What Kind Of Tortise

[k3k3k3]

This little guy, ~6 inches long, has been making one of my flowerbeds (in the Clear Lake area of Houston) home for several months. First noticed him sunning himself back in March. now that its hot, he buries himself deeply in the leaves. So deeply, I thought it had left until I caught him on a rain cooled afternoon the other day.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2619062881_8fbdd4d27d_b.jpg

Can anyone identify what species it is? Also, now that I feel attached to the little bugger, what can I feed it to entice it to hang around?

 

[Yvonne G]

Its a 3-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis). When young they eat mostly bugs, worms, etc and as they get older they turn to vegetation. You can put out a small plate of chopped up fruit with some meal worms or night crawlers on top. Your yard is most likely his home range and they are territorial, so you will probably see him from time to time.

Yvonne

 

[k3k3k3]

thanks!

There are a fair amount of worms up in there and other bugs up in there.