Where can I get a hybrid box turtle?

[XanaZoo]

So I'm very hopeful about getting a hybrid box. There's just so many types and they're all wonderful, but I wish to have only one turtle to pour my life into. It's important in a way that I can't describe.
So I want a mix, something unique with traits of more than one type.

Now there's just not that many for sale. Mostly I'm finding Florida/eastern crosses, which is really just an intergrade not a true hybrid. An ornate/eastern would be ideal. But I am open to others.

So do any reputable breeders actually make hybrids? Many keepers find them unethical or unsavory in some way. I don't care what they think. I don't want to buy from some shady mass seller, I'd like a healthy one from a real breeder, ideally.

Does anyone here have one? Where'd you get yours? What sources should I seek out? Is this just going to be a waiting game of checking morph market and kingsnake every few days for months hoping to get lucky?

 

[methos75]

Any breeder of any real reputation doesn't breed hybrids so the best you are going to find is backyard breeders and shady places like underground reptiles.

 

[XanaZoo]

Any breeder of any real reputation doesn't breed hybrids so the best you are going to find is backyard breeders and shady places like underground reptiles.

That's exactly what I was afraid of.
So just how bad is underground reptiles?
Nearly all my turtles have been rescues so I'm accustomed to healing them and bringing them to good health. But babies are fragile, and it's always wise to choose a healthy one. Plus who wants to support a bad company, I just went hungry today while all my classmates ate chik fil a.

 

[Tom]

You should care what people with more experience and knowledge than you think. There is a reason that people who have been keeping them for decades know that hybridization is a terrible idea. Actively searching one out, and offering to pay for it only encourages this terrible practice. There is nothing wrong with a pure bred, and there are myriad varieties and unique color morphs to choose from without having to dip into unethical practices. Hybrids are not some magical mystical being, as you seem to have made them out to be in your mind for some reason. Look for a healthy, well cared for box turtle with colors and personality traits that appeal to you. There are many to choose from without having to move to the dark side.

 

[Ink]

I have a desert box turtle. Very pretty markings.

 

[XanaZoo]

You should care what people with more experience and knowledge than you think. There is a reason that people who have been keeping them for decades know that hybridization is a terrible idea. Actively searching one out, and offering to pay for it only encourages this terrible practice. There is nothing wrong with a pure bred, and there are myriad varieties and unique color morphs to choose from without having to dip into unethical practices. Hybrids are not some magical mystical being, as you seem to have made them out to be in your mind for some reason. Look for a healthy, well cared for box turtle with colors and personality traits that appeal to you. There are many to choose from without having to move to the dark side.

Well I'm hoping they'll do well in a broader range of climates and I move frequently.

As far as magical and mystical, maybe not, but they're cool to me.

 

[wellington]

Well I'm hoping they'll do well in a broader range of climates and I move frequently.

As far as magical and mystical, maybe not, but they're cool to me.

Maybe you should wait then until you settle in one place. They, turtles and tortoises should be able to live outside at least when weather permits. That's hard to do constantly moving. Also changes stress most if not all of them. Your constant change will give them constant stress.

 

[SinLA]

Well I'm hoping they'll do well in a broader range of climates and I move frequently.

As far as magical and mystical, maybe not, but they're cool to me.

or… you could get one genetically predisposed to be bad in an array of environments. You never know how the genes will mix, people assume they will be advantageous to what they want but it doesn’t work that way…

 

[XanaZoo]

Maybe you should wait then until you settle in one place. They, turtles and tortoises should be able to live outside at least when weather permits. That's hard to do constantly moving. Also changes stress most if not all of them. Your constant change will give them constant stress.

I am never setting down.
It's not how I want to live. I want to live a complex life where I meet lots of people, do lots of things, and go lots of places. And not just to visit, to become a part of them. Not everyone has to settle in one place, buy a house with a b***ch of a mortgage and have 2.2 kids. That's a plan society makes for you, not one you have to make for yourself.

And the change isn't constant, I move every two to three years. And I'll generally bring their exact cage every time so it won't be unfamiliar.

 

[XanaZoo]

or… you could get one genetically predisposed to be bad in an array of environments. You never know how the genes will mix, people assume they will be advantageous to what they want but it doesn’t work that way…

Yeah but nothing ventured nothing gained.
Look my mind is made up. we don't have to agree with one another that's okay. I have no moral opposition to hybrids in captivity.

Also I just found a great eastern I might buy, so maybe I'll get that one.

 

[wellington]

I am never setting down.
It's not how I want to live. I want to live a complex life where I meet lots of people, do lots of things, and go lots of places. And not just to visit, to become a part of them. Not everyone has to settle in one place, buy a house with a b***ch of a mortgage and have 2.2 kids. That's a plan society makes for you, not one you have to make for yourself.

And the change isn't constant, I move every two to three years. And I'll generally bring their exact cage every time so it won't be unfamiliar.

Everyone settles down eventually. Even if you don't want too, your age will tell you differently lol. With your life style, maybe a turtle isn't the right animal. A cage is too small for an adult. They need a larger water source they can swim in and if it's a female, she'll need proper substrates areas for digging nests should she need to. Your life style is great for you, but not really a turtle. Unless, you can get creative and build a large suitable enclosure that can provide what I mentioned.

 

[SinLA]

I am never setting down.
It's not how I want to live. I want to live a complex life where I meet lots of people, do lots of things, and go lots of places. And not just to visit, to become a part of them. Not everyone has to settle in one place, buy a house with a b***ch of a mortgage and have 2.2 kids. That's a plan society makes for you, not one you have to make for yourself.

And the change isn't constant, I move every two to three years. And I'll generally bring their exact cage every time so it won't be unfamiliar.

More power to you. I moved 17 times in 25 years. Eventually I got tired of it, you may or may not. i have a friend who is in her mid 40s and jumps on a plane almost every other week and travels to an amazing exotic location. She’s always posting pictures from this beach or that mountain. It’s an amazing lifestyle and she’s very happy in it. The trade-off she has made is that she doesn’t have pets (or kids, or a mortgage), although she does foster kittens when she’s going to be home for longer periods of time.

I think the life you’re choosing sounds wonderful, but also part of being an adult is making a mature decision of “ just because I CAN have it doesn’t mean I should“. You’re talking about some creatures life, even if it’s just a turtle. If you cannot keep a turtle in an appropriately sized habitat because of the life you were choosing, and you choose to do it anyway then that makes you, frankly, a jerk.

Live your life as you want to - don’t conform to society norms - I’m all about that! But don’t make some creature suffer with an inappropriate enclosure and stress, just because you’re physically capable of buying it, stamping your feet like a child saying “ too bad, i can do what I want“ you CAN do lots of things, you CAN buy a puppy in every single location you go to and then dump it at the shelter X years later when you move again, and then get another, repeat and rinse.

things we can do doesn’t mean we should, when you control the wellbeing of another creature in your power.

 

[Yvonne G]

Your box turtle should live outside in an appropriate for box turtles yard. It wouldn't be possible to take the 'yard' with you each time you move. Turtles and tortoises are territorial. It's stressful on them to move to a new territory. Many turtles and tortoises die when bought from a pet shop or taken in from a rescue because the move stressed them out.

 

[XanaZoo]

All right everyone, thanks for all the help (sarcasm). I had my last turtle for 28 years and now that he's gone I cry everyday. He was with me for all my journeys so far. this one will be there for more.

I know there's keepers here who have hybrids, I was hoping one of them would reply. Maybe they still will.

I'm guessing I won't get any help from you only criticism. I'm unfortunately very accustomed to that, which perhaps why I'm stubborn and tune it out. Maybe I'll get a hybrid, maybe I won't. I'm really feeling a box though, I may change my mind and go a different direction.

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

You should care what people with more experience and knowledge than you think. There is a reason that people who have been keeping them for decades know that hybridization is a terrible idea. Actively searching one out, and offering to pay for it only encourages this terrible practice. There is nothing wrong with a pure bred, and there are myriad varieties and unique color morphs to choose from without having to dip into unethical practices. Hybrids are not some magical mystical being, as you seem to have made them out to be in your mind for some reason. Look for a healthy, well cared for box turtle with colors and personality traits that appeal to you. There are many to choose from without having to move to the dark side.

So its wrong that im looking for a ninja turtle?? 🤔

 

[Tom]

All right everyone, thanks for all the help (sarcasm). I had my last turtle for 28 years and now that he's gone I cry everyday. He was with me for all my journeys so far. this one will be there for more.

I know there's keepers here who have hybrids, I was hoping one of them would reply. Maybe they still will.

I'm guessing I won't get any help from you only criticism. I'm unfortunately very accustomed to that, which perhaps why I'm stubborn and tune it out. Maybe I'll get a hybrid, maybe I won't. I'm really feeling a box though, I may change my mind and go a different direction.

No one is criticizing you for how you want to live your life. That is your business. Live however you want to live. What we are concerned about is the welfare of the turtle you want to acquire. Moving around all the time isn't fun for them. Its very stressful. They do best when left in an area where they are comfortable and familiar. An indoor enclosure for an box turtle would be huge, and there is no practical way to move that around the country frequently, unless it is too small. You ignored Yvonne's point about not being able to move the large and familiar outdoor enclosure, but that is an important consideration if you care about the health and well-being of the animal.

Have you looked into more portable pets? A bearded dragon or a blue tongue skink would work out well for your plans, would not be stressed by the moving, and their enclosures are easy enough to move around. Both of those make fantastic interactive reptile pets. What about a leopard or crested gecko? Do you like any snake species?

I have no problem with your choice of life style. I have a problem with hauling an animal around with you that is not compatible with that lifestyle.

 

[Tom]

So its wrong that im looking for a ninja turtle?? 🤔

Ninja turtles aren't hybrids, and ninja turtles can fend for themselves just fine, with just a little guidance from Shredder, so no, not wrong at all. Let me know if you find any. I'll bring the pizza!

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Ninja turtles aren't hybrids, and ninja turtles can fend for themselves just fine, with just a little guidance from Shredder, so no, not wrong at all. Let me know if you find any. I'll bring the pizza!

Pheww.. that was my next question about hybrid rats. Lil expensive for snake food but very cool

 

[wellington]

All right everyone, thanks for all the help (sarcasm). I had my last turtle for 28 years and now that he's gone I cry everyday. He was with me for all my journeys so far. this one will be there for more.

I know there's keepers here who have hybrids, I was hoping one of them would reply. Maybe they still will.

I'm guessing I won't get any help from you only criticism. I'm unfortunately very accustomed to that, which perhaps why I'm stubborn and tune it out. Maybe I'll get a hybrid, maybe I won't. I'm really feeling a box though, I may change my mind and go a different direction.

Stop and think about the animal and not just your wants. No one cares how you want to live your life. The turtle is a different story! Why was your other one with you for only 28 years? They live 50 on up! Hmmm, stress?

 

[XanaZoo]

Stop and think about the animal and not just your wants. No one cares how you want to live your life. The turtle is a different story! Why was your other one with you for only 28 years? They live 50 on up! Hmmm, stress?

I'm getting one just to spite you now.