Last Spring a devastating thing happened to me and my family of turtles. I went down to see my turtles, and since they just came up from hibernation, wanted to make sure everyone was OK. The turtle garden was a mess, plants stepped on and crushed, and the little pond was muddy. Since none of the plants were up and full, the whole garden seemed empty. After searching through the hibernation cave, I realized that four turtles were missing. I've never had a problem with predators in 9 years that I have the turtle garden. Also, my little pond was a mess. Plants broken, and the screen cover that I keep on the pond to catch the Winter leaves was off and on the ground. I frantically searched the whole yard, and finally found my Wood turtles, a mated pair, laying under a pine tree in the back of the yard. One was just a shell, and completely empty, and the other one was half empty. They were a beautiful pair and very hard to acquire. I can't even think of a word to explain how I felt. A neighbor told me an Opossum was spotted in someone's yard. The reason I'm telling this story, is because I am always amazed at how smart box turtles are. Each one has a distinct personality. Each one has a different look and pattern. Each one is beautiful to me.One year has passed and I never found the the two that were missing.......until this week.Six AM my husband is sitting looking out the window and he spots a turtle coming up the side path toward the turtle garden. He wakes me up yelling, I jump out of bed and there is my large male, Meanie coming up the walk, like he was just out for a morning stroll.He came home!! I couldn't believe it.....he wasn't dead, or eaten, but carried away and dropped someplace. Mr. Opossum probably couldn't break his shell, so threw him away someplace and he found his way home after a year. I put him in the garden, after giving him a good wash. He ran right to the pond for a soak and drink. He seemed lighter and a little dehydrated, but OK.
About ten AM my husband looks out the window and coming up the walk is the female, Penny. He calls me, and I come running. I'm in shock. They must have hibernated together, but both found their way home after a year long adventure. She is fine and back in her garden now.The point of this story is this: If you see a wild box turtle in the woods, leave him there. He will spend the rest of his live trying to get home. I never believed this when I heard it, but now I know it's true. All my turtles were given to me when they were the size of a quarter and grew up here in the garden. This is their home,
About ten AM my husband looks out the window and coming up the walk is the female, Penny. He calls me, and I come running. I'm in shock. They must have hibernated together, but both found their way home after a year long adventure. She is fine and back in her garden now.The point of this story is this: If you see a wild box turtle in the woods, leave him there. He will spend the rest of his live trying to get home. I never believed this when I heard it, but now I know it's true. All my turtles were given to me when they were the size of a quarter and grew up here in the garden. This is their home,