Author Archives: Shelley Whittington

How To Be Your Box Turtles Advocate

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Let’s face it. Turtles Need Advocates.

Turtles need people who love them to speak up for them, and to advocate for protection of their wild habitat.

Turtles around the globe are struggling with habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and altercations with man made machinery, and they all face an uncertain future. Sadly, our native box turtles seem to have been totally forgotten about.

Up and down the east coast, the Interstate 95 corridor, from the first colonist to the present day neighborhoods, we have been destroying woodland habitat. All of our native creatures have been affected by this loss of shelter and food, some have adapted better then others, even learning to exploit our carelessness, others, succumb to the heavy equipment that removes the trees, plowing the earth in its wake.

The defenses that have evolved in our Eastern Box Turtles, have served them well for millions of years. These Turtles evolved with a hinge, putting them in a very unique and special group of Chelonians, and when danger approaches, they have the ability to close themselves up into their bone hard shell, making themselves impenetrable to all but the largest predators. Their colorful unique markings on their shell help them blend into the filtered light and colorful leaves of their forest floor home and avoid detection.

There was a time when the forests our box turtles called home spread all along the east coast, now these forests are divided by highways, cities, housing developments and industrial sites, So it is not hard, for many of us, when we come upon such a unique and amazing creature, to want to help it continue to survive. Sometimes moving them across the road, as we are all told to do, may not be the best option. A destroyed habitat often spreads and surviving turtles are indeed lost. Sometimes an “across the road” is a new apartment complex. This “problem” is very complicated, as turtles are hard to relocate due to their attachment to their native home where they learn the topography, the food, water sources and best hides. Moving box turtles to a new location leaves them searching for familiar landmarks and they often will traverse miles, crossing unfamiliar territory looking for home. Moving turtles can also expose populations to pathogens that can be devastating to existing populations.

This is Oscar. Oscar was found at the bottom of a trash can, at a gas station of off Interstate 95, in the City of Richmond VA. Because Oscar has three legs, it is assumed that he was tossed by the poachers that were transporting him.

Furthermore, in an attempt to curb illegal poaching, laws in many states have made it illegal to own our native Eastern box turtles with out a permit, nor can they be adopted out. Some States requiring Euthanasia for unwanted pets and turtles that have lost their habitat due to human encroachment.

The Glass Box

So here we are. What now? So you took that turtle home 15 years ago. You kept a wild creature in a glass box. An animal that would normally travel through a territory possibly many miles every year. You kept him by a window, least he forget what the sun looked like and you fed him things that you thought he should eat. No slugs, very few worms, no beetles, carrion or wild berries. And now keeping this turtle is inconvenient and you realize that you have not done him any favors. The color of his shell is brown. There are no colorful markings. His nose is short and his beak is overgrown, giving him an overbite. His tail is nonexistent, as it basically disappeared from years of living on that dry bark mulch they sold you at the pet store, and his nails are growing in circles from lack of a natural movement. If he is lucky, he is not suffering from Metabolic Bone Disease. A devastating result caused from the inability to process nutrients, due to improper diet, housing and lighting

So you begin to search for a solution for your ill begotten pet, a new home, a chance for your turtle to live his best turtle life, and this is what you learn:

Finding someone that both is legally allowed to house box turtles through their states wildlife department and, has the room to take your turtle, is difficult at best.

If your turtle is a male, it could take years of carefully orchestrated behavior modification to get him to the point that he can be housed with other turtles. I can barely imagine how it would feel to be snatched away from the world I know and be put into a glass box with a small dish of water, and some unfamiliar food. How long would it take for me to quite trying to climb out of the corner, and eventually just hide in my shell, Day in, Day out. I am quite positive I would be pretty confused, angry and defensive after 15 years of solitary confinement. Building adequate outdoor housing for each of these turtles is unrealistic even for the best of sanctuaries. Females recover from incarceration a little better, and seldom exhibit the aggressive fighting behavior that males in captivity do.

Once taken home and kept as a pet, YOU are responsible for that pet. period. Dog, Cat, Gerbil, Snake, Horse, Turtle.. what ever the pet is. It is a life that now depends on you to do the right thing and provide for it in the best possible humane way. That also means that you are responsible for veterinary care, and yes there are exotic vets that can help you keep your turtle healthy and happy. Turtles are connected and are part of the earth that they evolved with. If you cannot keep them outside in a natural habitat, then you will have to have plenty of room indoors to build an adequate habitat that includes a water hole big enough for your turtle to climb in and soak, hides, proper lighting that mimics the sun through out the year and offers them variant temperatures and a wide assortment of native and natural foods that are appropriate for the age of your turtle .

Knowing how few options there are for turtles to find sanctuary, it is VERY difficult for those of us that run sanctuaries to turn away turtles in need. While you think your turtle may need a home, there are as many stories of lost and found turtles that once were wild, and are now homeless, and are facing euthanasia, just because someone bulldozed their habitat.

Unfortunately, turtles that have been in a tank for 15 years usually need a slow reacclimating to outside living, depending on how much damage has been done. Can they close their shell tight? Will they be able to brumate? Can they catch live food? Are they aggressive to others?

Box Turtles can live well over 100 years. When you do find a sanctuary that is willing to take your 15 yr pet and possibly provide for it for the next 50? 75? 100 years, what is this worth to you?

250 million years, Turtles have been on this planet. As a species, Humans certainly could learn a lot about our earth from these small dinosaurs of our woodlands. How to adapt, How to get along, how to heal, share and survive. Box turtles are quite amazing. They are personable and unique. Their super powers far outnumber ours and if they can survive this human invasion, they will have survived it all.

Please help keep turtles in the wild. Protect wild spaces! Plant native and beneficial Plants, make your yard turtle and wildlife friendly, and most important SPEAK UP. LEAN IN.. Spread the word and advocate, to your local and state representatives, your neighbors, friends, anyone that will listen.

It is time!

It is never too late to Do the Right Thing

10 Ways YOU can Help Turtles in YOUR Neighborhood

How to Be a Turtle Hero

Amber did not know she would be a turtle hero that day when she happened upon a yard sale up the road from her house. Thinking she could use it for plants, she inquired about an old aquarium, with a cracked pane, and some dirt on the bottom. “What used to live in it” she asked the rough looking seller standing by the shed. “A turtle” came his gruff answer. Expecting that the turtle had died, She half heartedly asked “What happened to the turtle?”

Chilly on intake

“Oh he is in the bathtub in the house” came the unexpected reply.

Amber looked at the shack this fellow called a house. There was no electricity and no running water. “Can I see him?” she asked.

The tub had obviously not seen a good cleaning in a long time and it offered the turtle no traction, and over time had caused his nails to grow in complete circles. He had given up trying to move, and had no place to hide anyway. As Amber looked down at him, he slowly lifted his head and studied her face with piercing red eyes, her own eyes swelled with sorrow for this poor little fellow, and she knew she would not be leaving with out him. She learned from his current owner that he had belonged to his father before him and he really did not know how to, nor did he want to, take care of this ill begotten “pet”.

Amber did her research. After offering the turtle a nice drink and soak, and some berries, she went about finding him help. Amber brought Chilly to the Sanctuary on a hot and steamy July day in 2021, her small older model sedan had no working AC, and she drove for more then 4 hours one way to get him here. Her 4 hour return trip still gave her enough time to to complete her dialysis treatment once she got home.

Chilly after his first beak and nail trim.

Chilly has been here at the sanctuary for a year now. Progress is slow for turtles, their beaks and nails grow continuously, but very slowly. It will take years for Chilly’s beak and nails to look like a normal turtles, and it is questionable if Chilly will ever be able to live totally outside and brumate like his ancestors did, but Chilly is one of the lucky ones. Someone, A complete stranger, spoke up for him, and he is now happy, has a turtle buddy, and is living his best turtle life.

You don’t have to drive 4 hours each way to help a turtle, like Amber did. There are many easy ways we all can help turtles every day. Here are some ways you can be a turtle hero.

  • Help them across the road. Turtles live in home territories and cross the road to get to parts of their habitat. Always move them the direction they are going.
  • Leave turtles in the wild. It is illegal and unethical to take turtles out of their habitat and keep them in small containers. Turtles can live 100 years and often need new homes. You can adopt a turtle.
  • Create a backyard habitat and invite turtles and wildlife into your yard. Habitat loss is the number one reason for wildlife’s disappearance and struggles. Plant native, beneficial plants and leave organic matter like leaves that creates food and shelter.
  • Stop spraying chemicals in your yard. Pesticides and Herbicides are bad for all of us, causing abscesses in turtles, and cancer in our pets. 
  • Mow carefully and in the heat of the day when turtles seek out shelter from the mid day heat.
  • Spread the word! Many of our neighbors have no idea how big the struggle is for our native wildlife. Educate your friends and neighbors on how they can help, and like Amber, if you see an animal in distress, Please lean in. Be an Advocate and speak up!
Chilly eats a bug

The Uncommon, Common Box Turtle

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Indeed. There is nothing common about the Eastern Box Turtle. Not only does every individual have an unique and personal pattern of orange and yellow markings, turtles also have such a connection with the earth, that it has enabled them to survive mass extinctions for more then 200 million years.

When Turtles are kept as pets and disconnected from Mother Earth, are housed in a small enclosure or aquarium, with limited light and food, no rain and even less humidity, they loose touch with the turtle they were born to be. Part of the mission of The Box Turtle Sanctuary of Central VA is to rehabilitate these lost turtles and to help them live their best lives. To be able to help and watch them reconnect with their Mother Earth, is always a moving experience.

3M and Fred ponder the changing temperatures and seem to give each other support.

Fred and 3M

Meet 3M and Fred. Turtles accepted into the sanctuary must spend their first year in quarantine, this gives us a chance to watch for health issues and also monitor normal turtle behavior, like Brumation. Because most of the new intake turtles have suffered from inadequate care and stress, we have learned that if possible, a buddy during that first year makes life a lot more interesting for them both.

3M and Fred are two adult Male Eastern Box Turtles. Fred is an older male, whose shell shows the smoothness of a turtle that has dug in for many winters. His story has become pretty common, he was rescued from a busy intersection with no viable habitat nearby, so he was taken home. Fred lived in an aquarium with bark mulch, a window for light and fed produce and turtle pellets, he looked out through the glass for at least 3 years, until finally a family member spoke up for him.

3M came with much less information. He was passed around for many years, and eventually ended up with a vet tech that recognized he needed a better life. He arrived with an overgrown beak that told us he had not been fed a balanced diet. Both these boys arrived as winter was turning to spring, and were soon accommodated outside in their own isolation pen.

They have become good buddies and are often seen hanging out together.

In the beginning, there was some mounting and dominate behavior, mostly from Fred who most likely had not seen another of his species in many years, and although this behavior can occasionally cause damage they were well monitored, and no turtles were hurt. I have absolutely loved the progression that their relationship has made. They have been seen eating together, climbing logs together, playing a turtle version of red rover and just enjoying each others company.

With the arrival of the colder October temperatures, their metabolism has slowed and they have now dug into their Mother Earth, just like their ancestors did for generations before them where they will await the warming rays of the Sun in the spring to begin another Turtle Summer.

Red Rover, Red Rover!

You CAN make a Difference!

Turtles belong in the wild. Habitat loss due to human encroachment and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade has wiped out many viable populations,

The Box Turtle Sanctuary will always help a turtle in need, but we need your help. We need to preserve habitat, create more wildlife areas and parks. We need to plant native plants that provide food and shelter for our native wildlife, and we need to advocate and educate. We can start here, in our own back yards. https://boxturtlesanctuaryofcentralva.com/10-ways-to-help-turtles

And you can make a difference in the lives of turtles, just like Fred and 3M. If someone hadn’t spoken up for them they could still be living their own personal hell.

Box Turtles are marvelous! No generation should loose the opportunity to marvel at these amazing beings

We need your support. Please reach out if you would like to get more involved.

“I KNOW UP ON TOP YOU ARE SEEING GREAT SIGHTS… BUT DOWN HERE ON THE BOTTOM, WE TOO SHOULD HAVE RIGHTS” DR.SUESS

Mr T.

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My Little World

The Box Turtle Sanctuary took in a turtle on the last day of 2020. It nearly broke my heart.

I was contacted by the turtles owners father. Not only had this man recently lost his 91 yr old father, but he also lost his 31 yr old son, the owner of the turtle. His widow, took her two young sons and moved out of state to be near her family, leaving the turtle, and the dog, for this gentleman to deal with.

Like many box turtles that find themselves in captivity, Mr T was living in less than adequate accommodations.

The habitat photo that was sent in during the intake process was like most that I see. The turtle sitting on a bed of dry bark mulch with a small dish of water in one corner and a dish of processed turtle pellets in another. The width of the 20 gallon aquarium that Mr. T called home was less than twice his length. No hides. No leaves. No plants. no humidity. No lights. No earth.

The Gentleman that brought the turtle knew only that this turtle was taken from the wild, they called him Mr .T and, his son had had him for about 2 or 3 years. He also knew that he wanted to provide this turtle a chance to live like a wild turtle.

I gave the turtle a brief exam as I read the story that his shell was telling me. I pointed out the growth rings as I explained how they indicate general health, diet and wellbeing during the growing years. The look of amazement when I told him that this turtle is a young male, maybe 12 to 15 years old was reminiscent of a child seeing a turtle for the first time. I showed him the temporary winter quarters that Mr T would be moving into. A space that includes a cool dark area along with an area of bright sunshine and heat, a water dish big enough to climb in, leaves, earth, plants and food, a variety of food. I told him about the need for a year of isolation and how he will be monitored closely as he approaches brumation next winter. And although his tail has suffered some damage from the over dry habitat, I expect Mr T. to be able to fully recover from his days of incarceration and be able to enjoy life as a turtle should.

I have never seen a turtle so enjoy humid air. I placed Mr T in his turtle size water bowl, It had likely been years since he had a good soak, and he eventually explored his new space where he came to sit in the middle and just breathe. I could feel his gratitude, as sadness overcame me. This turtle has been saved. Someone died. A family is grieving.

I Got No Time for Jibba Jabba

This morning when I walked back inside after my morning ritual of dogs, chickens and turtles, my husband asked me “How are things out there?”

Out There?

My first thought of course was current events. Pandemics, Presidents, and Racial Unrest.

As a child of the earth, I often feel overwhelmed when I hear about issues that I cannot change. We are indeed living in a era that will be recorded in history books and that our grandchildren will look back upon.

When I started The Box Turtle Sanctuary of Central Virginia, I knew that it needed to be done. I knew someone had to do it. I know that Action is better than No action, and because I have the facility, I have the ability to make a difference. The sanctuary serves more than just box turtles. I am forever grateful for this small piece of land that now provides habitat for snakes, birds, turtles, insects, all the little creepy crawlies and the mammals that come to visit the creek. It keeps me perpetually busy. Building turtle fence, planting native beneficial plants, pulling up invasive ones, building water elements and maintaining habitat. It is my giving back. I happily get lost in my little world every day.

We All have the ability to make a difference, give back, and get lost in our passion.

Find your passion. Whatever it is, YOU can make a difference: YOU can be constructive.

Don’t take no. Remember to Lean in.

Each and every one of us can be an advocate for someone or something, and I well expect that along with future generations reading about these challenging and historic times, they will also read about how our local native box turtles were protected by one advocate, and still exist because someone leaned in.

I replied to my husband “In my little world, everything is good”

I got no time for Jibba Jabba.

Look at that Smile!

The Littlest Turtle

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Slight pyramiding and a swollen right front leg upon arrival

Five years ago, this little one was taken from the wild, given to a child and kept in a tiny aquarium. A small bowl for water, and a small bowl for processed turtle food were the only items in her small home. She sat in the dry mulch, day after day, with no place to hide, her only light was what came through the small window where her tank was placed. For 5 years she did not grow. Her child owner, 8 at the time of her incarceration, loved her, but had not been coached on how to take care of a turtle, nor had any of the adults in the household bothered to do any research on the needs of such a tiny soul.


On October 12, 2019, I was able to admit her into the sanctuary.

This small tank was her home for 5 years.

She came with very dry flakey skin and a swollen right front leg that she was unable to use, initiating a visit to the vet. Fluid was drained and an x- ray taken showed no broken bones and at home treatment with a MRM laser unit was prescribed. A week later, an abcess drained, allowing her to build strength in her leg and begin to use it again.


She immensely enjoyed her first swim and has acquired a taste for live food.

She will spend her first winter here in a controlled environment in the greenhouse, where hopefully she will do a short period of brumation, when she is ready, and next year she will be acclimated to where native turtles like her should be; outside.

She is one of the lucky ones, the damage she sustained to the growth of her shell during those five years seems minimal. Her shell is a little domed, with slight pyramiding, but now with proper food, humidity and light, she should continue to grow into a small adult.

Please support our efforts to provide for turtles like our little Baby, and help us continue to educate children of all ages about the importance of protection of Habitat for all our native critters.

and, Please, with any pet, do your research for proper care, and never leave that responsibility to a child.

Look at that Smile!
Look at that Smile!

Tony Stark and Shell-a-vision

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The Box Turtles here at the sanctuary are not pets.  Although enclosed, they live in an environment that is specifically designed to give them every opportunity to live as a wild turtle.

Their pens are well constructed with flashing buried along a board fence, a hot wire along the top keeps out predators, and native plants are beneficial  to insects, reptiles and amphibians and,  provide natural  food such as berries, along with places to hide. Hollow logs and leaves are  added yearly, weeds are thinned, and soil is loosened. Watering holes are safe, secluded and cleaned daily. Such an ideal habitat leads the residents to believe they are wild, and they are often seen running to hide when one approaches.

Turtles that are accepted into the sanctuary always have a story and occasionally, one comes along that needs a little help remembering his wild roots, Such is the case with Tony.

Tony was found shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the east coast in 2005. It is estimated that he was just a couple years old at the time. The habitat in Woodbridge VA, was destroyed and his finders thought it best to keep him safe for a while and brought him inside.  Tony became part of the family and participated in many educational opportunities as his family’s children grew. He became accustomed to traveling to schools and camps, and seemed to enjoy staring at the children as they stared at him.    

They built him a large enclosed area in the backyard where he enjoyed natural sunshine and was able to hibernate. He ate worms and bugs that came his way and was supplemented with a wide variety of food that was good for him. Tony had everything he needed to grow into the large healthy turtle he is today.

Only one thing was missing.

Interaction with other turtles.

It is believed that before colonial times, a good box turtle habitat, in a mixed forest environment, may have had  population densities of up to 10 or more adult turtles per acre.

Sheltered

 Box Turtles, it seemed, were important for cleaning up carrion, aerating soil, insect and rodent control and seed dispersal. They were used to seeing each other, and if they had enough space, conflicts were generally avoided.   When they weren’t dug in or hiding in their shell, they used their keen eyesight to detect motion of food, danger and to spot mates.

Our buddy Tony here, had never seen another turtle during his life in captivity.  During Tony’s initial intake exam,  he was  briefly introduced to another turtle, which he quickly spun around and mounted.

Tony does seem to enjoy participating in outings (and staring at the children), and he is always  ready for an adventure during our daily checks, but he appeared bored and a bit uninterested while in his isolation pen,  that is, until we installed his window.

Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to turtles and a few years back an odd pair of Sulcatas gave me the idea of using a window..

I took in a Sulcata tortoise that was found walking the streets of  a nearby county. The tortoise was not in good shape, but needed a home as winter approached. I learned a lot about Sulcatas and decided that this one would be a good ambassador in our education program to help highlight the importance of proper care.  She was comfortably tucked into the barn  when another sulcata showed up that needed a home. It was obvious that neither had seen another of their own kind, but I was crammed for space and divided the room in half with the use of dog kennels and cardboard.  Eventually, the cardboard was removed, bit by bit, and they became used to each other. The following spring they were released into their new pen and have been good buddies ever since.

Tony is going to need space. He has successfully passed his isolation period and is a healthy large male turtle.  It is likely that he will be able to eventually live with others, but at about a third larger than the average box turtle, he will be the big man,  and will need space.  Tony’s new pen is in the planning stages, with completion goal before spring 2020.

Tony’s family sought a better life for him. Not all turtles are as lucky as Tony. Many suffer from inadequate care and unbalanced diets giving them abnormal shell growth, even though their families love and care about them.   What helped Tony the most during his stay in captivity was the availability of an outside environment with natural sunlight, a wide array of supplemental and native food (worms and insects) and the ability to hibernate.

Tony is thrilled with his window and spends much less time dug in and more time watching “Shell-a-vision.” We will let you know how things progress for him.

Please remember to be good to your turtles. Where ever you live, and where ever your turtles are native to, it is your responsibility to accommodate them to the best of your ability and to emulate the conditions that they were born to live in.

Meet Slash; A Story in a Turtle Shell.

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This striking individual is a charismatic and friendly fellow.  Found walking along the railroad tracks in the center of Ashland VA.  He was observed and picked up by a jogger who noticed that there was not any suitable habitat to be seen.  As he was  found not far from the small pet supply store in town,  he was taken there to inquire if perhaps he was an escapee, or someone’s lost pet. The Sanctuary was called and he became one of our earliest residents.

With a little research and observation of Slash’s behaviors and habits  here is what we can discern.

After his initial quarantine period Slash was introduced to another male.  Slash was immediately aggressive and attempted to mount, bite and chase the other turtle. Eastern  Box Turtles are relatively peaceful and aggression among males is usually  mild. Displays of dominance usually include mounting and biting at the front edge of the shell, occasionally, the dominate male will get his rear feet stuck inside the shell of the passive turtle, not unlike mating with a female. Slash’s extreme  aggression gave pause to consider that it likely had been a long time since he had seen another of his species. Slash’s acclimation was gradual and taught me that allowing a period of visual introduction with out physical contact was beneficial for reintroducing isolated turtles to their own species.

Growth Rings Tell a Story

The Eastern Box turtles shell grows about 20 countable rings as they mature. They indicate health, diet, and to a degree, age.  If  the turtle has a good season, say with abundant food in the spring followed by a brief aestivation period during the dog days of summer, and then another period of plentiful food, two growth rings can develop in one summer, making judging age a difficult game.  Abrasion  also occurs during a turtles life time due to the daily grinding of digging in and out of the dirt. Slowly, like a fine sandpaper, dirt smooths away the growth rings allowing us to know that  an individual with a smooth  shell  is a relatively old turtle.

Slashes Growth Rings Tell a Unique and Different Story. 

On Slashes carapace, there is an indication of an old injury, perhaps a lawn mower strike. The wound  seemed to have healed during growth, indicating that he was young when injured. His growth rings also do not have the somewhat uniform, level growth of a turtle on a wild and varied diet.  Although no extreme  damage or pyramiding is evident in his shell, his growth rings are more prominent , and  inconsistent in thickness and direction,  giving him an uneven appearance, and making the sanding and smoothing of daily digging  more difficult to ascertain.


So Where did Slash come from and why was he walking down  Railroad Avenue?

Prior to Slash’s “rescue”, an old house directly across the street from the pet supply store and facing the tracks, was auctioned off after  its elderly resident moved on.  The small fence that had served to keep numerous pests and wandering dogs out was soon dismantled as the new owners prepared for a total renovation.   The yard had been overgrown and the remnants of an old garden still remained.

It is a possibility that our little Slash was a garden turtle. Perhaps placed in the yard at the time of his injury, isolated from his kind and fed on a diet of tomatoes, lettuce (not a good diet) and any invertebrates that he could catch. Unseen by the new owners of the old blue house, when the fence was demolished,  Slash took the opportunity, like any turtle would, to explore his new “habitat”.

As recently as 30 years ago, Ashland was known for its tree lined streets, and parcels of land were still undeveloped and teemed with wildlife.  There are occasional sightings of a lone box turtle wandering the neighborhood  in a town that was once a swamp filled with  all sorts of turtles . Unfortunately, most wooded parcels are gone, trees no longer line the streets, green spaces are mowed, and the few small parks that Ashland has left are likely unable to support a box turtle population.

We will never really know Slash’s whole story but, without a habitat to return to, he became a resident at the Box turtle Sanctuary of Virginia, where he now shares a large enclosed area with a couple other agreeable EBT males, and the sanctuaries three water turtles. 

Life is good for Slash.

10 Ways YOU can Help Turtles in YOUR Neighborhood

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1. Never remove turtles from the Wild. It is illegal and unethical. Don’t purchase wild caught turtles, instead adopt a shelled friend. Turtles can live 100 years and often need new owners.

2. Promote preservation. Urban Sprawl hurts us all and separates us and our children from our earth. Promote parks and outdoor space in your neighborhood and include pollinator friendly native plants. Wildlife habitat that is good for turtles is good for the planet, and all of us.

3. Turtles live in home territories and cross roads when they need to get to parts of their habitat. Help them across roads in the direction they are going, leaving them in their home.

4. Create a backyard habitat.  Habitat loss is the number one reason for turtles and wildlife disappearance. Plant beneficial, native plants, and let organic  matter like leaves and logs stay to create food and shelter.

5. Mow Carefully and during the heat of the day when turtles seek shelter from the mid-day heat. Females seek out firm  earth in a sunny spot to dig a nest for her eggs. Hatchlings are small and hard to see.

6. Control your pets. Pets are the second biggest threat to turtles (right behind humans)

7. Let wildlife be wild. Feeding wildlife disturbs the natural prey /predator balance and causes more predation on eggs and young wildlife.

8. Make ponds and water features turtle friendly. Most turtles can swim. Some, like the box turtle, can also drown. Use rocks and logs to create exits for  ponds on all sides. Encourage pool owners to install turtle friendly filters or suggest a small floating  “dock” in the filter trap, and check daily.

9.  Volunteer. You don’t have to dig in dirt to help out.  Conservation groups need computer and fundraising help too. Or get out and help educate at your local wildlife area or park.  If you can’t help; DONATE!

10.  Spread the word. Not everyone is on Facebook and many of our neighbors    have no idea how big the struggle is for our native wildlife.. Educate your friends and neighbors about how they can help. Share this page!

WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Box Turtle Myths No One Talks About

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Real or Mythical

Myths have followed turtles since the beginning of time. It is really no wonder as they have been living on our planet before the continental shift, and their fossils appear on every major land mass. Turtles also appear to have super powers, and have survived mass extinctions that wiped out most of the life on Earth.  Real or mythical, Turtles are amazing survivors, but without our help in protecting their habitat, it is unlikely they will survive this time of  “Man”.  So lets get a couple things straight.

 

Myth #1: Turtles seek out roadways to absorb heat

Although asphalt does retain heat from the sun, there is no scientific evidence that turtles will seek out roadways for the ambient heat.

Unfortunately, many of our roads overlap with turtle habitat.

Turtles cross roads for many reasons. It is more likely, However, that the roadways cross the turtles habitat, and the turtles are doing nothing more than trying to survive. This is what I have found in my observations of Eastern Box Turtles, when they approach new territory and surfaces.

1) Turtles are observant. When faced with a “new” clearing, opening, meadow or roadway, a Box Turtle will almost always stop not far from where they entered and they will take it all in.

2) Turtles are not in a hurry. They have no idea that a roadway, farmed  field or  mowed yard is a dangerous place to be, and remember, he carries his defense on his back.

3) Box Turtles live in territories that are developed as they age and explore.  They can locate where their favorite blueberry bush is, the water hole, or their favorite place to dig in. Similar to how birds fly south, Turtles are equipped with the ability to navigate, perhaps reading the location of the sun, or using the earths magnetic fields. Choosing to sit in a roadway for heat would be a learned behavior, that would most certainly not end well for the turtle.

4) For millions of years, Turtles and their cycle of life has evolved around the sun. As cold blooded reptiles, their functionality is controlled by the length of the day and the power of the sun. Where as Snakes may absorb heat from hard surfaces like rocks and roadways, A turtles shell provides shelter and camouflage and absorbs heat from the suns rays and the ambient temperature around him.

I probably have close to a hundred videos of Box Turtles doing nothing. They sit and observe. If they are not hungry or looking for other turtles they seem to enjoy just soaking up the sun.

Myth #2: Turtles shed their shells to grow larger.

Once damaged, Keratin will not grow back, but the bone will compensate and become denser on the top.

Never.  Turtles are Reptiles not crustaceans. A turtles shell is part of its body. His Back bone and his ribs  fused millions of years ago to create the shell that has allowed him to become the amazing  and unique animal that he is today. Some Scientist believe the shell was formed as the animals took refuge in the earth, where the shell allowed an anti-crush tool against the pressure of the dirt. Others believe the shell formed as a shield against predators. However this shell was formed, it is indeed an incredible adaptation that has allowed turtles a “super power” against extinction.

The top layer of a turtle shell is made from Keratin. This is the same stuff your hair and fingernails are made of. Some water turtles, like Paints and sliders, shed this top layer of keratin yearly as they grow. Under the shed scute is a new layer of keratin. Our Eastern Box Turtles never shed their keratin. On the occasion that they are chewed on by dogs, the keratin is destroyed first and is the only protection for the bone of the shell.

Myth #3: Turtles make good pets.

When my family was young, my son had a friend whose family had taken two baby eastern painted turtles from the wild. Among the family of three young boys, the turtles were handled a lot, and participated in a number of “races”.  They lived in a 10 gallon tank with less then six inches of water to prevent the inevitable escapee. The tank was rarely  cleaned, light and warmth came from the aquarium light designed for fish, and there was a sole corner “perch” for them to dry out on. As the boys grew, they tired of the turtles. A family excursion, and my offer to care for the turtles while they were away, finally allowed these two little eastern painted turtles an opportunity to be turtles. They are now 25 years old, and in the Summer, they become part of my education program, and are currently, happily,  facing another Virginia winter in their fenced pond, being turtles.

Easily purchased as hatchlings, warm weather African Sulcatas quickly outgrow most indoor accommodations.

For us to attempt to duplicate the habitat of any turtle is quite a feat. Turtles live in micro-habitats.  They are attached to the cycles of the earth. Brumation (hibernation for reptiles) is a physical change caused by the seasons, the sun, the length of the days.  We can indeed take the turtle out of its environment and keep it in an artificial one, Sometimes we have to do this for the turtles own health. But should we do this to make them pets?

Building an artificial habitat  for turtles is a costly  process to do correctly and requires as much space as possible. Proper lighting must duplicate the sun, humidity and temperature needs to simulate the native environment,  a variety of food and clean water is a constant.

Turtles are a long term, often difficult pet that can live upward of 50 years.  Many of our native varieties are now protected and state laws make it illegal to remove them from the wild. Some states require permits and proof of custody for native species.

It is more than important that we instill an interest in these amazing reptiles in our youth, and turtles are indeed amazing, fascinating and fun creatures to  visit and interact with. When kept in captivity, they should be given every opportunity to live in an outside native habitat and as close to what mother nature intended. If a pet turtle is in your future, Please Adopt. There are turtle rescues across the country for both native and exotic species. Make sure you do your homework first and learn about what the needs are for your potential new pet.

Myth #4: Eating Turtles can cure what ails you.

Illegal poaching of turtle colonies world wide is decimating populations.

For  generations, the Chinese culture has exploited turtles and their parts as a cure for many maladies, from acne and use  as an aphrodisiac, to treating  night sweats and irritability .  Turtles are sold as charms and used in elixirs, potions, and collected as pets. There is no evidence to support turtles medicinal qualities and no scientific data has been collected to support any claims. Interestingly  enough, according to a new preliminary study, eating sea turtle eggs increases the health risk of heavy metal exposure in local communities in Panama. Although Studies have not been preformed on the health benefits of eating wild caught turtles, many colonies of turtles are struggling with toxic chemicals found in their own habitat and water, causing them health issues of their own.

According to Paul Gibbons, chief operating officer of the Behler Chelonian Center, a turtle conservancy in California, “The Chinese have already driven their own species to near extinction, and now they are raiding ours” With the supply of Chinese turtles diminishing, American varieties have become a hot commodity with  the box turtle, mud turtles and painted turtles becoming among the most valued abroad.

All  turtles and tortoises are threatened,  and  it is estimated that 40 percent of them in the United States are in danger of extinction,   Although loss of habitat and road fatalities have greatly contributed to this number, “collection for the pet trade is a major threat to tortoises and freshwater turtles worldwide” According to the Turtle Conservation Coalition,

 

How can you Help save Turtles?

Making a new friend!

  • Spread the word. Advocate. Tell your friends and family. Turtles will only survive if we make the effort to educate those who have been unfortunate not to have experienced the joy in finding a wild turtle in their back yard.
  • Make your space turtle friendly. If you have a yard, plant native beneficial plants. Ones that provide life, in the way of food and shelter for wildlife. Leave your leaves! If you must rake them, leave them in a corner or under bushes. Leaves are the food for the earth and  provide shelter and food for many small animals and beneficial insects. If you have a pond or water feature, make sure it is turtle friendly with easy ins and outs.
  • Don’t have a yard? Volunteer at, and support your local nature center or wildlife sanctuary. There is always work to be done and you can learn tons of cool stuff, get exercise and help wildlife!
  • Keep your dogs from roaming in turtle habitat. Domestic dogs are the second most common cause of injury to turtles (Can you guess who #1 is?)
  • Help turtles cross the road. When you see a turtle crossing or about to cross the road, timing is crucial, but your safety and the safety of others cannot be understated. When safe, always move a turtle in the direction it is going.
  • Get Involved. The Box Turtle Sanctuary is looking for People like YOU. Do you want to help but don’t know how.. help is needed with fundraisers, computer entry, facility upgrades and fence building. Do you have a special skill you can share? bookkeeping? website maintenance? blogging?  YOU CAN Make a Difference! Please reach out!

Solutions start at home, in our communities and neighborhoods. Do you or your family have an Idea on how to make your community turtle friendly?  Do you need help getting started? Let me know.. I am here to help!

 

Shelley

“And the turtles, of course…all the turtles are free, as turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.” Dr. Suess

 

 

                                                                  

 

Baby Eastern Box Turtle; The Smallest Dinosaur

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The Smallest Dinosaur

A 2 year old baby eastern box turtle.

Finding a baby turtle is indeed a rare and exciting event.

Hatching out of an egg that was buried 6 inches below, months before and digging its way to the surface, only to  to spend the first few years of life hiding below leaf litter and mulch, eating worms and bugs that happen by, and counting on moisture from rain, does indeed sound like a struggle from another, perhaps prehistoric time.

In fact, Turtles are nothing more then dinosaurs. Their fossil history indicates that they did once roam the earth along side dinosaurs more then 200 million years ago.

How is it then that turtles survived catastrophes that wiped out most of the inhabitants of our earth?

Super Powers

Turtles, it seems, have an abundance of super powers. Whether they live in a body of water, in an arid desert, or in our wooded hillsides, Turtles have developed some amazing abilities to overcome  adversity and adapt to their micro-habitat.

Mother box turtles can lay 2 or even 3 nests of 2-6 eggs a summer, often digging a “false nest or two” to throw off egg thieves. An Adult Eastern Box Turtle is relatively safe from most natural predators in its native habitat. Its defense mechanism, of tightly closing up its shell, to form a tight “box”, not only gave the Box Turtle its name, but has served it well for millions of years.

Baby Eastern Box Turtles do not hatch with the natural defense of an adult, and rely on their ability to stay hidden and to blend into their environment  and, although it is believed that only one in a thousand  baby turtles ever reach reproductive age, they are well equipped to survive with a minimum of  sustenance for their first year of life in the wild.  Often, if a clutch is laid late in the summer, and the above ground temperature  is changing toward the cooler days of autumn,   Baby box turtles will stay in their nest through out their first winter, and make an early appearance with the spring rains.

The Mother turtle prepares a nest by digging a hole with her back legs as deep as she can, clearing out a cavity in firm earth, located above flood level, this allows the nest temperatures to remain stable and the cavity gives the babies room to dig out.  The Mother turtle will carefully bury her eggs and with unbelievable skill, will place a final layer of leaves or mulch on top, which will make the nest almost indiscernible to the average eye, once completed, the mother turtle abandons the nest. The eggs, and hatchlings are left on  their own.

The temperature of the nest, will determine the length of incubation, usually 60-70 days, and will determine the sex of the hatchlings. With a process called Temperature- Dependent sex determination, gender is determined.  With an ideal temperature of between 72°F – 93°F, embryos in the lower temperatures will be males and in the higher temperatures will be females. Those in the middle could be males or females.  Like a bird, baby turtles are equipped with an egg tooth, a hard sharp protuberance at the tip of their beak, that they use to break through their egg shell. Hatching can take a few hours or a few days.  Often, after hatching, the remnants of their yolk sac is still visible, and can support them for several weeks.

These tiny dinosaurs are at the most vulnerable  stage of their life.  Hatched in  an earthy brown color, to help keep them hidden, they will spend the majority of their time hiding and waiting for bugs and worms to cross their path. At hatching, their little shells are pliable and their hinge will not be fully functional until  they are  4-5 years old.  If lucky, they will continue to grow for about 15-20 years, and develop  patterns and colors on their shells that are uniquely theirs.

 How Can You Help Baby Box Turtles?

The loss of natural and native habitat is causing turtles to appear in some unlikely places. Mother turtles of all kinds may walk far from their home to find the perfect site to dig their nest, often crossing roads and lawns on their journey.  Many times, due to man-made altercations to the landscape, baby turtles appear  where one least expects them, and unfortunately, there is not always a suitable habitat nearby that could sustain a viable population.

Box Turtles are known to inhabit a “Home Territory”, this is usually built around their hatching place, and as the turtle grows and explores his habitat, favorite places for food, water, and hides are stored in memory. Like a compass, the turtle can find the exact location of this home, and if he is removed from it, or if it is destroyed, he may wander endlessly looking for it, surviving solely on luck.

It is believed that this homing ability  develops over the life of the turtle, the older the turtle, the more likely he is to search for home. Where as baby box turtles are able to be relocated and released in suitable habitat.

Baby turtles are truly amazing. They are great to share with your kids and to take some photos with, but it is important that we let these turtles remain in the wild, or they will soon be extinct in native habitat that they called home for millions of years.   As reptiles, Turtles are connected to our earth in a way that as mammals, we can only imagine. Their connection is weather related and the cycles of our Earth, our Sun and our  Moon have created a pattern over the eons that turtles have become programmed with. To keep a turtle in captivity means we must duplicate a natural environment to the best of our ability, and to keep a baby turtle as a pet is indeed an daunting task, as he may well live more than 100 years.

Baby Box Turtles needs are simple, but specific. Although Omnivores as adults, Baby box turtles need protein and calcium for their shells to grow strong, and start out their life journey as strict carnivores. Living among the leaf litter on the forest floor, they wait for food to come their way, eating pill bugs, worms and beetles.

If you have found a baby box turtle and are looking for the best option for release Please consider the following:

  • As an adult your baby will need 2-10 acres of undisturbed habitat
  • with native plants and natural clean water.
  • A natural forest floor with leaves and rotting logs.
  • it is always best to place a moved turtle near a water source and a natural hide (downed tree etc)
  • If in doubt, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator , or a wildlife veterinarian that can give you names of qualified people that can help.

 

Turtles are Unique and Amazing!

We are fortunate to be living among them, in their world.

Sadly, if we do not become more considerate of our actions when we destroy habitat and pollute our earth, it is likely that they will disappear in the wild within a generation or two.

The Eastern Box Turtle is one of the most unique and beautiful turtles in the world. Each one different, with patterns and colors, and as unique as you and me. Thank you for learning more about our shelled friends and please help us protect them for future generations!  Educate, Donate and Volunteer.

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