Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm going to let the little baby box turtle go. I've kept the baby so that it can go to this class too. After today it needs to be in the wild so I'm gonna miss the little terror lol but I need to do what's best for it.
That is the most bold little baby I have ever seen! Really cracks me up.
I've decided on taking it to that educational center I talked about, the baby can be released on the land behind the building where there is a natural pond back there. I can let it go somewhere in the vicinity of that pond so there'll be a water source nearby. I don't want to get too close to the pond but near it.
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PHRatz

And so baby is now gone into the wild where I hope he or she will be happy. I hope it's not eaten by a predator & will breed more babies one day.
What a cutie that baby is!
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PHRatz

did you make sure the area had an good year long food supply?
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My Site
1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.1 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.0 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks

Ornata and luteola are almost strict insectivores in the wild. It would be hard to find an area in Texas that didn't have hourds of grasshoppers, one of ornata's primary food sources. What were you referring to as a "year-round food source"?

Great job Ratz! I know how hard it is to release a hatchling when all you want to do is keep and dote upon it. It must be especially difficult with ornata, they have such strong personalities from the minute they emerge from the egg.

This is a hatchling of mine, kept far from their native range. I don't know if I could release if even if I had to.

T.o.luteola - wow! I need to update my photos. I know I keep saying that. This turtle has doubled his/her size.

>>Ornata and luteola are almost strict insectivores in the wild. It would be hard to find an area in Texas that didn't have hourds of grasshoppers, one of ornata's primary food sources. What were you referring to as a "year-round food source"?

Exactly. In a spot where there is native plant life growing wild near a source of water, there will be no shortage of insects that's for sure.

>>Great job Ratz! I know how hard it is to release a hatchling when all you want to do is keep and dote upon it. It must be especially difficult with ornata, they have such strong personalities from the minute they emerge from the egg.
>>
Thanks Ken. This one sure does have a strong personality but like I said before I can't keep every single one that falls into my hands or I'll be overrun.

Your hatchling is very pretty, looks very healthy. I don't think you could release that one either being so far away from it's native land. Yes update those photos so we can all see.
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PHRatz

Thanks for the compliment on the hatchling. No, there will be no releasing any of my ornata, luteola, bauri, triunguis, or major. I'm still in the process of starting colonies. My turtles are fairly young, but I hope to have captive breeding colonies in the near future. I rescue carolina, since they are the only box turtle native to my area. I release (well, have released) countless numbers of them. Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as I used to for working with rescues. I'm hoping that, in the the next 10 years or so, I can pass that torch onto my daughter.

you're right, I was thinking t.c. instead of t.o. , my bad
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My Site
1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.1 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.0 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks

I do the same thing. When I hear "box turtle", I immediately think of an Eastern. We're just so Eastern-US-o-centric aren't we?

I've lived on the East Coast most of my life (brief stint abroad) and, growing up, I didn't even know there were any other box turtles except Easterns. So even now when someone mentions box turtles, I think of Easterns first.

Its funny because even though I live in the east (north east) when I think of box turtles I think of ornates, because that is what I have. I have never even seen an eastern box turtle except in pictures. As far as I know they are long gone from my area.

It's understandable that most people would think Eastern.
I always think ornate because that's all I ever see.
I forget too that what works for mine won't always work for someone else's turtle.. which is why I realized I wasted my money when I bought cypress mulch & put it outside in the turtle housing area. They hated it & because I did that I drove them away from their favorite outdoor spots. LOL Had to get rid of it for them.
It's just the differences in the areas they come from.
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PHRatz