Isabelle 'Izzy'
New Member
I was curious about some markings that have been appearing on my box turtle. I first got him (it's a female, but I refer to her as 'him') when he was, hmmm, maybe a year old or a little younger, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Before it was apparent what type of turtle it was, the conservation status, and the actual legality of making it a pet my sister brought it to me as a rescue - a female had laid her eggs in our woods and the local possum was eating the hatchlings. We had already found about seven mutilated shells and the tracks around them.
It became apparent it was an Eastern Box Turtle (though there was some debate at first because of the juvenile markings), and I've been raising it for about two years now (it was domesticated by the time proper research was done and relies upon me completely, and is now about 2 in. in diameter) but I was curious as to some odd markings that have been forming. Besides the vibrant colors, black stripes have been appearing slowly on the underside of the jaw. I can try to get a picture if needed, but I wanted to know if this is normal or perhaps signaling an infection or bacteria or fungus of some sort. He (she) still has a hearty appetite, basks and behaves normally, and has continued to grow rapidly.
It became apparent it was an Eastern Box Turtle (though there was some debate at first because of the juvenile markings), and I've been raising it for about two years now (it was domesticated by the time proper research was done and relies upon me completely, and is now about 2 in. in diameter) but I was curious as to some odd markings that have been forming. Besides the vibrant colors, black stripes have been appearing slowly on the underside of the jaw. I can try to get a picture if needed, but I wanted to know if this is normal or perhaps signaling an infection or bacteria or fungus of some sort. He (she) still has a hearty appetite, basks and behaves normally, and has continued to grow rapidly.
