New Turtle Owner: What kind of Box Turtle do I have?

[AprilOneilTurtle]

Thats a female eastern box, approx. 12 years old.

Wow that's amazing if she's approx 12yrs old, a bit older than my dogs at home!

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I know mine is female, same layer eggs. Her eggs also look reddish

 

[Cathie G]

I was told about the red eyes many years ago by a supposed herpatologist working for Clemson University. Been believing him all these decades, so yes... consider my mind blown. Lololol

I was just surfing for box turtle info and found out daisy may has an unusual eye color. I think it's a temperature and timing thing with the egg but I can always be wrong. I don't care if I'm wrong. Lololol I'd rather learn something...and I have another question...

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I was just surfing for box turtle info and found out daisy may has an unusual eye color. I think it's a temperature and timing thing with the egg but I can always be wrong. I don't care if I'm wrong. Lololol I'd rather learn something...and I have another question...

You may, in fact, be correct for all I know. It's possible I was fed misinformation when I contacted Clemson Extension years ago. I too am forever a student of turtleology. lol

 

[Cathie G]

not always. my male has brown eyes. you check the gender by the underside of the tail

Very interesting. Do you have a box turtle?

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I had several (8 or 9 adults) many years ago. Had a ball with them. Was my first experience with breeding. I forget how many babies I had hatched.

 

[Yvonne G]

This is a male tail:

and this is a female tail:

The female tail is shorter and the cloaca (vent) is up close to the body.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I was told about the red eyes many years ago by a supposed herpatologist working for Clemson University. Been believing him all these decades, so yes... consider my mind blown. Lololol

Clemson logic......
Honestly, though, this is worthy of another post for further Box turtle reference.

 

[Cathie G]

Very interesting. Do you have a box turtle?

And what does your turtle under the tail look like. Just so I can see the similarities or differences.I believe you are so right.

 

[Cathie G]

I had several (8 or 9 adults) many years ago. Had a ball with them. Was my first experience with breeding. I forget how many babies I had hatched.

All babies are adorable. I'm hoping in the spring...that Midwest Paints will hatch in my flower bed. I dealt with a rescue this year. It was so nice. She may have decided to lay her eggs cause she would not leave!

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Clemson logic......
Honestly, though, this is worthy of another post for further Box turtle reference.

Debatable Topics perhaps? lol

 

[Tim Carlisle]

All babies are adorable. I'm hoping in the spring...that Midwest Paints will hatch in my flower bed. I dealt with a rescue this year. It was so nice. She may have decided to lay her eggs cause she would not leave!

That would great!

 

[AprilOneilTurtle]

This is a male tail:

and this is a female tail:

The female tail is shorter and the cloaca (vent) is up close to the body.

I actually gotta check my turtle tail again, she definitely doesn't have any bright color like your male turtle tho, so most likely my turtle is a female. However, the male and female has short tale, so this could possibly be another myth that males have longer tales...hmm...

 

[Cathie G]

You may, in fact, be correct for all I know. It's possible I was fed misinformation when I contacted Clemson Extension years ago. I too am forever a student of turtleology. lol

You can't fault the herpatologist. He also is just trying to learn like the rest of us hopefully. Nothing is set in stone except shelled critters

 

[ColleenT]

I actually gotta check my turtle tail again, she definitely doesn't have any bright color like your male turtle tho, so most likely my turtle is a female. However, the male and female has short tale, so this could possibly be another myth that males have longer tales...hmm...

No, this is the most accurate way to tell. the bright colors are the myth.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I was told about the red eyes many years ago by a supposed herpatologist working for Clemson University. Been believing him all these decades, so yes... consider my mind blown. Lololol

It may be that the herpetologist had experience with a smaller geographic population of box turtles or a certain subspecies in a geographic area. The males having red eyes may have been true FOR THAT POPULATION of turtles.

 

[Cathie G]

It may be that the herpetologist had experience with a smaller geographic population of box turtles or a certain subspecies in a geographic area. The males having red eyes may have been true FOR THAT POPULATION of turtles.

Yes and that particular year possibly.

 

[Cathie G]

Hello all, first and foremost, i'd like to thank you in advance for stopping by and helping me out, as I am a new turtle owner.

I found this turtle in my mom's backyard 2 years ago, my mom's been taking care of her since. Just last week, we both decided that I'd take her home. Since then i've been obsessed my new turtle friend!

By any chance, what kind of box turtle is she? (by the looks of it, the turtle does look like a female)

So far her favorite foods are worms & strawberries. I'm am yet to still find out what's her favorite greens.

I've also been doing a lot of research since then.

Can she possibly be an Eastern Terrapene Carolina, Mexicana Terrapene Carolina , Ornate, or Common Box Turtle? Or...... ?

Also, how can we determine her age? That would be very helpful as well.

I'd really like to know more about her breed and yes I know her beak needs to be trimmed down and I will eventually take her to the vet once she is settled in her new environment.

I'm excited to be a new turtle owner and hope she is happy and healthy!



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Hoping you are hanging in there. Your little turtle is adorable and actually looks really cared for. She is blessed to have found you.

 

[Cathie G]

While doing a lot of researching and youtubing, from what I have learned that some females do have red eyes as well, so eye color is not always accurate on the turtles.

Just by the look of my box turtle and researching, my turtle is not bright in colors and her tale is short, also her belly shell is flat.

Sometimes the flat belly or a concave area on their belly tells you too.if I see eggs...it's a girl...if I see something else...it's a boy...omg

 

[NickA]

There’s a lot of identifing traits in easterns that differ between male and female but are not a 100% determiner. If you work with them it’s usually easy to identify a mature male by his larger squared head and BRIGHT red eyes and in my opinion longer shell. I have also had males that aren’t as obvious at first glance and show a more female appearance with a smaller head and brownish red eyes with a shorter wider shell. The only real way to tell is concave on the bottom of the shell and the tail. I am thinking the comment about 12 years old was meant to be a joke. There is no way to tell a Box turtles age through a picture unless it’s a baby.