The Box Turtles

Box turtles are a land species but they can occasionally be found near or in the water. They prefer swamps of moist open woods but they are very well adapted to live on land. Their eating habits include insects, snails, earthworms, fruits and berries. The plastron of the box turtle is pulled tightly against the carapace if they feel threatened. Their shell has a length of four to five inches and has a high arch.

The box turtles are divided in two subspecies, ornate and eastern. The characteristics that define the two subspecies are shape, markings on the shell and the number of toes on the feet. Female box turtles have the plastron flatter than the males, their eyes are brown or reddish dark. Males have longer tails and their eyes are usually bright red.

The Box Turtle Behavior

Different species of the box turtle or different aged turtles will have preferences for animal or vegetal protein but they are omnivores. Box turtles are daylight active turtles, during these hours they can be found basking or they might be traveling for food. They can live in excess of 30 years.

A box turtle needs to be able to retreat from direct sunlight and the heat if they need to and they get stressed if they can't. They also need clean water available at all times. If properly cared for, a box turtle is an excellent long-lived pet. It is not a good idea of a pet for a kid since they are not capable to provide the required care. box turtles can carry salmonella, which can hurt people with weak immune systems.

Locations of The Box Turtle

Eastern Box Turtles live on the Eastern side of the United States, as the name suggests, their location is close to the habitat of the Ornate Box Turtle, that lives in the central Unites States but also spreads into the Eastern side.

Specific Types of Turtles:

  • The Bog Turtles - There are small turtles in the world, but the Bog turtle is the smallest and is one of the most rare turtles around. The Bog turtle rarely grows four inches.
  • The Musk Turtles - Musk turtles, also known as stinkpots, seem to prefer deep, still water in lakes, ponds, and sluggish streams with muddy bottoms and an abundance of plant life.
  • The Painted Turtles - The Painted Turtle must be the most common widespread turtle. Their size varies between five and six inches, so they are among the small sized turtles.
  • The Slider Turtles - The colors that you can see on slider turtles are usually red or olive green. The skin and shell of a slider turtle is splotched with red or yellow.
  • The Snapping Turtles - The "Most Dangerous" award goes to the snapping turtle, out of all the turtle species. Snapping turtles have long necks and powerful jaws that combined with the vicious temper make them very hard to handle safely.
  • The Soft Shell Turtles - They are called Soft Shell Turtles but their shell is not soft at all, actually their shells are as hard as any turtle shell.
  • The Box Turtles - Box turtles are a land species but they can occasionally be found near or in the water. They prefer swamps of moist open woods but they are very well adapted to live on land.
  • The Mud Turtles - Mud turtles are divided into five species, K. baurii, K. Subrubrum, K.s. hippocrepis, K. flavescens, and the K.hirtopes murrayi. The colors of the mud turtles tend to be dull, compared to other types of turtles.