I found a Box Turtle...

Capto Veritas

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Hey guys, this is my first post, and I haven't been around turtles much before now.
I was in my backyard, and I found a box turtle. I gave him food, and he went his way. He came back for more about 2 weeks later, and then again a few days later. That time, we picked him up, set up a terrarium we already had, and put him in. I don't have any accessible water in my backyard, and when I found him the first time, we was almost hit by a car. When we found him the second time, a cat was stalking him. We thought that it would be better for him to take him in. So far, he has been eating lots of fresh fruit, wading in his pool, basking on his rock, and hiding in his log. We have lots of plants in his tank to make it look real. We have a UV light for him in the day. And a soft red light over the water in the night. He has been very active, and he looks very happy. Do you think it is okay that we took him in? It seemed like the right thing to do, especially since he was in danger and didn't have the best access to water. Thank you for your input!
 

zovick

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He has the Pet Association required terrarium room too.
He looks quite happy.

In what state are you, though? In some states it is illegal to hold native species in captivity. GA is one of them, but there are others.

Just don't want to see you get in trouble for helping that Box Turtle.
 

Capto Veritas

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That is a male eastern box turtle and he would be much better off back outside. Since your yard seems to be part of his territory, why don't you sink a large plant pot saucer into the ground and keep it filled with water for him.
I see what you mean, but I just feel bad releasing him where he is so happy now, and there are so many predators outside.
 

Capto Veritas

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Plus, with all of the predators in my backyard, and the over speeding cars on the road in front of my house, I don't see any harm kind of helping him out.
 

wellington

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What should I do? I really want to help that turtle. Especially since it is the only turtle we have seen since we've lived here (15 years).
He will not be happy in a small enclosure when he is used to having many acres to roam. It's not right to take from the wild! There are reasons its illegal too.
Put the poor thing back in the wild away from the road so he can actually be happy and do what he is suppose to do. He is not tiny, some how he's managed for years to survive.
 

sue white

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This is how my dad explained to us kids when we brought something from the woods home.Would you like to live most of your life free to do what you want then all of a sudden find out you can't because someone else decided for you that you won't. Wild animals will always want to be wild.Yes they might get hurt out there but think of the days that their lives are enriched by living the live they are meant to And We always took them back and was happy that they were free
 

Cathie G

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That is a male eastern box turtle and he would be much better off back outside. Since your yard seems to be part of his territory, why don't you sink a large plant pot saucer into the ground and keep it filled with water for him.
Yes and maybe make sure to plant plants the little one would like to help him out if he needs it. Wild pets are just as much fun if not more, especially if they continue to visit you.
 

TammyJ

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This is such a tough call.

Just my two cents: if I found a wild animal that was obviously in danger where he was, from whatever threat, especially human/motor vehicle threats, I might make as large an enclosure for it as I could, and keep it until I could find a way to return it to a safer "wild" area than the one I found it in.

Why should I let it go into an obviously dangerous place that is too close to people and machines? Like sending it to its death...I could not do that. If it was an illegal animal to keep, I would call the relevant authority, and hope they would relocate it in a safe place.
 

Cathie G

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This is such a tough call.

Just my two cents: if I found a wild animal that was obviously in danger where he was, from whatever threat, especially human/motor vehicle threats, I might make as large an enclosure for it as I could, and keep it until I could find a way to return it to a safer "wild" area than the one I found it in.

Why should I let it go into an obviously dangerous place that is too close to people and machines? Like sending it to its death...I could not do that. If it was an illegal animal to keep, I would call the relevant authority, and hope they would relocate it in a safe place.
I know exactly what you mean by that. The only thing is I read that box turtles have a very small range and if they even would relocate the turtle much farther away, it would die trying to return home. Maybe ? do things to your yard to discourage it from going to the road and just make your yard a safe haven.
 

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