Box turtles are easily identified with their high domed shells and adorable stubby legs. Typically, they have skin that is almost entirely dark brown. They also have red, yellow, and sometimes orange spots and streaks. If you want to know more about these incredible creatures, this article is for you. Read on to learn 10 incredible facts about box turtles.
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| Box Turtle Pet Facts: 10 Amazing Box Turtle Facts |
1. Box turtles hibernate like bears
Like a bear, a box turtle hibernates during the winter. A healthy adult box turtle typically hibernates for 3 months. A box turtle usually stops feeding in the fall, which is called the fall fast. Even if they don't eat during hibernation, they barely lose weight.
A box turtle will dig a fairly shallow tunnel when it's time to rest there. An unheated basement or garage can be the perfect place for captive hibernation. As long as the box turtle can maintain temperatures between 36 and 50° Fahrenheit, it will be fine.
2. They think inside the box
While thinking outside the box may be a good thing for some, box turtles take the opposite approach. They earned their name from their ability to pull their heads and limbs inside their shell. When they lock themselves in, it's almost like they're in a box.
A plastral hinge is one of the ways box turtles seal themselves inside their shell. The hinge allows the tortoise to move the lower parts of its shell. A box turtle will adjust until it is snug and safe from harm.
3. They are a member of the large turtle family
If you've ever seen a box turtle, you'll notice how cute and small they are. Despite their size, North American box turtles are actually reptiles that are a part of the giant turtle family Emydidae.
You are more likely to see a box turtle in the wild after heavy rains or during the hottest parts of the season. They love to spend the day foraging in tall grass near bodies of water.
Pet stores carry the eastern box turtle (Carolina Carolina terrapene). Additionally, there are three-toed box turtles (Tc major) and Gulf Coast box turtles (T.c triunguis). Finally, pet stores are known to have the ornate box turtle (T. ornate).
4. Box turtles like to make friends
Box turtles have all kinds of fun and quirky social behaviors. Keeping them in a group can be a lot more fun than keeping them alone. You can keep multiple male and female box turtles in the same enclosure. cAs long as the enclosure is large enough, you can successfully house your turtles every year. You can even use their enclosure as a kind of enrichment center.
Apart from providing enough space, you can also add elements to their environment to make it more appealing. Box turtles don't mind climbing, but they love to play with each other and with toys. They like to play with stones, sticks, plants and empty shells. However, one of their preferred toys is floating equipment. A box turtle will happily swim, push the toy and ride on it.
5. They are widely distributed and protected
One of the most prevalent turtle species is the box turtle. Eastern, central, and southwestern regions of the country are where you can find American box turtles. They even come from Mexico! For example, the desert box turtle is known to live in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Some species of box turtles are protected in several states. Florida, Maine, New Jersey, Michigan, Virginia, and New York have protective laws for box turtles. All box turtle species are listed in the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species as threatened. Collectors must have special permits to import or export them between countries.
6. Box turtles are rarely more than 9 inches long
Box turtles are so small that they rarely measure more than 9 years old. The average size of adults varies from species to species. The size of the Eastern Box Turtle ranges from 4 ½ to 6 in. The Eastern Box Turtle's record size is 7 13/16 inches.
Likewise, the average adult height of a three-toed box turtle is between 4 ½ and 5 inches. At the same time, an ornate box turtle usually measures between 4 and 5 inches. Alternatively, a Gulf Coast box turtle is a bit larger, with a maximum of 7 inches. The Gulf Coast box turtle has, nevertheless, grown to a record size of 8 ½ inches!
7. Captive-bred box turtles are large
Captive-bred box turtles grow faster and more significantly than those that live in the wild. This is due to their living conditions. In the wild, box turtles do not always have access to food.
However, captive box turtles can eat year-round. Since they do not hibernate and receive a lot of calories, captive box turtles grow much faster. For example, a male can reach sexual maturity at just 4 years old in captivity.
Alternatively, a box turtle living in the wild would not reach sexual maturity for at least 6 years. After reaching 4 to 5 inches in length, their growth begins to slow down a bit. Box turtles over 10 years old have very little annual carapace growth.
8. Box turtles aren't picky eaters.
Box turtles are omnivorous and feed on plants, insects and amphibians. When a box turtle is young, it will be more likely to eat meat. It is normal for young box turtles to feed on all kinds of aquatic life and eggs.
Box turtles become vegetarians as they become older. Adults prefer to eat fruits and vegetables. However, if food is scarce, an adult box turtle may eat earthworms, snails, beetles, flies, and even mushrooms.
9. They can live for decades
If you are considering getting a box turtle as a pet, keep in mind that it can live a long time. The record lifespan of a Florida box turtle in captivity is over 22 years. There is also a 26-year record for a captive-bred Eastern Box Turtle. There is even a record for a three-toed box turtle that lived over 26 years.
While records top out at less than 30 years, captive-bred box turtles can live much longer. They could live for thirty to forty years or longer. It is thought that a box turtle could live for over 100 years in captivity.
10. Males are more colorful than females
It is usually easy to distinguish male box turtles from females. Not only do the males get bigger, but they also tend to be more colorful.
For example, male eastern box turtles have brightly colored heads and limbs. They also have bright orange-yellow irises. In addition to being more colorful, box turtles have thicker tails at the base. They resemble painted turtles in their colorful colors.
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