My three toe box turtle yard is quite large and overgrown, and is shaded on three sides, but the 'open' side is on the north, and the orientation of the earth doesn't allow the sun to shine in on that side, and because of the shady other sides, no sun there either. Just about lunch time the sun has creeped over to shine between the barn and the shed, allowing the turtles a sliver of sun for just an hour or so:
Notice the little black one. He's my favorite. He's a very small, full grown male three toe, and very tame. I love his black carapace. He's the only one I've ever seen that color. Before any of you sharp-eyed creatures comment of the Florida box turtle in with the three toes, I only have male Floridas, and the largest of them has figured out how to climb over the dividing fences (yes, there are TWO fences he has to climb over) to get in with the female three toes. I have to put him back home at least once a day.
Since I no longer do turtle rescue, the population won't grow any larger. There are about 25 or 30 of them in here. And when people ask to adopt box turtles, I let them choose from this yard. There are several I will never adopt out, the little black being one of them.
Notice the little black one. He's my favorite. He's a very small, full grown male three toe, and very tame. I love his black carapace. He's the only one I've ever seen that color. Before any of you sharp-eyed creatures comment of the Florida box turtle in with the three toes, I only have male Floridas, and the largest of them has figured out how to climb over the dividing fences (yes, there are TWO fences he has to climb over) to get in with the female three toes. I have to put him back home at least once a day.
Since I no longer do turtle rescue, the population won't grow any larger. There are about 25 or 30 of them in here. And when people ask to adopt box turtles, I let them choose from this yard. There are several I will never adopt out, the little black being one of them.