All the box turtles I find I photograph from the bottom, top and front. I do it mainly for ID purpose if I find them again. I never pick up snakes, lizards, frogs, salamanders. They are too fragile and I know how much picking up an animal can stress it. Turtles are a little more hardy, and it is only for a brief minute to get photos. I've never encountered one with an all black bottom. However, my male which my grandpop bought back in the day from a guy who got it from NC has a all black bottom. Ken, they may not be raided by raccoons I just assume this. It could be oppossum, fox, or yote. Box turtles that lay there eggs in community like nesting areas seemed to get hit hard. What I mean by this is I see raided nest in breaks in the forest where the sun really hits the ground hard. I also see alot on trails, my guess is the ones that are more secretive about there spots do better. But if I see forty raided nests that means there is forty females in a 1/2 mile area. At least it is the food cycle doing damage and not a poacher. This is the closest I've seen to all black, its a wild male just out of hibernation this year.

[ Hide Replies ]

• Some ancient wild box turtles - dragoncjo, Wed Jun 21 18:17:26 2006
• RE: Some ancient wild box turtles - PHRatz, Wed Jun 21 19:38:25 2006
• south jersey box turtles... - FrankR, Wed Jun 21 19:39:25 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - kensopher, Wed Jun 21 20:23:14 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - dragoncjo, Wed Jun 21 21:37:55 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - dragoncjo, Wed Jun 21 21:46:13 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - kensopher, Thu Jun 22 06:21:11 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - dragoncjo, Thu Jun 22 09:00:55 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - boxielover, Thu Jun 22 23:54:14 2006
• she's AWESOME n/p - FrankR, Sun Jun 25 17:58:41 2006
• RE: south jersey box turtles... - kensopher, Fri Jun 23 06:06:00 2006