Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Small size of box turtle


Box turtle is not ocean turtle, but considered as a pond turtle. The turtle might be found in areas such as:


- shrubby grasslands

- woodlands

- forest edges

- rainfall or watery areas

- stream or small river


We may distinguish sex different in box turtles by see their eye and size. Red eyes for males, and yellow brown eyes for females.


Males larger than females. These turtles could reach 5 inches (13 cm) long, and 2 pounds (1 kg) weight. You may easily handle this turtle with your hand. I mean with one hand only. 



Shell of right up a box turtle


Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard? There are many reasons, one of them that my backyard is close to their habitat.


It is common to box turtle to roaming around, especially in summer season. However, they will travel no more than 1 mile (1.6 km) from their home.



Bottom (upside down) shell of a box turtle


Summer is the peak time to lay eggs. Box turtle may lay eggs about 5, but could be 11 eggs in one season.



A box turtle crawl on the grass of backyard


Incubating period for eggs to hatch is 60 days, about the same incubating periods with sea turtles.


Unfortunately, there are many predators for both eggs and new hatch-ling box turtles, some of predators:

- skunks,

- snakes

- owls

- coyotes

- foxes

- raccoon

- chipmunks


Have you seen box turtles? Where? 

35 comments:

  1. Oh wow that is neat you have them in your yard, we have lots of snakes so it wouldn't be a good thing for them to come in our yard, I didn't know they had different eye color

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't ever seen any in my yard, but I did move one across the road a few weeks back before it got hit by a car.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's a beautiful turtle. I love the colouring and markings.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Omg so cute! I love the little turtles. Saw a few when I was in Cancun on vacay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for your informative article 😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks -
      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?
      -
      Small size of box turtle

      Box turtle is not ocean turtle, but considered as a pond turtle. The turtle might be found in areas such as:

      - shrubby grasslands
      - woodlands
      - forest edges
      - rainfall or watery areas
      - stream or small river

      We may distinguish sex different in box turtles by see their eye and size. Red eyes for males, and yellow brown eyes for females.

      Males larger than females. These turtles could reach 5 inches (13 cm) long, and 2 pounds (1 kg) weight. You may easily handle this turtle with your hand. I mean with one hand only.

      Delete
  6. I would consider it an honour to have this visitor. I hope it stays well and avoids its predators.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are so cute! We don't have any in our yard as we have too many of their predictors but my daughter has had them pass through a few times this summer. So cute!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Interesting and beautiful.
    Greetings and have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Replies
    1. Thanks -
      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?
      -
      Shell of right up a box turtle

      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard? There are many reasons, one of them that my backyard is close to their habitat.

      It is common to box turtle to roaming around, especially in summer season. However, they will travel no more than 1 mile (1.6 km) from their home.

      Delete
  10. No box turtles in our backyard. Thank goodness. The kids would definitely want to keep it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's nice to hear from you, thanks a lot. You're welcome =)
    Have a wonderful weekend too

    What a nice post =) I like turtles a lot, they are so cute *-*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks -
      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?
      -
      Bottom (upside down) shell of a box turtle

      Summer is the peak time to lay eggs. Box turtle may lay eggs about 5, but could be 11 eggs in one season.

      Delete
  12. You captured beautiful creatures and shared such interesting info about it. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I live close (read next) to a forest and these often visit me. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks -
      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?
      -
      A box turtle crawl on the grass of backyard

      Incubating period for eggs to hatch is 60 days, about the same incubating periods with sea turtles.

      Unfortunately, there are many predators for both eggs and new hatch-ling box turtles, some of predators:
      - skunks,
      - snakes
      - owls
      - coyotes
      - foxes
      - raccoon
      - chipmunks


      Have you seen box turtles? Where?

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. Thanks -
      Why Box Turtles Come in My Backyard?
      -
      Small size of box turtle

      Box turtle is not ocean turtle, but considered as a pond turtle. The turtle might be found in areas such as:

      - shrubby grasslands
      - woodlands
      - forest edges
      - rainfall or watery areas
      - stream or small river

      We may distinguish sex different in box turtles by see their eye and size. Red eyes for males, and yellow brown eyes for females.

      Males larger than females. These turtles could reach 5 inches (13 cm) long, and 2 pounds (1 kg) weight. You may easily handle this turtle with your hand. I mean with one hand only.

      Delete
  15. Red eyes for males and yelliw brown for femmes. Interesting. Wish I had a box turtle in my my back yard.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great post on the Box Turtles. I did not know the male and females had different eye colors. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend.
    PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  17. That's really neat. We see more Gopher Tortoises here but these box turtles sure have pretty shells!

    ReplyDelete