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Eastern Box Turtle
Stats
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Eats
Omnivores, eating plants, insects, annelids, mollusks, birds, amphibians, reptiles, eggs, and carrion (dead animals).
Lives
Common throughout the Eastern US and as far west as Michigan, Illinois, eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. They can be found in woodlands, pastures, marshy meadows, often near streams and ponds. Due to people keeping them as pets and releasing them into the wild, their range has spread overtime.
Behavior
Diurnal and often solitary, but will not become antagonistic if another turtle comes within its range.
Description
Eastern Box Turtles are small, with dome-shaped shells that are usually brown they have yellow or orange patterns on their legs and head. Rarely swimming, they prefer land, as their tall shells make water movement challenging.
Did you Know?
Box Turtles have a special adaptation that allows them to close the bottom of their shell to the top using a hinge. This is called "boxing themselves in" and is the reason we call them box turtles!
How can I Help?
The biggest threats to Eastern box turtles are the pet trade and car strikes. In Virginia, it has recently become illegal to own a box turtle due to their vulnerable status according to the IUCN. Capturing these turtles and keeping them as pets causes significant stress and can lead to depression. Additionally, if a box turtle is taken out of its home range and released elsewhere, it will continue to search for its original home, often leading to starvation. Car strikes are another major danger. If you see a box turtle on the road, it's important to help it across in the direction it was heading. If you turn it around, the turtle will stubbornly try to return to its original path, putting it back in danger.
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