What kind of tortoise is this?

[jannb]

This guy was in my yard today and he's quite friendly. I gave him some water, greens and a strawberry. I was wondering what kind he is and if he's make a good pet or should I just let him go free on the over grown vacant lot next door....that's probably where he came from.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

It's a Florida box turtle and looks to be female based on brown eyes (male if they're actually red). They are native to your area and quickly disappearing from their native habitat. Someone may have found her somewhere and brought her home and then she escaped because they are master escape artists. Or she may just be wild and wandered into your yard. She looks to be a mature adult in good shape so most likely wild although may have been captive for a while causing her to be pretty friendly and probably over 30 years old by how smooth her scutes are.

If she's wild it is best to return her to the wild. The problem is that box turtles have a quirk about being released - if it's not their home range they will wander aimlessly (though determined) to find their home range for months, which often leads them to wandering into roads or other populated areas. If they have a safe area to re-establish a home range (such as a secured acre) then they don't wander so far once the door from their temporary holding site is open. But sites like that don't really exist unless you have the land to make one in their native environment. Since studies demonstrating this effect have come out it's become the conundrum. Better to be in the wild, but maybe safer in captivity. For that reason, if you'd like to keep her then it would not be wrong in my book...although there are sometimes laws against keeping native wildlife as pets. Something you'll need to look into. I wouldn't put her just in a vacant lot because even if that's where she came from it's too close to too many roads where these guys end up flattened.

I have 11 box turtles myself. 4 ornates, which look very similar to Florida box turtles, and 7 three-toed box turtles. I adore them and when taken care of properly they make as good a pet as chameleons or tortoises. They have their own personalities and will know when you're coming with food and come greet you. If you can provide a secured outdoor enclosure for her she would be quite happy with you. As you've found out, strawberries are one of their favorite foods! I've had box turtles since I was little and my oldest female has been with me around 23 years and she is probably around 40-50 years old. I also have her son and now her two grandturtles that hatched recently!

I'll make a turtle/tortoise enthusiast out of you yet Jann.

 

[amanda509]

I'm no turtle expert, but appears to be a box turtle What color are the eyes?

Edit: nevermind, Ferret beat me to it!

 

[fluxlizard]

If you keep her, she is a turtle not a tortoise- she likes fruit treats, but insects and earthworms are her staples. They are surprisingly good hunters- put her in a feeding tub with some of your cham's insects and watch her go!

 

[jannb]

Thank you for the replies. Do any of you have a good care sheet incase I decide to keep her?

 

[Olimpia]

I believe that Florida lets civilians keep ONE box turtle, but no more than that. And if you keep her never take her into a pet store or reptile show because business (or you) can get into very serious legal trouble if a fish and game officer sees the turtle and thinks she's being sold - that is absolutely illegal. You're definitely not allowed to sell or buy them for money.

Every time someone would bring us a turtle in a box to identify at my pet store we would cringe, hoping it wasn't a box turtle. And if it was, they were asked to leave with it immediately and discreetly. It was very serious to have one anywhere near the business, for legal reasons.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I have a caresheet for them I've developed for my clients:

Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) Care

Brief DescriptionThere are several species of box turtle native to North America. The ornate box turtle is easily recognized by the yellow lines radiating across a dark brown shell. Ornate box turtles are native to several states including Colorado but their wild populations are declining in rapidly due to habitat loss, being hit by cars while trying to cross roads, and from collection for the pet trade. Unfortunately once taken from the wild box turtles often have trouble adapting to captivity and die premature deaths from inadequate care. The box turtle is known for being able to completely withdraw its body into its protective shell and a hinge on the bottom part of the shell allows it to close completely like a box. The shell is living tissue and should never be pierced or painted.

Lifespan
With good care the average expected lifespan is 50-100 years on average.

Sexing
Once mature male box turtles will have red eyes and females will have brown eyes. Males usually have a longer more pointed tail than the stubby tail of females.

Caging
Box turtles need large enclosures and when able should be housed outdoors in a protected outdoor pen. Box turtles are great climbers so the pen will need to be secure to keep turtles in and predators (especially dogs) out. A young box turtle can be kept in a 40 gallon tank and adult box turtles should be in a 75 gallon tank or larger, or outdoor enclosure. Large storage containers such as Rubbermaid storage boxes or livestock troughs can also be used for enclosures. There should be one or two things for your turtle to hide under - half log, half buried clay pot, etc.

Substrate
Box turtles should be able to make shallow burrows in the substrate so a mixture of several of the following is best: organic soil, coco coir, peat moss, sphagnum moss, dead leaves. Avoid cedar/pine/aspen mulches, sand, carefresh bedding, alfalfa pellets, and sand. Live plants can be planted directly in the substrate or kept in pots to provide cover and enrichment for your turtle.

Lighting and Temperature
Reptiles are ectotherms (cold-blooded), meaning they need to absorb heat from their environment to regulate their own body heat since they cannot produce it. Therefore a temperature gradient in their cage is essential to good health. They need a warm place to bask on one side of the cage in order to digest food properly but they also need cooler places on the other side of the cage to cool down so they do not overheat since they can’t sweat or pant. Your beardie will utilize different temperature zones throughout the day depending on its metabolism and needs. Lights should be on for 10-12 hours each day and then total darkness at night. Night temperatures can safely drop to 60 degrees so a night time heat source is not necessary.

The basking spot should be 85-95 degrees at the level of the basking spot and the cooler end of the cage should be kept around 70-80 degrees. A thermometer should be placed at both ends of the cage to accurately measure temperatures.
UVB lighting is one of the most critical parts of reptile husbandry. Ultraviolet light rays are emitted by the sun in UVA, UVB, and UVC frequencies. UVB is invisible but critical to the formation of vitamin D3 in the skin of reptiles which allows them to absorb calcium from their food. Turtles must have UVB light to survive and a lack of UVB will lead to Metabolic Bone Disease, severe deformation, and death. UVB can be given through unfiltered sunlight (UVB does not penetrate glass or plastic well) or through commercially available fluorescent UVB bulbs. After about 6 months of use most bulbs will stop emitting adequate levels of UVB, even though they are still shining, so it's important to change the bulb every 6 months. Only a single UVB bulb is needed per cage. Nothing beats natural sunlight so if your tortoise can get real sunlight in a protected area this is always preferred. Some suggested brands: Zoomed Reptisun 10.0, Exoterra UVB 10.0, Arcadia 12%. “Full Spectrum Lighting” does not mean it has UVB. Look for UVB listed specifically on retail packaging before buying.

Humidity
Humidity in the enclosure should be 50-60%. This should be monitored by a hygrometer.

Hibernation
Box turtles will go into a period of dormancy called hibernation in the winter when temperatures drop to survive. During this time they dig underground, their heart rate drops very low and they do not eat, drink or even move around. Some people allow their box turtles to hibernate in their outdoor enclosures until they reemerge for spring, and some chose to hibernate them in the controlled climate of a basement or garage. If kept indoors hibernation is not necessary and turtles will not hibernate if warm temperatures are maintained.

Food
Box turtles eat a combination of live bugs and vegetables every day when young and every other day as adults. Younger turtles will eat a higher ratio of bugs (80-90%) than adults (60%). The best bugs to use are earthworms, superworms, and crickets. Wax worms and mealworms should only be given as a treat because of the high fat content. A small amount of high quality canned low-fat dog food can be offered up to once weekly. Strawberries are a favorite of box turtles. Uneaten food should be removed after 24 hours.

Superworms and crickets must be first given a nutritious diet for at least 4 hours before being fed to your reptile. This process is called “gut loading,” and it is very important to the health of your pet. The same vegetables used for gutloading can be offered to your turtle with every meal as well.

Gutloading
(Same section here on forums)

Supplementation
A powdered calcium supplement (without phosphorus) should be used lightly sprinkled over the food 3-4 times weekly until 5 years of age and then 1-2 times weekly after that. A multivitamin can be used less frequently (once or twice a month) if desired but with good nutrition this is not always necessary. A piece of cuttlebone in the enclosure will provide calcium and keep the beak short.

Water
A shallow water dish at least as big as your turtle with fresh water must be available at all times. It should also be stable, so it cannot be spilled, and it should be easy to climb in and out of from all sides. The dishes used under potted plants are excellent for water dishes and inexpensive. Turtles enjoy full body soakings but often defecate in their water so it needs to be cleaned often.

Other good sources of information on Box Turtle Care:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-ornateboxie.htm
http://turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html
http://www.reptilechannel.com/care-sheets/ornate-box-turtle.aspx

They love to soak and be able to burrow into the substrate and earthworms are healthy and a favorite for them!

 

[jannb]

Thank you for the care sheet Dayna. My husband already made her a temporary house and she's on our back porch now, in her house.

 

[DanSB]

It looks like you can even keep 2 of them!

http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/freshwater-turtles/

It doesn't specify the type of box turtle but if its anything like the other laws they don't seem to quibble about exact species if it looks similar.

If it was me I would contact fwc and investigate the possible required permits etc just to be on the safe side. Being an upstanding member of the community and being able to properly care for the turtles puts you in a good position.

I know in California you can get permits to breed native species but you have to submit yourself for inspection etc...

 

[lisagr07]

Looks to me like Jann's got a new mouth to feed, and Teddy has a cousin!!!
Now,,, what's her name to be??????

 

[Decadancin]

Good thing there's a constant supply of fresh strawberries down there!

 

[jannb]

Thanks everyone. It looks like he's going to be a keeper.

 

[Montium]

Terrapene carolina bauri