Eastern box turtle
Conservation Messaging Opportunities
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Physical features
Box turtles earn their name by having a hinged plastron which allows them to completely close their head and limbs within the shell.
There is some sexual dimorphism with males typically being more colorful and having orange irises, while females tend to be more drab, slightly smaller, and have brown or yellow irises.
Range and Habitat
Range – Eastern and Midwestern USA
Habitat – Forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Is sometimes found in wooded parts of suburban and urban areas.
Diet: Omnivore
Wild – Fungus, invertebrates, fruits, carrion
Zoo – Turtle pellets, fruit, mushrooms, worms, crickets, mice
Lifespan
Wild – Over 50 years
Zoo – Over 50 years
Reproduction
Breeding occurs in Spring and Summer.
Males will combat each by biting and trying to flip each other over.
Eggs are laid in small holes in the ground which the female excavates with her rear limbs.
Conservation: Vulnerable
Eastern box turtles are often hit by cars while crossing roads and vehicle strikes are a big cause of wild box turtle mortalities. If you see a box turtle in the road, try to help it out by stopping (if it is safe to!), and moving the turtle to the side of the road which it is facing.
Interpretive Information
Box turtles make terrible pets. Wild box turtles typically do not adjust well to captive conditions.
Hatchlings spend much of their time out of site buried in leaf litter or loose soil and are rarely seen.
Fungi make up a portion of wild box turtle diets and they can even ingest mushrooms that are toxic to humans and other animals.
Adult box turtles are very tough and have few predators other than humans.