Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted to give a very big "THANKS" ahead of time for all of your future responses, opinions and time taken in reading my post. I am in a bit of a compromising dilemma and I need as much collective information as possible on this matter in making a decision for the future of this box turtle.
Four days ago my father found a fully mature female box turtle going through his back yard in Tyrone, Georgia (30 miles south of Atlanta). He put her in a box and has given her to me so that I may take pictures of her before releasing. She is deffinately old and has been through alot! The edges of her carapace seemed to have been gnawed on numerous times and are only defined by healed knobs and rubs. However she is also absolutely beautiful with her orange and yellow hues!
In the past year, the surrounding area of my dads subdivision has been graded and excevated as they have built a second phase to the subdivision. We are looking 400 acres of land and with future projects in the neighboring area to come.
I have read that as box turtles mature, they develop a territory of a number of acres and that they know where to go for food/water, hibernation, and nesting. I have also read that relocating these animals can be stressful in the possible adaptation of a new area (not knowing where to find food/ water and hibernate). Not to mention, that relocating also cuts back on the area population that which they were found in as it is yet one less turtle in the breeding pool. There is also concern that I have heard that they try to return to the nesting grounds no matter how far they were moved. As you can see, there are so many factors and I need your help to clarify their truth.
I am just having a hard time justifying letting her go back into that subdivision. Yes, she may know where the water and food is but it actually may not be there much longer. Also, with all the construction, she is bound to be killed. If I do, on the other hand, release her back into the subdivision, she may breed a few more times and the population of her offspring will be inevitably decreased by development but at least she will be in the breeding pool.
My plan was to let her go at my parents mountain house where the box turtle population is incredibly strong. I have never known a more populated area, ever. It is in Habersham County Georgia which has a low population of people and lots of rolling hills or better known as the Blue Ridge/ Appalachian Mountain area. And that is where I am posting this message from now as I am up here for a weekend and I do have her with me.

If I let her go, will she:
A) Adapt to her new surroundings?

B) Overcome the stress if she has any at all and find a hibernation site in time before winter?

C) Will she try to make the journey 150 miles south during breeding season or will she accept a new breeding grounds?

Please realize I want what is initially best for her. If it means letting her go back into the subdivision, I will but I am really going to hate to.

Before posting this, I did call a naturalist at the South Carolina Nature center and her opinion was to let her go in the mountains and that she will adapt in time for winter.

Anyhow, please give me your thoughts on this and once again, thank you for your time! We appreciate it greatly!
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1.3 leopards( 1 tremper albino,1 high yellow,1 blizzard, 1 tang)1.0 African fattail 1.0, 1.1 r. ciliatus (Harlequin flames), 0.0.1 r. auriculatus, 1.0 Beardie (50% German Giant x Cawley Red X Hypo Red/Flaming Tiger),1.0 mexican red knee tarantula,1.0 albino sonoran gopher,1.0 eastern painted turtle,0.1 sun conure,2.1 Ball pythons (1 pastel,2 het for albino), and two chihuahuas.

I would put her back where she was found. That is really the kindest thing to do. I realise that you are concerned about ongoing development, but translocating her is a bad idea and is less humane than just leaving her in her home range. The odds of her surviving and/or remaining where you've taken her are not good. ALOT of research has been done on this subject and really the numbers are not in favor of the turtle.

Based on what you said in your post, it sounds like you know this already.

There is a very real risk of inadvertantly introducing other problems along with the turtle: she may well carry a strain of a disease that the mountain population is not immune to. This is a problem with releasing a turtle from one area into another, and is not limited to releasing captive turtles. So, while you may buy this one turtle some time, your actions could have a serious negative impact on the existing population.

The odds that she will find a suitable hibernation site in an area where (presumably) winter weather is colder than what she accustomed to are not good either.

And yes, she would probably endeavor to return to her home range, no doubt trying to cross many a road in her effort to find familiar territory.

Let her live out the rest of her natural life in her own home.

You've been given good advice; but here's more to consider.

All the research states that moving a boxie can affect their home range, favorite feeding, mating areas, drinking locations etc...

A displaced boxie is one mixed up critter; but leaving her in this situation is akin to displacing her.

The percentages are around 40% of those moved will take to the new area - successfully.

Most of the time I would say leave them be... but in this situation you have described; it would most assuringly be certain death for this particular boxie at the end of a bulldozer. Not a natural way to go. Putting the boxie back in an area that she won't even recognize would also mess up all her homing instincts ........feeding, mating, finding water, as those places as she knows no longer exist. I can picture her trying to find a recognizable burrow or shade tree and while spending time searching, be caught by a dozer shovel.... Or her shell crushed by steel tracks.. It seems to me her native area is gone and is now a death trap.

Granted moving her would be traumatic for her, and stressful, but she has a chance!

I don't think it would endanger the boxie population there. It's just as viruses travel it's a relatively short distance. ( Tractors moving earth in one location can pick up dirt/ feces on their wheels along with box turtle viruses and the next day be plowing earth for a new driveway or patio mixing the earth and box turtle feces from 80 miles away.) I don't think in 80- 150 miles the viruses are any different than the viruses/ bacteria at her home range. Viruses move with the wind, rivers, people and traffic. Many boxies caught in storms float down rivers to areas many miles away each year taking viruses further each time. Now if we were moving her to a much more northerly state; it would be a much higher chance of introducing new viruses.

Considering all the factors, I think moving her to a relatively short distance would not endanger the present boxie population. Leaving her would be a certain short lived death. Moving her although risky for her; at least gives her a chance at life and procreation.

So for the above reasons; I believe it would be best to move her.

Thanks for sharing your dilemma. It's a tough one.

Ric K.

I have to agree with Ric. One other option might be seeing if a wildlife rehabber would be willing to take the boxie and work to help it get acclimated to its new environment. If the boxie can find food they will stay in an area. Different rehabbers will go to different lengths to help animals.

Another point to consider is the aftermath of the new development. The area will be filled with new families. Before the fences go up there will be children exploring their new backyards and any woods nearby along with their pet dogs.

If by some miracle she survives the bulldozers and tractors and final grading of the development. Little boys meaning well, and their dogs are going to find any remaining banged up boxies; that further lowers her survival percentages.

Ric K.

"I am just having a hard time justifying letting her go back into that subdivision. Yes, she may know where the water and food is but it actually may not be there much longer."

Have you contacted the county zoning board or other appropriate authority to look at maps to find out exactly where the development is going to be located and when it will be done? That information is a matter of public record, so you shouldn't have difficulty obtaining permission to look at maps.

It would be a good way for you to make a more informed decision: you may find out that there will be enough contiguous acreage of prime habitat left untouched in the turtle's presumed home range.

There are risks either way, as you well know, but you can also do some more homework before making a decision.

I am not going to have to do that much digging to see what the future projects for that area are going to be. My folks are with the home owners assoc. and in the last meeting they said 400 houses were going up and these houses are on single acre lots if not more. Plus, I went on Google Earth (if you havent downloaded this, you need to! Download it and put your address in. It will zoom right into an arial view of your house, plus its fun to play with if you can get over the paranoia!) and looked at the development. I also learned how close the local rock quarrey really was. Honestly, the most open area around the subdivision is the gas line which gets mowed every 2-3 months.
Tomorrow, I will contact a gentleman named Tony Mills. He is with the Savannah ecology and research labratory and his forte' is these little chelonians. He will have to be the one to make the final decision for me because this is too much of a catch 22 and I am running out of time.
Thanks again all of you for the advice. I greatly appreciate it.
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1.3 leopards( 1 tremper albino,1 high yellow,1 blizzard, 1 tang)1.0 African fattail 1.0, 1.1 r. ciliatus (Harlequin flames), 0.0.1 r. auriculatus, 1.0 Beardie (50% German Giant x Cawley Red X Hypo Red/Flaming Tiger),1.0 mexican red knee tarantula,1.0 albino sonoran gopher,1.0 eastern painted turtle,0.1 sun conure,2.1 Ball pythons (1 pastel,2 het for albino), and two chihuahuas.

That sounds like a good idea. Please let us know what he has to say on the matter and what happens to the little guy. Thanks for being so concerned about him. I wish there were more people like you around.

I too- am impressed with your obviously deep concern regarding this boxie and the time and thought you have given it.

Either way you decide; it's a difficult decision, and sometimes you have to go with your "gut " feelings. Hopefully your friend, Tony, will ease that decision. Wish I could have been of more help.

Ric K.