DOCSLIB.ORG

Population Ecology of the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Population Ecology of the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE EASTERN BOX TURTLE (TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA) IN A FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPE by Nathan H. Nazdrowicz A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Entomology and Applied Ecology Summer 2003 Copyright © 2003 Nathan H. Nazdrowicz All Rights Reserved POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE EASTERN BOX TURTLE (TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA) IN A FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPE by Nathan H. Nazdrowicz Approved: ___________________________________________________________ Jacob L. Bowman, Ph.D. Professor in charge of thesis on behalf of the Advisory Committee Approved: ___________________________________________________________ Douglas W. Tallamy, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology Approved: ___________________________________________________________ Robin W. Morgan, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Approved: ___________________________________________________________ Conrado M. Gempesaw II, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Academic and International Programs ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I express my sincere appreciation to my major professor, Dr. J. L. Bowman, and my other committee members, A. Doolittle, Dr. D. C. Forester, Dr. R. R. Roth, and Dr. D. W. Tallamy for their knowledge and guidance. I thank all those who helped with radio-telemetry and capture of turtles, in particular R. Baity, S. Bussells, J. Doughty, C. Howey, R. Kipp, R. Iglay, J. Johnston, J. Judy, I. Lajoie, and A. Porter. I also thank J. Longcore, Dr. E. P. Catts, Dr. R. R. Roth and their many graduate students and research assistants who kept detailed capture records of box turtles in the University of Delaware Woodlot since 1965. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to M. Frederick and the Frederick family for their interest in conservation and for allowing us to use the Turkey Run property. I thank the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation and White Clay Creek State Park for allowing us access to the property and for waiving the park entrance fee. I thank J. White for taking photographs and for encouraging and spurring my interest in box turtles and herpetology many years ago. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. J. W. Gibbons for review of my methods. I also gratefully acknowledge the MacIntire-Stennis Forestry Research Program, which provided funding for this project. Finally, I thank my parents, Debbie and Hank Nazdrowicz, whose love, support, encouragement, and understanding has contributed greatly to my success. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES . vi LIST OF FIGURES . x ABSTRACT . xi Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 Population Abundance . 2 Population Density . 5 Sex Ratios . 8 Age Structure and Distribution . 12 Mortality and Survival Rates . 15 Summary . 18 2 STUDY SITES . 20 The Woodlot . 20 Webb Farm . 24 Turkey Run . 28 White Clay Creek . 31 3 METHODS . 33 Turtle Handling . 33 Transmitter Attachment and Radio Tracking . 36 Intensive Searches . 38 Mortalities . 38 Analyses . 39 Catch Per Unit Effort . 39 Mortalities and Survival . 40 Sex Ratio . 40 Aging Technique . 41 Age Structure . 41 Population Abundance and Density . 41 Long-term Data . 43 iv 4 RESULTS . 47 Catch Per Unit Effort . 55 Survival . 55 Immigration/Emigration . 61 Sex Ratio . 62 Aging Technique . 65 Age Structure . 65 Population Abundance Estimates . 68 Population Density Estimates . 73 Long-term Data . 76 The Woodlot (1965-2002) . 76 Turkey Run (1994-2002) . 83 5 DISCUSSION . 88 Immigration/Emigration . 88 Mortalities and Survival . 89 Aging Technique. 91 Age Structure . 91 Sex Ratio . 93 Populations Abundance . 95 Study Site Effects . 97 Management Recommendations . 99 LITERATURE CITED . 102 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of reported population densities of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina). .7 Table 2. Summary of adult sex ratios reported in population studies of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina). 13 Table 3. Percentage of juveniles reported in population studies of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina). 16 Table 4. Definitions for the Jolly-Seber general and reduced models used to estimate population abundance of eastern box turtles from all captures and intensive searches at the University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. Survival rate, capture rate, population growth rate, and population size either varied by sex and time, time, sex, remained constant, or were fixed to an estimated value. .44 Table 5. Number of individual eastern box turtles captured and capture events from incidental finds and intensive searches during 2001, 2002, and over the course of the study (2001-02) for University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. 48 Table 6. Number of individual eastern box turtles captured and capture events from intensive searches during 2001, 2002, and over the course of the study (2001-02) for the University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. .49 Table 7. Frequency of capture for male, female, and juvenile eastern box turtles for 2001, 2002, and over the course of the study (2001-02) captured during incidental finds and intensive searches for University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. 51 vi Table 8. Capture frequency of all adult eastern box turtles, radio-tagged box turtles, and adult box turtles without transmitters captured over the course of the study (2001- 02) during intensive searches and incidental finds for University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. Juveniles were excluded due to differences in capture probability. .. .53 Table 9. Number of individual eastern box turtles captured on the study sites only in 2001, captured on the study sites for the first time in 2002, and captured on the study sites in both 2002 and 2001 by incidental finds and intensive searches for University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. .54 Table 10. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for adult and all eastern box turtles captured over 6 seasons in 2001 and 2002 at the University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. .. 56 Table 11. Summary of eastern box turtle mortalities recorded at University of Delaware Woodlot (WL), University of Delaware Webb Farm (WF), Turkey Run (TR), and White Clay Creek (WC) study sites and associated areas in 2001 and 2002. 57 Table 12. Sex ratio of eastern box turtles in 2001and 2002 for all captures and intensive searches at the University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. 63 Table 13. Sex ratio of eastern box turtles from all captures and intensive searches over the course of the study (2001-02) for University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run, and White Clay Creek study sites. .64 Table 14. Mean annuli added after 1 year for eastern box turtles at the University of Delaware Woodlot, University of Delaware Webb Farm, Turkey Run and White Clay Creek study sites. Shaded.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • AN INTRODUCTION to Texas Turtles
    TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE AN INTRODUCTION TO Texas Turtles Mark Klym An Introduction to Texas Turtles Turtle, tortoise or terrapin? Many people get confused by these terms, often using them interchangeably. Texas has a single species of tortoise, the Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlanderi) and a single species of terrapin, the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin). All of the remaining 28 species of the order Testudines found in Texas are called “turtles,” although some like the box turtles (Terrapene spp.) are highly terrestrial others are found only in marine (saltwater) settings. In some countries such as Great Britain or Australia, these terms are very specific and relate to the habit or habitat of the animal; in North America they are denoted using these definitions. Turtle: an aquatic or semi-aquatic animal with webbed feet. Tortoise: a terrestrial animal with clubbed feet, domed shell and generally inhabiting warmer regions. Whatever we call them, these animals are a unique tie to a period of earth’s history all but lost in the living world. Turtles are some of the oldest reptilian species on the earth, virtually unchanged in 200 million years or more! These slow-moving, tooth­ less, egg-laying creatures date back to the dinosaurs and still retain traits they used An Introduction to Texas Turtles | 1 to survive then. Although many turtles spend most of their lives in water, they are air-breathing animals and must come to the surface to breathe. If they spend all this time in water, why do we see them on logs, rocks and the shoreline so often? Unlike birds and mammals, turtles are ectothermic, or cold- blooded, meaning they rely on the temperature around them to regulate their body temperature.
    [Show full text]
  • In AR, FL, GA, IA, KY, LA, MO, OH, OK, SC, TN, and TX): Species in Red = Depleted to the Point They May Warrant Federal Endangered Species Act Listing
    Southern and Midwestern Turtle Species Affected by Commercial Harvest (in AR, FL, GA, IA, KY, LA, MO, OH, OK, SC, TN, and TX): species in red = depleted to the point they may warrant federal Endangered Species Act listing Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) – AR, GA, IA, KY, MO, OH, OK, SC, TX Florida common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina osceola) - FL Southern painted turtle (Chrysemys dorsalis) – AR Western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) – IA, MO, OH, OK Spotted turtle (Clemmys gutatta) - FL, GA, OH Florida chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia chrysea) – FL Western chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria) – AR, FL, GA, KY, MO, OK, TN, TX Barbour’s map turtle (Graptemys barbouri) - FL, GA Cagle’s map turtle (Graptemys caglei) - TX Escambia map turtle (Graptemys ernsti) – FL Common map turtle (Graptemys geographica) – AR, GA, OH, OK Ouachita map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis) – AR, GA, OH, OK, TX Sabine map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis sabinensis) – TX False map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) – MO, OK, TX Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseuogeographica kohnii) – AR, TX Alabama map turtle (Graptemys pulchra) – GA Texas map turtle (Graptemys versa) - TX Striped mud turtle (Kinosternon baurii) – FL, GA, SC Yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens) – OK, TX Common mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum) – AR, FL, GA, OK, TX Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) – AR, FL, GA, LA, MO, TX Diamond-back terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) – FL, GA, LA, SC, TX River cooter (Pseudemys concinna) – AR, FL,
    [Show full text]
  • Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina) Phillip Demaynadier
    STATE ENDANGERED Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) Phillip deMaynadier Description would most likely occur in the southwestern part of Box turtles are well-known for their remarkable the state. A few individual box turtles have been ability to seal themselves tightly in their shell during found in the last 20 years as far north as New times of danger. The box turtle is distinguished by a Vinyard in Franklin County and Hermon in brownish carapace (upper shell). Each scute (seg- Penobscot County, although these may have been ment of the shell) has yellow or orange radiating released pets. lines, spots, or blotches. The legs and neck have Box turtles are the most terrestrial turtle in the black to reddish-brown skin with yellow, red, or state. They prefer moist woodlands and wet, brushy orange spots and streaks. The plastron (lower shell) fields, especially where sandy soils are prevalent. Box is tan to dark brown. The box turtle’s most distinc- turtles occasionally are found in meadows, bogs, and tive feature is a hinged plastron, allowing the animal marshes. to withdraw its legs and head entirely within a tightly closed shell. Males have red eyes, a concave Life History and Ecology plastron, a thick tail, and long, curved claws on the Box turtles emerge from hibernation in late hind feet. Females have yellowish-brown eyes; a flat April or early May following the first warm spring or slightly convex plastron; a carapace that is more rains. They attain sexual maturity at 5-10 years old. domed than the male’s; short, slender, straighter Once they reach maturity, they mate anytime claws on the hind feet; and a shorter, thinner tail.
    [Show full text]
  • Box Turtle Care Compiled by Dayna Willems, DVM
    Box Turtle Care Compiled by Dayna Willems, DVM Brief Description There are several species of box turtle native to North America (ornate box turtles in Colorado) but their wild populations are declining rapidly due to habitat loss, being hit by cars on roads, and from collection for the pet trade. Unfortunately once taken from the wild box turtles can have trouble adapting to captivity, however unless they can be released in the location they were found they will wander aimlessly searching for their lost territory for months often into roads or neighborhoods. The box turtle is known for being able to completely withdraw its body into its protective shell and a hinge on the bottom part of the shell allows it to close completely like a box. The shell is living tissue and should never be pierced or painted. Three-toed Box Turtle Lifespan With good care the expected lifespan is 60-80 years on average. Sexing Once mature male box turtles will usually have red eyes and females will have brown eyes in most cases, however not always. Males will have an indent on their plastron (belly of the shell) and a longer, more pointed tail with a longer distance between vent and tail tip than the stubby tail of females where the vent is closer to the shell. Ornate Box Turtle Caging Box turtles need large enclosures and when able should be housed outdoors in a protected outdoor pen. Box turtles are great climbers so the pen will need to be secure to keep turtles in and predators (especially dogs) out.
    [Show full text]
  • Glyptemys Insculpta) in Virginia
    Home Range, Hibernacula Fidelity, and Best Management Practices for Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) in Virginia. Sara E. Sweeten Acknowledgements I would like to thank Mr. Mark Hudy for his help and guidance throughout this project. He has supported me both academically and professionally and I have learned a great deal from Mark. I would also like to thank Dr. Reid Harris and Dr. Jon Kastendiek for being on my committee. Both of them have been instrumental in project design and review. I greatly appreciate the help of Dr. Samantha Prinns from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics Department at James Madison University for her advice and assistance for my data analysis. I am grateful for Dr. Grace Wyngaard’s help with statistics for this project. All of the faculty, staff, and other graduate students have been very supportive of my project. I would like to thank the staffs of the Lee and Dry River Ranger Districts of the George Washington/Jefferson National Forest, particularly Dawn Kirk and Fred Huber for getting this telemetry study started. I also greatly appreciate the support of the Division of Game and Inland Fisheries for their advice and lending me field gear. Bill Jones and Don West from the Virginia Department of Transportation have been great to work with. They are eager and willing to help protect the Wood turtles. Teresa Thieling of the Superior National Forest was so wonderful to assist me with all of my GIS questions. I was incredibly lucky to have four other graduate students to assist me in my project.
    [Show full text]
  • Invasion of the Turtles? Wageningen Approach
    Alterra is part of the international expertise organisation Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). Our mission is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. Within Wageningen UR, nine research institutes – both specialised and applied – have joined forces with Wageningen University and Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With approximately 40 locations (in the Netherlands, Brazil and China), 6,500 members of staff and 10,000 students, Wageningen UR is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. The integral approach to problems and the cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are at the heart of the Invasion of the turtles? Wageningen Approach. Alterra is the research institute for our green living environment. We offer a combination of practical and scientific Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment research in a multitude of disciplines related to the green world around us and the sustainable use of our living environment, such as flora and fauna, soil, water, the environment, geo-information and remote sensing, landscape and spatial planning, man and society. Alterra report 2186 ISSN 1566-7197 More information: www.alterra.wur.nl/uk R.J.F. Bugter, F.G.W.A. Ottburg, I. Roessink, H.A.H. Jansman, E.A. van der Grift and A.J. Griffioen Invasion of the turtles? Commissioned by the Invasive Alien Species Team of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority Invasion of the turtles? Exotic turtles in the Netherlands: a risk assessment R.J.F.
    [Show full text]
  • Wood Turtle Observation Form with Accompanying Photos Completed and Emailed to John (J.D.) Kleopfer at [email protected] Within 72 Hours
    Wood Turtle: Glyptemys insculpta State Threatened Field Observation Form June 14, 2021 Note: The Wood Turtle is a protected species in Virginia. It is unlawful to harm, collect, possess and/or disturb these animals without a permit. Wood Turtles found in uplands within a project/work area during construction should be moved out of the project area to locations within the nearest stream (adjacent to project area, within same watershed) no further than a 1/4 mile up or downstream from the project site. Any relocations should be reported to J.D. Kleopfer and the Wood Turtle Observation Form with accompanying photos completed and emailed to John (J.D.) Kleopfer at [email protected] within 72 hours. If you must fax or send the form, use the information below. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Attn: John Kleopfer 3801 J.T. Memorial Highway Charles City, Virginia 23030 FAX 804-829-6788 Distribution: Wood Turtles are found primarily in the northeastern United States and parts of southeastern Canada, reaching the southern limit of its range in northern Virginia. In Virginia, it has been documented in Warren, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Loudoun, Fairfax, Clark, and Page counties. Species Description: Wood Turtles are a semi-aquatic turtle usually found in or near streams, but not in ponds, reservoirs, or lakes. The shell length of an adult Wood Turtle can reach 9 inches. The plastron (bottom-half of the shell) is NOT hinged and the carapace (top-half of the shell) is flattened. The legs and tail are usually reddish to orange in color.
    [Show full text]
  • Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina)
    Natural Heritage Eastern Box Turtle & Endangered Species Terrapene carolina Program State Status: Special Concern www.mass.gov/nhesp Federal Status: None Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife DESCRIPTION: The Eastern Box Turtle is a small terrestrial turtle ranging from 11.4–16.5 cm (4.5–6.6 in.) in length. It is so named because a hinge on the lower shell (plastron) allows it to enclose head, legs, and tail completely within the upper (carapace) and lower shells. The adult box turtle has an oval, high-domed shell with variable coloration and markings. The carapace is usually dark brown or black with numerous irregular yellow, orange, or reddish blotches. The plastron typically has a light and dark variable pattern, but some may be completely tan, brown, or black. The head, neck, and legs also vary in color and markings, but are generally dark with orange or yellow mottling. The Eastern Box Turtle has a short tail and an upper jaw ending in a down-turned beak. The male box turtle Photo by Liz Willey almost always has red eyes, and females have yellowish- brown or sometimes dark red eyes. Males have a SIMILAR SPECIES: The Blanding’s Turtle moderately concave plastron (females' are flat), the (Emydoidea blandingii) may be confused with the claws on the hind legs are longer, and the tail is both Eastern Box Turtle. Often referred to as the “semi-box longer and thicker than the females. Hatchlings have a turtle,” the Blanding’s Turtle has a hinged plastron brownish-gray carapace with a yellow spot on each scute enabling the turtle to pull into its shell, but with less (scale or plate), and a distinct light-colored mid-dorsal closure than in the Eastern Box Turtle.
    [Show full text]
  • Terrapene Carolina (Linnaeus 1758) – Eastern Box Turtle, Common Box Turtle
    Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project ofEmydidae the IUCN/SSC — TortoiseTerrapene and Freshwatercarolina Turtle Specialist Group 085.1 A.G.J. Rhodin, P.C.H. Pritchard, P.P. van Dijk, R.A. Saumure, K.A. Buhlmann, J.B. Iverson, and R.A. Mittermeier, Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs (ISSN 1088-7105) No. 5, doi:10.3854/crm.5.085.carolina.v1.2015 © 2015 by Chelonian Research Foundation • Published 26 January 2015 Terrapene carolina (Linnaeus 1758) – Eastern Box Turtle, Common Box Turtle A. ROSS KIESTER1 AND LISABETH L. WILLEY2 1Turtle Conservancy, 49 Bleecker St., Suite 601, New York, New York 10012 USA [[email protected]]; 2Department of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England, 40 Avon St., Keene, New Hampshire 03431 USA [[email protected]] SUMMARY. – The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina (Family Emydidae), as currently understood, contains six living subspecies of small turtles (carapace lengths to ca. 115–235 mm) able to close their hinged plastrons into a tightly closed box. Although the nominate subspecies is among the most widely distributed and well-known of the world’s turtles, the two Mexican subspecies are poorly known. This primarily terrestrial, though occasionally semi-terrestrial, species ranges throughout the eastern and southern United States and disjunctly in Mexico. It was generally recognized as common in the USA throughout the 20th century, but is now threatened by continuing habitat conversion, road mortality, and collection for the pet trade, and notable population declines have been documented throughout its range. In the United States, this turtle is a paradigm example of the conservation threats that beset and impact a historically common North American species.
    [Show full text]
  • A Field Guide to South Dakota Turtles
    A Field Guide to SOUTH DAKOTA TURTLES EC919 South Dakota State University | Cooperative Extension Service | USDA U.S. Geological Survey | South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks This publication may be cited as: Bandas, Sarah J., and Kenneth F. Higgins. 2004. Field Guide to South Dakota Turtles. SDCES EC 919. Brookings: South Dakota State University. Copies may be obtained from: Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences South Dakota State University Box 2140B, NPBL Brookings SD 57007-1696 South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish & Parks 523 E. Capitol, Foss Bldg Pierre SD 57501 SDSU Bulletin Room ACC Box 2231 Brookings, SD 57007 (605) 688–4187 A Field Guide to SOUTH DAKOTA TURTLES EC919 South Dakota State University | Cooperative Extension Service | USDA U.S. Geological Survey | South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks Sarah J. Bandas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences South Dakota State University NPB Box 2140B Brookings, SD 57007 Kenneth F. Higgins U.S. Geological Survey South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit South Dakota State University NPB Box 2140B Brookings, SD 57007 Contents 2 Introduction . .3 Status of South Dakota turtles . .3 Fossil record and evolution . .4 General turtle information . .4 Taxonomy of South Dakota turtles . .9 Capturing techniques . .10 Turtle handling . .10 Turtle habitats . .13 Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) . .15 Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) . .17 Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) . .19 Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone mutica) . .23 False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) . .25 Western Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) .
    [Show full text]
  • Turtles Are Reptiles--Kin to Snakes, Lizards, Alligators, and Crocodiles
    Nature Series The Monmouth County Park System has two envi- ronmental centers dedicated to nature education. Introduction Each has a trained staff of naturalists to answer Turtles are reptiles--kin to snakes, lizards, alligators, and crocodiles. However, they carry part of visitor questions and a variety of displays, exhibits, their skeleton on the outside of their bodies, which makes them unique from most other animals. and hands-on activities where visitors of all ages Turtles Plus, with a lifespan of up to 80 years for some local species, they are very special indeed! can learn about area wildlife and natural history. of Monmouth County As with other reptiles, turtles are ectothermic (also known as “cold-blooded”), which means they use their surroundings The Huber Woods Environmental Center, on to regulate body temperature. To cool off, they burrow in Brown’s Dock Road in the Locust Section of the mud or hide under Middletown, features newly renovated exhibits vegetation. To warm up, about birds, plants, wildlife and the Lenape Indians. they bask in the sun. In Miles of surrounding trails offer many opportunities winter, all reptiles in our to enjoy and view nature. area must hibernate to survive the cold. Turtle Tales is a popular program offered by Park System Naturalists-here a baby painted turtle is displayed. Spend some time in the parks, especially near the water, and you will have to try hard NOT to see Painted Turtles. Threats to Turtles Road mortality is a threat to many local Bog Turtle, continued habitat destruction The Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, species.
    [Show full text]
  • Caring for Box Turtles
    Caring for Box Turtles Hilary Stern, DVM Animal Hospital of Soquel 2651 Soquel Avenue Santa Cruz, CA 95062 NATURAL HISTORY There are four North American species of box turtles currently available in the pet trade: the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), the three-toed box turtle (T. c. triunguis), the Gulf Coast box turtle (T. c. major) and the ornate box turtle (T. c. ornata). All captive box turtles, unless specifically documented to the contrary, have been caught in the wild. Box turtles are partially aquatic, spending the greater part of their time on dry land within easy range of shallow fresh water. American box turtles are native to the eastern, central, and southwestern United States and on into the northern parts of Mexico. Box turtles forage for food on land, and spend much of their sleep time dug into burrows or wedged under fallen trees or rocks. They do, however, require plenty of fresh shallow water. While this water is generally used for rehydration and voiding body wastes, some turtles also eat aquatic plants and insects. Box turtles are fully grown when they reach 6 to 8 inches in length. Males have thicker and longer tails than do females, and may be more colorful. Depending upon their environment and diet, box turtles will reach full size within 4-6 years, and reach sexual maturity at 4-7 years. If maintained at appropriate temperatures and fed a healthy varied diet, your turtle will probably outlive you. Some individual box turtles have lived more than 100 years. As with all wild-caught reptiles, the box turtles found in pet stores have been under stress for some time.
    [Show full text]