Common Box Turtle

1 Overview

The Carolina box turtle comprises six subspecies, each differing in the patterns on its carapace. In recent years, as box turtle numbers have declined, interbreeding between subspecies has made identification increasingly difficult. The Carolina box turtle ranges from the eastern United States through Canada and Mexico, and its most distinctive feature is its box-like shell. It is largely terrestrial, highly omnivorous, and remarkably long-lived. Human activity has damaged its habitat and driven its numbers steadily downward. It is also the state reptile of three U.S. states.

2 Physical Characteristics

The overall appearance of the Carolina box turtle resembles a box. There are six subspecies in total, each distinguished by the patterns on its carapace, yet the basic body structure remains the same. It is distributed across both Mexico and the United States.

The Carolina box turtle is the most widespread and abundant box turtle in the United States, with the Eastern box turtle being the most common. The head is pale yellow, the eyeball black, and the iris orange-red. The upper edge of the mouth curves downward. The carapace is fairly high with a central keel; its color consists mainly of interlaced black-and-yellow blotches and streaky lines, and the carapace rim flares outward. Coloration varies considerably between individuals. The plastron is pale yellow with a black blotch on each scute. A ligament connects the pectoral and abdominal scutes, allowing the shell to close completely. The limbs are yellowish-brown, with five claws on the front feet and four on the hind feet; the scales are yellow, and the tail is relatively slender and short.

Males have a thinner, somewhat elongated shell and a thick, long tail base; females have a higher, rounder carapace and a slender, short tail. There are six subspecies in all, and they differ greatly from one another. Two of them are found only in Mexico — Terrapene carolina mexicana and Terrapene carolina yucatana — and are quite rare. The other four are bred in large numbers in the United States.

3 Care & Maintenance

Carolina box turtles are relatively easy to keep, and they are among the more commonly kept species, with the Eastern box turtle being the most prevalent. Providing a good environment and a sensible diet is all it takes for them to thrive.

1. Keeping the Carolina Box Turtle

The Carolina box turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on berries, fungi, earthworms, snails, and insects. In captivity it can be fed roughly 50% animal protein such as crickets, mealworms, and small fish, 40% leafy greens and fruit, and 10% wild plants such as alfalfa or dandelion. It has a large appetite. Wild individuals can live 30–40 years. In 1979 it was designated the state turtle of North Carolina, and it is listed under CITES Appendix II.

2. Hibernation of the Carolina Box Turtle

Carolina box turtles begin hibernating in their first year of life. Adult Eastern and Three-toed box turtles prepare for hibernation on their own outdoors. You can also let them hibernate in an outdoor cold-frame, in a refrigerator, or in a cool, dark indoor space. Hibernation generally lasts two to three months depending on the region of origin, at a temperature of 4–8°C. It is essential to keep the substrate very moist. An environment that is too cold can easily cause ear abscesses in box turtles, which can be checked by gently pressing both sides of the head. A cold yet dry environment, on the other hand, tends to cause eye inflammation.

4 Natural Habitat

The Carolina box turtle’s enclosure can be divided into two parts: the setup for the hibernation period and the setup for the active growing season. These turtles are quite resilient, and a proper environment helps them adapt well to captive care.

1. Setting Up the Carolina Box Turtle’s Environment

The Carolina box turtle needs a warm, high-humidity environment. High humidity does not mean the substrate must be wet, but if you use turf or soil-based substrate, the turtle will be very content. Box turtles need a lot of water — they both drink and soak — so a clean, shallow water dish should always be available. Because they are omnivorous, their droppings smell unpleasant and do not dry out easily; worse still, they like to relieve themselves in the water dish, so the water must be changed frequently.

2. Care During Hibernation

For the winter environment, if you do not provide heating, be sure to offer a tray of soil. The soil should be at least twice as deep as the turtle’s carapace height and must be moisture-rich (a little extra wetness is fine), giving the turtle a place to dig in and bury itself. You will find that the turtle loves to hide in the soil pile — not necessarily to hibernate, since on warmer days it may poke its head out. This soil tray mainly provides a retreat for rest and for maintaining bodily functions. If a Carolina box turtle is kept in a dry, cold environment for long periods, its eyes are prone to problems; if winter is wet and cold, the turtle needs a dark, humid place to rest. Either way, providing such a soil tray in winter is necessary.

5 Care Guidelines

The Carolina box turtle lives mainly on land, active by day and resting at night, and is easier to spot after rain. As an omnivore, it forages among fallen leaves, logs, and near the nests of small mammals, and will occasionally eat carrion. In warm summer months it may appear at the edges of swampy areas, likely to escape the heat. When its body temperature gets too high (above roughly 32°C), it secretes saliva and smears it on its limbs and head to cool down through evaporation. For its hind limbs, which it cannot reach, it achieves the same effect by urinating on them.