Two box turtles

[Raph]

Would the male injure the female if kept in the same pin having just one of each? Also are orange and yellow colored eastern box turtles different species?

 

[JoesMum]

I have no experience of box turtles, but experience of other species suggests that pairs are not good together.

With only two torts in an enclosure, ther is no escape from bullying or harrassment and that may be mental or physical. The bully cpuld be male or female as well, there is no hard and fast rule... Hormonal males are usually, but not always, the guilty party. The loser becomes withdrawn and could die.

Keeping torts on their own or, where space allows, in a large enclosure with plenty of sight barriers groups of 3 or more torts is best.

 

[Yvonne G]

Box turtles come in many colors. I've see high yellow, high orange and just plain jane eastern box turtles. They're all the same species.

It is really a crap shoot with the one male, one female ratio in the same habitat. Sometimes they get along good, and sometimes the male pesters the female so bad she won't come out of hiding. You can help to make it less stressful on the female by providing a very large habitat with quite a few visual barriers and hiding places.

It is really a better idea to keep them outside. And of course, outside bigger is better!

 

[lisa127]

Many years ago I kept a male and female pair in a 4 foot by 4 foot enclosure with no problems. I can't say it would always work, but in that particular case it did.