Need help identifying a turtle

i like that they are on their own really and yet they are also a little like a pet--we have never even put water out for them and it can get dry here --but they know how to get water from plants and of course we do water the yard so they can get that--i don't know if yours hibernates but this spring i woke ours up by accident--digging in the garden and what do i come up with in my shovel but the sleeping turtle!!

Ours stayed asleep for 6 years, I think.

LOL trois.
Charlie disappeared for about 6 months then the little snot came begging.

Great, Charlie is back!

Hi Adina!
Did you get moved in your new house yet? Maybe you will have a Charlie come live with you.

Hey! Yes, we've moved in and already have some frogs!LOL No Charlie yet, but I'd love to have one!

connie i was learning a bit about box turtles on a website this morning--it was very short but the man did mention that they come to know the one who feeds them and get into a routine--that the males have red eyes and females have brown and not to put 2 males in the same pen--one might kill the other--said when young they eat bugs and worms but later veggies and if they look listless they might be sick-they are considered land turtles like tortoises-he seemed to say that all other turtles are water turtles

Thank you plano....I will have to do a little research too. Charlie sure likes to lay in water. He gets in the water to drink.

likes to cool off i guess

i went in my garage to get something and saw a huge dirt mound-as i started to go past -it moved! i just about jumped out of my skin! it was my turtle (just looked like a dirt mound in the dark!) poor guy was all dusty and spider webby! and to think how hot it got in my garage yesterday with 100 plus temps--but he was fine -i put him in the swimming pool for a bit and then gave him his strawberry and off he went!

Ha ha....poor guy. They are certainly survivors though. He must have been still for awhile to have spider webs on him.

i think he crawled thru a dusty webby spot!

oic!!! silly me....Charlie is enjoying is dog food soaked in water today for lunch....he is such a piggy

no not silly you--most likely your garage is nice and clean!

has he had strawberries yet?

I have tried them and watermelon and grapes and cherries and he just turns up his nose at them.
I don't have a garage! LOL

isn't that funny--mine loves them and might turn his nose up at dog food!!

Evidently they are as individual as people.
I bought Charlie a plastic tray that you use to hold paint for a roller. You know, has deep end and shallow and buried it enough that it is level with the carport floor. He wades in and will sit in the deep end for many hours at a time.

maybe i shoud try that--that sounds so cute!

Connie, isn't Charlie so cute? I learned from one of my friends who has a turtle in her yard thet he loves to take baths and she buried like you a plastic tub and filled it with water. During winter he hybernates somewhere under the ground.
More pics , please!
Hugs,
Adina

adina i copied connie's idea and have my plastic tub with water ready for our turtles--this morning one came already for its strawberry and i put it and the berry in the water--he/she did not like it! tried to get out but couldn't-even tho it would be easy if he went the other direction--i took him and the strawberry out but hope he gives it a try another time

That must be a diamond backed terrapin, with a black and yellow back pattern. These seem more desert dwellers and avoid water.

hey Adina, Plano and trois!
Can we see a pic of yours Plano? Then we can see if he looks like Charlie (or she).
Two more of Charlie
1st one he just lifted his head out of the water while in his paint roller pan, had his head under water and I called his name, he always looks up at me.

This message was edited Jul 28, 2008 4:45 PM

2nd one, was supposed to be first pic, he is sleeping in his pan with head under water. He stays like this a lot and even sleeps there most nights. Will put his head up and even get out and come to me if I call him.

Connie, he is so cute! He even knows his name! Thanks for the pics! Speaking of rescues, I found this baby howel in front of our house after I heard a big noise, like it hit something. Poor guy was lying there and barely could open his eyes.

I let him in a box, on the balcony and he began moving until fell again downstairs...ugh! Only this time he was more alert, with his eyes wide opened ! I gave him to a neighbor who wanted to keep him.

How cute he is Adina! I hope he isn't hurt too much. Keep us informed of his progress. I think you are an animal magnet.
How are you liking living in your new pretty home?

Hey, Connie! I love it! Just that I'll love it more when all the workers are gone and all teh cleaning will be over...arrrggghhhh!LOL
I gave the owl to a neighbor who knew more about them, he will take care of her.

I just found this story about Charlie! How sweet! Sounds like you may have found a friend for life!

Hi Staceysmom,
Me and my mother are sure enjoying his company. The first thing she does in the morning after her coffee is feed Charlie. He is usually starving by then. Some days he stays under and around the carport all day and night and other days he will venture off to one section of the yard and get under leaves etc. I suppose to hunt for real turtle food and also to take a nap without somebody watching him!

Watch in your yard....maybe you will have a surprise visitor too.

Connie, this is the kind we had in Oklahoma. They hate water but love cantalopes and watermelons. Early in the mornings it was common to go to the garden and see 2 or 3 with their heads and necks all the way into one mellon or the other.

trois...that explains a lot. mine is an eastern box turtle so yours must be a western line turtle!

they are sure different eating and seimming wise!

Well Charlie’s just as cute as can be. I’m glad that you and Miss Virginia get such pleasure from interacting with him. I know I’d be thrilled!

I did some brief research on native box turtles. Seems there is one, Terrapene carolina, with 4 subspecies. Only one subspecies is found in the panhandle and that is Terrapene carolina major aka Gulf Coast Box Turtle and that is the largest of all. So if he is a native he is almost certainly this one

My info on the turtles came from here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Easternboxturtle.cfm

Here is some info and photos of Terrapene carolina major: http://www.floridanature.org/species.asp?species=Terrapene_carolina_major
Hopefully this will help you ID him…or not. Ü

here is the smaller turtle--also the more social one--she comes to the door to get food and sometimes brings it under the plants for the shy turtle

Hey Stacey....thanks for the info, I have just joined a turtle website and they told me the same thing you did. I will do some research too. Thanks. Charlie is a lot of fun, believe it or not!
Plano, that is one cute little girl....how nice of her to take food to her shy friend. Does she come by every day?

The Plano turtle looks like an ornate box turtle.

Hey trois!
Could somebody tell me why they are called BOX turtles?

It sounds better than a ball turtle,

or carton turtle

or a tube turtle.

well she does come by pretty much daily--of course she might come by a whole lot more than we know since it just happens that if you look out the back door and she is there --well off we go to get her some fruit! she is really on her own for the most part and doesn't rely on us but rather comes by for a treat--i think the other turtle is more attractive and looks a lot different but since this one is so much friendlier i guess i like it a lot--