So many Common Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) shell designs! Each and every one of them different. They fascinate me. But then it’s not just the shell design, it’s the whole turtle that fascinates me.
As I’m out roaming I’ll stop if I see a turtle in the middle of the road, to help it get across safely. Surely many of you do that too. I’ve always got my camera with me and I’ll take a picture of the critter. Most of the time I get a picture from above as you can see in the first composite image.
I also get a picture that includes one of the turtles eyes. Males are supposed to have red eyes and females brown eyes but I find that a bit confusing since there is so much variation in the range of red to brown.
Another picture, this, of the turtle’s plastron, which is the bottom of the shell. That will help determine the sex of the turtle as well. A flat plastron belongs to a female. A plastron that is slightly concave indicates a male. Along with the photos I’ll make a note of the location. That way I can keep track of a second sighting if it happens.
Quite likely to happen since Common Box Turtles live to be 25 to 35 years old, and some have actually lived to 100 years of age. Their home range usually is less than 2 acres. So quite likely to show up at the same spot again which makes me feel like I’m seeing an old friend.
One response to “Common Box Turtle”
LOVE! We have box turtles on the island Brenda. While I was weeding the other day I came across three of them! All different sizes. I also came across a hole littered with egg shells so I think they’re nesting right here in my sand pit, er garden. They are very beautiful and a little shy. I think some people keep them as pets but I also think it is illegal to capture one for a pet – which I would never. They seem happy here and scuttle about. I think they like my timed sprinkling system. I love your collection of photos! The patterns are truly amazing. I am hoping to plant some frog fruit eventually as I believe the box turtles are fond of it.