Tortoise Identification

[DonnaT]

Hello, I was hoping to identify what kind of tortoise this is? We recently moved into a home in Southern New Mexico that came with a very friendly tortoise. We feed her greens and fill up her water. She seems very happy and comes out to see us when we go outside.

 

[TammyJ]

Box turtle?

 

[Yvonne G]

Terrapene ornata ornata, but very similar-looking to the Florida box turtle.

 

[Ink]

Terrapene ornata ornata, but very similar-looking to the Florida box turtle.

How do you tell the difference between that turtle and a desert box turtle? Just curious

 

[DonnaT]

Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

How do you tell the difference between that turtle and a desert box turtle? Just curious

The desert has more stripes. This one MIGHT be a desert.

 

[zovick]

How do you tell the difference between that turtle and a desert box turtle? Just curious

The turtle pictured has a fairly bright coloration which has not faded with age. These are characteristic of Terrapene ornata ornata, the Ornate Box Turtle. However, in NM the two subspecies may interbreed, making positive subspecies identification difficult.

Check this info and the range map:

NMHS - Terrapene ornata

www.nmherpsociety.org

 

[zovick]

Hello, I was hoping to identify what kind of tortoise this is? We recently moved into a home in Southern New Mexico that came with a very friendly tortoise. We feed her greens and fill up her water. She seems very happy and comes out to see us when we go outside. View attachment 377636

Your Box Turtle could be one or the other of two subspecies of Ornate Box Turtle. Both of them occur in NM. Where exactly in the state is your city?

Here is a map showing where each subspecies is found within NM: http://www.nmherpsociety.org/reptiles/turtles/terrapeneornata/map.jpg

From the location of your city, you can probably determine which subspecies your Box Turtle is most likely to be.