Boxed In
Posted by sarah smith on June 3, 2006
Q: hi, i just picked up a turtle in a parking lot i was afraid he was going to be hit. he has a hinged shell, is med-brown and gold in color and has orange comma shaped dots on both sides of his head, the scales on the front of his legs are gold and he has brown and gold eyes, his underside is creamy yellow along with his bottom jaw, could you tell me what kind of box turtle he is?
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Kentucky
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: Wow, nice description! Sounds like it's the Eastern Box Turtle. This species is found in Kentucky and is most likely the one you have. Great that you "saved" it from certain death in the parking lot. Adult males have red eyes and adult females have brown or yellowish eyes so you may have a female. Maybe she was looking for a place to lay eggs? If you plan on releasing her, find a location where there is a nice wooded area with moist ground cover. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( June 3, 2006)