# Eastern box turtle



## MRocks (Aug 31, 2007)

So I saved a turtle and broke the law on Friday. After the first set of storms moved through, I found this turtle dodging traffic. I stopped to move him and found blood coming out the bottom shell and from a chip on the top shell.










I put him in a box and took him home. I wasn't sure how badly he was hurt or if he would survive since he was sluggish and barely moving. But after an hour or so, the blood dried up on the bottom shell and he perked up.

After doing some research online, I found out that it was an Eastern box turtle. According to the DNR web site, these are "Protected by Michigan law as a special concern species." I wasn't supposed to remove it from the wild. So after the 2nd round of storms moved through, I took my kids and we released it back into the wild.










(Yes, that is poison ivy in the background and no, I did not step in it.) So hopefully this one survived since they are disappearing from the wilds.

(Whoops, I guess I don't know how to put pix in the message body. The 2 pix are in my photo gallery. This was a beautifully colored turtle.)


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

Good for you!


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

I think it is a "she" Brown eyes and short tail.
You did the right thing.
Box turtles have small home ranges too,
so try to release them nearby the area you found it.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

beautiful turtle, thanks for takin the time to help her out. im an avid reptile observer, spending hundreds of hours in the field each summer, and that is one species that has alluded me my whole life. thanks for sharing.
~bill


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

ya hehe I was gonna say "did you notice the poison ivy?"


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## MRocks (Aug 31, 2007)

trout said:


> I think it is a "she" Brown eyes and short tail.


Very observant, trout. That's actually a trick of the camera. It did have red eyes, so I was assuming it was a male. I didn't know anything about checking the length of the tail. Is that another indicator of the gender of a turtle?


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

Not unless you stick your finger up his ****.


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## OH-YEAH!!! (Jun 18, 2009)

I found 2 of them last year. Great find and nice job.


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## dtg (Jun 5, 2003)

Way to go. My daughter has saved a painted turtle trying to cross the road and a Box turtle trying to do the same thing.

When I was a kid, I used to find quite a few of the Box turtles. Since I've been an adult, regardless of the amount of time Ive spent in the outdoors, I have yet to see one myself.

Come to think of it, we aslo used to find a ton of Salamanders as well.


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

dtg said:


> Way to go. My daughter has saved a painted turtle trying to cross the road and a Box turtle trying to do the same thing.
> 
> When I was a kid, I used to find quite a few of the Box turtles. Since I've been an adult, regardless of the amount of time Ive spent in the outdoors, I have yet to see one myself.


Used to see them all the time when I was a kid, only seen a couple in the last 10 years.



dtg said:


> Come to think of it, we aslo used to find a ton of Salamanders as well.


Found my first one in years a few weeks ago - and it was a huge one, probably 7-8" including the tail.

-- 
lp


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## the rapids (Nov 17, 2005)

many factors as to why box turtles have declined over the years, and we humans are at fault for those factors. the natural habitat for box turtles continues to shrink and become fragmented due to development while the remaining habitat is further degraded by invasive species and fire suppression. increased predation on nesting sites is another factor because the only remaining nesting sites are often easier to find due to being along roadsides (also increasing the incidences of turtle strikes by cars) and around houses where raccoons etc can get to the eggs and egg laying adults. lastly though, i believe that all of the factors mentioned above have played a larger role in the decline of box turtles and many other species than illegal collection.

those are just some reasons why people dont see many box turtles any more.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Nice job! You did the right thing. I have not seen one in many years. On my way back from Rifle River this past week I did stop and move two snappers out of the road. I made sure I had a big stick each time because both we super upset!!!


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

I am pretty sure it is a male. he females have a more rounded and higher shell. Google them and you will see what I am talking about.


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

MRocks said:


> Very observant, trout. That's actually a trick of the camera. It did have red eyes, so I was assuming it was a male. I didn't know anything about checking the length of the tail. Is that another indicator of the gender of a turtle?



Again I fall victim to the camera tricks 
Females do have slightly shorter tails in many turtle species.
At least I could swear I've read that more than once.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

Good job, I also agree you did the right thing. I saw a young one last year and took it off the road, first one I'd seen in a very long time. I hope you released it in the area you found it, they have a home range and it affects them negatively if removed from it.


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