New Turtle Owner: What kind of Box Turtle do I have?

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Hello all, first and foremost, i'd like to thank you in advance for stopping by and helping me out, as I am a new turtle owner.

I found this turtle in my mom's backyard 2 years ago, my mom's been taking care of her since. Just last week, we both decided that I'd take her home. Since then i've been obsessed my new turtle friend!

By any chance, what kind of box turtle is she? (by the looks of it, the turtle does look like a female)

So far her favorite foods are worms & strawberries. I'm am yet to still find out what's her favorite greens.

I've also been doing a lot of research since then.

Can she possibly be an Eastern Terrapene Carolina, Mexicana Terrapene Carolina , Ornate, or Common Box Turtle? Or...... ?

Also, how can we determine her age? That would be very helpful as well.

I'd really like to know more about her breed and yes I know her beak needs to be trimmed down and I will eventually take her to the vet once she is settled in her new environment.

I'm excited to be a new turtle owner and hope she is happy and healthy!



IMG_1423.jpg IMG_1425.jpg IMG_1431.jpg
 

Cathie G

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Hello all, first and foremost, i'd like to thank you in advance for stopping by and helping me out, as I am a new turtle owner.

I found this turtle in my mom's backyard 2 years ago, my mom's been taking care of her since. Just last week, we both decided that I'd take her home. Since then i've been obsessed my new turtle friend!

By any chance, what kind of box turtle is she? (by the looks of it, the turtle does look like a female)

So far her favorite foods are worms & strawberries. I'm am yet to still find out what's her favorite greens.

I've also been doing a lot of research since then.

Can she possibly be an Eastern Terrapene Carolina, Mexicana Terrapene Carolina , Ornate, or Common Box Turtle? Or...... ?

Also, how can we determine her age? That would be very helpful as well.

I'd really like to know more about her breed and yes I know her beak needs to be trimmed down and I will eventually take her to the vet once she is settled in her new environment.

I'm excited to be a new turtle owner and hope she is happy and healthy!



View attachment 258224 View attachment 258225 View attachment 258226
I'm just curious.I have that kind of box turtle also. Are you sure she's a girl? And what color are the darling's eyes?
 

Cathie G

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Red, generally I think.
I read that the usual color for girls is brown....so it's an interesting subject for me. I have a theory that the eye color has more to do with the temperature when the eyes are dev
 

Cathie G

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I read that the usual color for girls is brown....so it's an interesting subject for me. I have a theory that the eye color has more to do with the temperature when the eyes are developing. And this is only a theory.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I read that the usual color for girls is brown....so it's an interesting subject for me. I have a theory that the eye color has more to do with the temperature when the eyes are dev
I was thinking that every wild Boxie I've ever encountered had red eyes. Both as a kid in South Carolina and later. Here in Florida.
Now I'm not so sure.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I was thinking that every wild Boxie I've ever encountered had red eyes. Both as a kid in South Carolina and later. Here in Florida.
Now I'm not so sure.
Red eyes are more common in some box turtle subspecies than others. When it does show up (the red eyes), it's usually heavily weighted in favor of that turtle being male... but it's far from a guarantee.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Red eyes are more common in some box turtle subspecies than others. When it does show up (the red eyes), it's usually heavily weighted in favor of that turtle being male... but it's far from a guarantee.
I seem to also remember the boxies I found in the woods in South Carolina were more brightly colored.
 

Cathie G

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Red eyes are more common in some box turtle subspecies than others. When it does show up (the red eyes), it's usually heavily weighted in favor of that turtle being male... but it's far from a guarantee.
yes. That's why I was thinking temperature might be a final deciding factor at the moment when the eyes are forming...But it really is just something to think about and has nothing to do with how I feel about that timid, gentle little girl box turtle.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I seem to also remember the boxies I found in the woods in South Carolina were more brightly colored.
They probably were. T.c. carolina seem more likely to be colorful than the box turtles indigenous to Florida (T.c. major and T.c. baurii). I think those two subspecies in Florida are least likely to exhibit red eyes.
 

Tim Carlisle

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and just to totally blow your mind, sometimes females have red eyes!
I was told about the red eyes many years ago by a supposed herpatologist working for Clemson University. Been believing him all these decades, so yes... consider my mind blown. Lololol
 
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I'm just curious.I have that kind of box turtle also. Are you sure she's a girl? And what color are the darling's eyes?

While doing a lot of researching and youtubing, from what I have learned that some females do have red eyes as well, so eye color is not always accurate on the turtles.

Just by the look of my box turtle and researching, my turtle is not bright in colors and her tale is short, also her belly shell is flat.
 

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