SCTurtleConservation
New Member
Bottom Line up front, I want to build some protected areas for Box Turtles near me to lay their eggs in, to increase the survivability of their clutches. I am looking for some advice on the design, and how to get the turtles to use them. To clarify, these are intented to protect the eggs of wild Box Turtles, not keeping them.
For those who don't know, Box Turtles lay their eggs in loose, sandy soil in direct sunlight, which allows the sun to incubate the eggs, while still getting enough oxygen to the eggs. The problem for box turtles is that the majority of those egg clutches don't survive to hatch. Humans tend to pave, dig up, mow, plow, or make lawns out of the flat ground with direct sunlight. Ground covers like Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses grow well in this soil, and humans plant it EVERYWHERE to prevent erosion. Box Turtles can't dig through the dense root systems of these non-native plants, and where they do find places to nest, it is often dug up by dogs, raccoons, or other things.
My idea is to build covered nesting boxes, basically a simple frame with a wire roof and sides. Leave about 6-8 in of clearance on the bottom, to let turtles walk in unobstructed, but keep dogs and people out (Sadly won't stop raccoons, but they are at least a natural predator). I plan on building them near the woods and cover that Box Turtles live in, but ensure they are on sandy soil in clear sunlight. I am going to run this as a volunteer event, and try to build dozens of them all over my area, getting permission from parks and businesses to place them.
What I need help with is any advice or tips of how to best attract female turtles to using them. I assume placement is most important, but I do want these to be as effective as they can be. So, any turtle behavior experts have any advice?
For those who don't know, Box Turtles lay their eggs in loose, sandy soil in direct sunlight, which allows the sun to incubate the eggs, while still getting enough oxygen to the eggs. The problem for box turtles is that the majority of those egg clutches don't survive to hatch. Humans tend to pave, dig up, mow, plow, or make lawns out of the flat ground with direct sunlight. Ground covers like Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses grow well in this soil, and humans plant it EVERYWHERE to prevent erosion. Box Turtles can't dig through the dense root systems of these non-native plants, and where they do find places to nest, it is often dug up by dogs, raccoons, or other things.
My idea is to build covered nesting boxes, basically a simple frame with a wire roof and sides. Leave about 6-8 in of clearance on the bottom, to let turtles walk in unobstructed, but keep dogs and people out (Sadly won't stop raccoons, but they are at least a natural predator). I plan on building them near the woods and cover that Box Turtles live in, but ensure they are on sandy soil in clear sunlight. I am going to run this as a volunteer event, and try to build dozens of them all over my area, getting permission from parks and businesses to place them.
What I need help with is any advice or tips of how to best attract female turtles to using them. I assume placement is most important, but I do want these to be as effective as they can be. So, any turtle behavior experts have any advice?