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Reptiles & Amphibians

Box turtle dilema

17 years ago

I need some advice please.

I rehab wildlife. Yesterday I went to the animal shelter to pick up a possum, and they also gave me a box turtle. The box turtle is very healthy, and I doubt it was anyone's pet because most that I have seen in captivity aren't well cared for, and don't look anywhere nearly as good as this one.

My dilema is this. I want to turn it loose, however even tho I live in the country, on a bayou, 12 miles from town...have a

mixture of open pasture and woodlands around me, box turtles are scarer than hen's teeth around here. So much developement in surrounding areas...I guess that has cut down on their numbers.

Anyway, I can set it free here...altho there probably isn't another box turtle around for miles.

I can take it to a wildlife preserve...there are several around me, but one is mostly prairie, and I wonder if that might be too hot an environment for him.

Someone I know maintains an exhibit at one of the parks, but I hate to give him to someone who will keep him in a glass aquarium for the rest of his life.

I would like to set him free...I think he has always been a wild turtle and might not adapt well anyway.

This may seem like a small thing to stress over...but I need to know....should I just set him free here on my place...I have 50 acres not close to any very busy highways and open land around me. Should I take him to one of the wildlife refuges and set him free there? If so, should it be one that is more woodlands than prairie?

The one that is near here that is mostly prairie looks awfully hot.

Okay....what do I do? And thanks!

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Comments (5)

Day_By_Day
17 years ago
Can you post a pic of the turtle? It could be non native pet that was kept inside.
marilyn_c
Original Author
17 years ago
It is definitely a native box turtle. I have seen a million of them...just not around here lately. Haven't seen one around here in about 5 years.
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wduzak
17 years ago
I'm no expert on box turtles and I don't know how much an issue hibernation is in your part of Texas. I do know from writing about found wild reptiles that removing them from their home range can be a death sentence once winter arrives . Unable to locate their usual hubernation area - according to the herpetologists I have spoken to (I was once a newspaper reporter) - a snake or turtle will continue to search for their usual hibernation spot until they finally die from exposure. A good cage and long life might beat a few more months of freedom.
You might try posting the question on the "field herp forum" and see what help you can get. I think most of the experts are posting on that site. Best of luck
marilyn_c
Original Author
17 years ago
Hibernation isn't a big issue here...at least not as much as
cold weather is concerned. We seldom have frosts, much less a light freeze.

I went ahead and released him here in my yard. It is two acres...lots of trees, a natural pond. If he gets out, and I am sure he can, there is a lot of open land around here. He was pacing and trying to climb out where I had him. I gave him a saucer of water and a place to hide and he even ate some earthworms, peaches and grapes. I figured he would be best on his own.

Thanks anyway.
lellie
17 years ago
Well...if the box turtle originally came from your area, then I would assume it should be OK in the wild, wouldn't you?
As for the fact that there are no others around...LOL...you might be surprised, marilyn.
I had NO idea I had box turtles here in my yard until a heavy rain the other day. I found a large one next to my pool seemingly caught in a flooded area...and a second, smaller one the next day...swimming it's little heart out!
I scooped it up and released it at the same spot I released the first one...in my side yard, under some shrubs.
This was 3 days ago.
Yesterday morning, I spotted the little one in the front yard, under another shrub.

Good luck to yours...

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