At the beginning post you say you are "head starting" the Box Turtles. Are you collecting wild Box Turtle eggs or from a captive group. If they are captive the term "head start" usually applies to eventual release into nature. Are you aware of the various diseases such as the RI epizootics in wild Gopherus polephemus and Gopherus agassizii populations caused by well meaning people releasing captive tortoises with diseases into wild populations. As Terrapene populations are already under tremendous impact from many factors a disease introduced could be the proverbial "straw that broke the camels back". Also if these are wild populations that are being harvested for eggs this could become problematical to the populations being harvested as Terrapene carolina like most Chelonians have a low reproductive rate. Your post indicates that these Terrapene are either temporary captives or are permanent captives. I'm very curious as to why you are doing this. In any secenario if these "head started" turtles are being released this could be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode if you're not very careful. In any case actual releases of any captive herp is something not to be taken lightly...Thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

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