hypomelanism?

[yagyujubei]

You don't see many color mutations among Easterns. I have seen a couple pics of albinos, but that's about it. I was wondering if anyone else thought that this female is a hypo. Her skin color is pretty unusual, kind of a light purple. I know nothing about hypos though, so it's only a guess on my part.

 

[jbean7916]

I can't see the picture

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know anything about any of that, but I just wanted to say she's very pretty. My favorite type box turtle.

 

[dmarcus]

I am cluless about hypos also but she is a nice looking turtle. Light purple is interesting as well..

 

[Tccarolina]

Wow! Very, very nice!

 

[yagyujubei]

Here's another view.

 

[Turtle Guru]

Thats very cool I have never seen that before

 

[terryo]

I think she's very old, but very beautiful....just a guess...but the light skin around her neck and the top of her legs looks like something an Ornate would have, although I've never seen any like her before...very pretty.

 

[yagyujubei]

I have had her for a couple years. I was told WC from S.Carolina.

 

[Tccarolina]

I thought she was your new one!

I doubt she's hypomelanistic. It seems like it should be really pronounced if it was. Plus, wouldn't she not have dark shell pigment if she was hypo? Maybe you should post the pic in a kingsnake or milksnake forum. Those guys are good at morphs and all the key factors involved.
Does she spend much time basking? I have a female that has gone from really washed out yellow to a lot of intensity in the last two years. Apparently, time and sunlight are important.
http://herpetology.com/belzer2/color.htm
Turtles I've had with washed out shell color often spend all their time hiding in deep shade.
Steve

 

[yagyujubei]

She spends most of her time in a hide, and I haven't seen her bask. On close inspection, you can see remnants of yellow in the light areas as if it was worn or faded away. I got jacked around on the new one, and the guy backed out and sent my $ back the morning he was to ship. It would've been my best by far. I'm still mad about it.

I thought she was your new one!

I doubt she's hypomelanistic. It seems like it should be really pronounced if it was. Plus, wouldn't she not have dark shell pigment if she was hypo? Maybe you should post the pic in a kingsnake or milksnake forum. Those guys are good at morphs and all the key factors involved.
Does she spend much time basking? I have a female that has gone from really washed out yellow to a lot of intensity in the last two years. Apparently, time and sunlight are important.
http://herpetology.com/belzer2/color.htm
Turtles I've had with washed out shell color often spend all their time hiding in deep shade.
Steve

 

[Tccarolina]

That's too bad about the new one! Stay in contact, maybe they'll sell her sooner or later.
I would think that at some point, this turtle will begin to fully accept her new surroundings, and begin to bask and spend more time out in the open.
This spring, I began to make sure I had a constant supply of dead leaves in a sunny patch. Even my shiest turtles began to use it, since they felt they could properly "hide" in the sun. The hard part was getting dead leaves after mid-summer. I had to strip fresh leaves and dump them there to dry on their own. I don't know why I never tried it before, box turtles are pretty much a creature of the forest leave litter after all. I always supplied leaves in the past before hibernation, but now I plan to always keep about half of their pen covered with leaf litter year-round. It attracts food items, allows the turtles to regulate their own humidity, and most importantly, gives them a sense of security.
Now my shy turtles spend time in the sun partially concealed by their leaf layers.
Here is Eric. He would very rarely be out of deep cover in mid summer, but now he spends some time collecting vitamin D.

 

[AnthonyC]

Beautiful turtle! It looks almost alien b/c of the purple hue.

 

[terryo]

I usually take two or three big bags of dried leaves in the Fall and put them in my garage to use during the Summer, and in the Fall before the leaves start to fall again, when I prepare the hibernation cave.

 

[fbsmith3]

Commenting on the Dry leaves:
Do you choose certain leaves, I know that Oak and Maple leaves can be toxic, but I remember reading Sycamore are non-toxic.

Or am I being paranoid, I have never seen Cleo even try to eat dry leaves.

In reference to Hypomelanism;
I don"t know much about it, know that it has something to do with Albanism(sp?), either way that turtle looks beautiful

 

[Tccarolina]

Commenting on the Dry leaves:
Do you choose certain leaves, I know that Oak and Maple leaves can be toxic, but I remember reading Sycamore are non-toxic.

Or am I being paranoid, I have never seen Cleo even try to eat dry leaves.

In reference to Hypomelanism;
I don"t know much about it, know that it has something to do with Albanism(sp?), either way that turtle looks beautiful

Nope, don't worry about the leaves. Both Oak and Maple are dominant species throughout their natural habitat. My enclosure has maple trees in it, and the leaves I'm currently adding are mostly sycamore, but that's out of convenience, because they are large leaves, and I happen to have a sycamore tree in my yard. The truth is most deciduous tree leaves are somewhat toxic or distasteful, to keep discourage deer and other browsers from eating them when they are young. Your box turtles innately know better!
They probably eat them anyway, indirectly. Worms, slugs, isopods, and insects eat the leaf litter, and in turn, your turtles will appreciate eating these creatures they find while hiding under the leaves.

Steve

 

[terryo]

I agree about the leaves. I just wanted to say that your box turtle is beautiful, Steve. Really stunning.