Eastern Box Turtle For Sale

Description

The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a species of box turtle native to the eastern United States. Here are some key details about this fascinating reptile:

Eastern box turtle for sale

Physical Description

• Shell: The Eastern Box Turtle has a high-domed carapace (top shell) with variable coloration. It typically features a mix of brown, black, and yellow patterns.
• Plastron: The plastron (bottom shell) is hinged, allowing the turtle to close it tightly to protect itself from predators.
• Size: Adults usually range from 4.5 to 6 inches in length, although some can grow larger.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Males often have red eyes and a concave plastron, while females typically have brown or yellow eyes and a flat plastron.

Habitat

• Range: Eastern Box Turtles are found in the eastern and central United States, from Maine to Florida and west to the Great Lakes and Texas.
• Environment: They prefer deciduous or mixed forests, meadows, and wetlands. They need a moist environment but can also be found in dry, open fields.

Behavior

• Diet: They are omnivores, eating a variety of plants, insects, worms, and small vertebrates. Their diet can vary seasonally.
• Activity: These turtles are diurnal, active during the day, and tend to be more active after rain. They hibernate in colder climates, typically burying themselves in the soil or leaf litter.
• Lifespan: Eastern Box Turtles can live for several decades, with some individuals known to live over 100 years.

Reproduction

• Breeding Season: Mating usually occurs in the spring and fall. Females can store sperm and lay fertile eggs several years after mating.
• Nesting: Females lay eggs in a shallow nest dug in sandy or loamy soil. The incubation period is typically around 70-90 days, and the temperature of the nest can influence the sex of the hatchlings.

Conservation Status

• Threats: Habitat destruction, road mortality, and collection for the pet trade are significant threats. Predation by raccoons and other animals also affects populations.
• Conservation Efforts: Eastern Box Turtles are protected in several states, and conservation efforts focus on habitat preservation and legal protection from over-collection.