as the ones now as populations are likely far more stressed than in previous generations.

So I would put him/her back...


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## Redfootedboxturtles (Jul 20, 2008)

well I wouldn't just let it go back in the wild Especially if you had it housed with your Russian tortoises....


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## jlyoncc1 (Jul 20, 2008)

The other consideration you have to make is that in many states it is illegal to have or take box turtles from the wild. Fines can be quite large.


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## Crazy1 (Jul 20, 2008)

Hi -B- I know we must seem rather "over sensitive or paranoid" to you . You asked a simple question. So here is a simple answer. No they should not be housed together. They both have different needs as far as habitats and even some food items. When we talk about "bugs" we are talking about internal parasites and bacteriaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s. One Tort can carry something another torts or turtles system can't tolerate or fight off, that is why we strongly suggest quarantine time of even like species. 

When you say your dog discovered this little boxie. Hopefully there was no damage done to the boxies. I know some dogs like to play with them like they are a ball. You didn't mention that it was injured in any way so I will assume it is not. 

We are a bunch of softies when it comes to torts and turts. I am sure no one here wanted to make you feel like you had to take a defensive stand. 
Most of us on this forum advocate getting torts and turtles that are already captive, can't be returned to the wild or are injured. We advocate adoption from rescues when available or CB when people are looking for hatchlings. There are so may torts and turtles out there that do need homes because they were taken from their native habitat and no one knows where that particular turtles or tortoiseÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s habitat was, so no those can not be returned to the wild. And yes Tortoise and Turtle populations are declining in the wild. We advocate leaving native wild torts and turtles in the wild to help with the populations in their area and Tortoises and Turtles are very territorial so it may be the adult male or female in that territory. Taken away the species there could literally parish. How sad it would be if you never seen one again when you were on a walk. 

However if you have decided to keep it, Please research its care. Post its pic here in the Turtle Talk forum as RFBT suggested so that we may help in its sub species identification. And help in anyway we can.


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## Itort (Jul 21, 2008)

tortoise_watcher said:


> I was just kidding, but on a serious note -- remember all of your domestic animals once came from the wild, so poor poor domesticated animals, who no longer have to look for food and water and protection from the wild. If you ask me it's a pretty cozy new life for the little fellers.


Just a note of reference. Throughout most of box turtle, both eastern and ornate, range they are protected from collection in varying degrees. The box turtle population has been impacted badly by many factors. Please return it to the wild.


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## purpod (Jul 28, 2008)

Greetings. Personally, I think that the wild caught should be replaced with a captive bred, and then you can have your two different torts {but as discussed, in different enclosures} The whole reason peeps purchase the captive bred is to allow the wild populations to regain in numbers.

I know how fun it is to capture wild boxies, as I used to live in N.C. where they are found everywhere. I would keep them in an area on my property that was marked off by fallen logs, and they would always escape & be on their way again. It was fun to chat with them for the day or two that they remained, but again, it was an outdoor open area in which they could roam about & still go home...

There are also several reasons that I have found to have an outdoor enclosure; the natural sunlight will always surpass anything man-made, the fresh air is good for them, and it gives them a place to cruise about, munching on the grassy greens as they go. Overall, it provides them with a much better quality of life than being housed in a glass tank. I do keep my leopard inside at night, but during the day, he gets plenty of play time; using the glass tank only as his 'bedroom', if you see what I mean..

These are just my observations ~ I'm hoping that you will ask for info on where to purchase a captive bred boxie rather than keeping the one you found.

Blessings,
Purpod


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