What do we have here?

[EmilyD.C.21]

This little one was found in a heavily wooded neighborhood in Northern Virginia. He (she?) has been kept by a friend who has struggled to have him identified. Any ideas?

 

[mike taylor]

A young three toed box turtle in rough shape . How are they keeping it ? It shouldn't be in water full time . They are Forest turtles . They love to eat bugs ,worms,some fruits,weeds,and grasses . Check out the care sheets in our box turtle section .

 

[EmilyD.C.21]

He has been identified as a three-toed box and a forest tort in the past, but was never able to be completely matched to a picture of either. He is in a glass tank with forest mulch, a water dish that he can drink from the side or crawl in to soak, a low-heat pad in one corner (attached to bottom of tank as the house is kept fairly cool), and a tree stump hide. He is given some fruits, dried crickets/mealworms, rehydrated veggie mix, grassland mix, and soft pellet juvenile forest tort mix. Liquid vitamin is used occasionally. They have had him for approximately 4 years. What can they be doing different?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Definitely a box turtle and not a tortoise. I think when someone told you "forest tort", they may have just been trying to give a habitat suggestion. There is no species that has "forest tortoise" as a common name.

How often is he outside? What are you using for indoor lighting?

 

[EmilyD.C.21]

He is now living in North Dakota so trips outside are as weather permits. However, since they have had him he seems to panic in actual sunlight? Constant running back and forth, trying to climb the walls of his travel container, peeing, (which is very different fromusual behavior indoors) even with a place to hide. So time actually spent outdoors is usually cut short. What would be the cause of that reaction?

 

[diamondbp]

It's an eastern box turtle if from the Virginia area

 

[mike taylor]

It looks like he could use some humidity and calcium . Do you have a uvb fixture for him ? If you could post pictures of the setup we could help more .

 

[Yvonne G]

It's an eastern box turtle if from the Virginia area

This is more than likely the correct answer. See the baby's plastron? Mostly dark? Three toed would be completely tan, not dark like that.

Just for everyone else's edification, it is illegal to pick up box turtles in their home range.

 

[EmilyD.C.21]

What would cause his weird reaction when taken outside?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

What would cause his weird reaction when taken outside?

Small turtles are prey. They don't like being in wide open spaces without shelter to hide. Places outside their territory (enclosure) are full of uncertainties - they're scared. But they need sunshine or a good uvb light. They also need safety and consistency.