Box Turtle

Common Name:  Box Turtle

Scientific Name: Terrapene Carolina

Diet: Box turtles are omnivores with a varied diet

Overview:  The common box turtle has a high-domed upper shell that's primarily brown patterned with yellow or orange. It features a rather small head with a hooked upper jaw and tends to be an interesting pet with a distinctive personality.

Reproduction: Box turtles reach sexual maturity around the age of 5. Mating season for eastern box turtles generally starts in the spring and continues through the fall.

Natural Enemies: Common predators are mammals like minks, skunks, raccoons, dogs and rodents, but also birds (e.g. crows, ravens) and snakes.

Conservation Status and Threats: Many people illegally collect box turtles to breed in captivity for use as pets. Another conservation concern is the impact of high mortality rates from impacts with motor vehicles. Many roads transect suitable habitat for box turtles and many turtles that enter roadways die each year.