Photo by Ruby Jung. All rights reserved.

Box Turtles

Box Turtles of several species are crossing the roads in our area, moving to their summer residences. They're also moved by more than mere hunger because it's also the time of turtle courtship.

Our Three Species

West of the Mississippi and south of the Missouri River the Three-Toed Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina triungis) are now stirring and seeking food and mates. East of the Mississippi and south of the Grand Prairie the Eastern Box Turtles (T. carolina carolina) are hearing Cupid's call, and northward - where the prairie used to exist - the Ornate Box Turtles (T. ornata) are rousing themselves from their winter rest and, in between meals, are seeking their reproductive destiny.

Diet

Box Turtles of all species have similar habits and lifestyles. All species are omnivorous eating fruit, insects and other invertebrates. All species appear at roughly the same time (depending on latitude) and have similar courtship and mating rituals. And unfortunately all species tend to cross roads on their way to summer feeding ranges or while searching for mates or egg laying sites.

Photo copyright © 2005 by Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

So keep your eyes open as you drive. Should you spot one of these inoffensive beasts crossing a highway and you can safely stop and help it across the road, do so.

Egs and Nests

In the settled hot weather of summer, all of our reptile species can be certain their eggs will receive enough life- giving warmth to mature and hatch - assuming they can remain hidden that long.

At this time of the year, beginning late in the afternoon, our local Box Turtle females seek out elevated, lightly vegetated areas to make their nests. With their hind legs they excavate bottle-shaped holes about four inches deep and deposit three to eight soft, leathery inch long eggs. After covering them with the excavated dirt the female uses the bottom of her shell to smooth and conceal her nest and then walks away (presumably) satisfied that she's done her bit to ensure the next generation's survival.

Photo © 2005 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

Baby Box Turtles

With luck, and assuming they're not found by skunks, possums, raccoons or badgers, the baby Box Turtles will emerge in the early fall as inch long mini turtles who then vanish without a trace into their forest habitat. While adult and juvenile turtles are encountered fairly frequently the youngsters are rarely ever seen and one of the mysteries of box turtle life is where these young turtles go and what they do while they're there.

While I've only found baby box turtles on a few occasions they were all near water and were all under something - logs and rocks - hiding. Since adults occasionally burrow it's probably a safe bet that the youngsters do too since predators of all kinds find them easy (and tasty) prey. Box Turtle adults have a hinged plastron (their bottom shell) which can close up tightly thus protecting the turtle inside from everything but speeding cars. Hatchling box turtles lack this hinge and are particularly vulnerable to predators at this critical juncture in their lives. But with luck they'll survive to the age of five years or so when they reach sexual maturity and so continue their kind into the future.

From our Feature Archive:

• Missouri Three-Toed Box Turtle
• How to Hatch Reptile Eggs
• Snapping Turtles

Offsite Link:

• Eastern Box Turtle Conservation effort in Pennsylvania, with excellent general information

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