Box Turtle

[wd1882]

When I was little I loved finding Box turtles in my area, we have tons of them here. I always would keep them for a few days before I let them go, I was 6 or so, so I didn't really know not to. I recently joined this forum and saw this subforum, and wanted to see exactly what kind of Box turtles it is I've been catching.

Pretty sure they're Eastern Box Turtles.

This specific one I found two or three days ago in the middle of the road and got out to get him to move him to a safer place. Had yellowish legs. Red eyes.

 

[wd1882]

This is another one I caught a month or two ago in the road also and released in the woods.

 

[mikeylazer]

You are right! They are both Eastern Box Turtles. Somewhere on the east coast i presume?

 

[wd1882]

Alabama to be specific. These are very common. I've probably found over 25 of them throughout the past few years.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi:

Next time you find one in the road, just move it across the road in the same direction it was travelling. Since you live in an area of native box turtles, you probably already know this, but I'll say it for anyone else who doesn't know - box turtles are territorial. If you take them out of their territory they spend a lot of time trying to get back to their territory. So if you've moved them someplace where there are a lot of roads/streets between where you put them and where they used to be, they're liable to get run over trying to get home. People find lots of turtles and box turtles this time of year because the females are looking for a good place to lay eggs, and the males are looking for females.

 

[wd1882]

I found the first one right in front of my family's farm in the road, just moved him about 20 yards back to inside the farm.

The second one? I won't lie, I moved him a bit further, but I don't think it hurt him any. I moved him further because he was in an area where it was very probable he would get hit by a car.

 

[moongrace]

Red eyes: Male. Brown eyes: female. But there are some males/females that try to break the eye rule. HAHAHA! Underside of female is flatter and there is also something about the tail that can be different with males but I can't remember what it was. Males are usually more brightly colored but females can be bright sometimes. LOVE Eastern box turtles! I move them from the roads here in NC, too!!!!

 

[wd1882]

Found this little one in the road today on the way home from work. Moved him across the road so he wouldn't get hit.

 

[moongrace]

Found this little one in the road today on the way home from work. Moved him across the road so he wouldn't get hit.

Such a cutie!!! Bravo! Well done!

 

[Cheney Jones]

This is another one I caught a month or two ago in the road also and released in the woods.

View attachment 131258

I have one just this this!