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Ok, this is Squirt. I am really not sure what kind of box he/she is as he is not marked like my ornates. Or maybe it is because he is young. I really don't remember what all my other turtles looked like when they were this age. Maybe the others aren't ornates! Anyway....if he is not the same as the others, I will have to keep him in a separate enclosure or let him just have the yard as his home when he gets larger.

So what's the verdict?

I hope everyone had a nice week-end and that the week brings nothing but good things your way. Take care! .....9boxies

Wow, what a cool carapace!

More pictures and more background info would help.

Could just be a unique ornate pattern.

At first this is one photo that made me think "hybrid", which I am often doubtful about since most photos I see of turtles that are purported to be hybrids just look like three toeds to me.

But, the more I look, the more I think it is just a really cool ornate. The head coloring/shape and leg coloring are definately that of an ornate.

Again, more photos and background info would be helpful.

Very very interesting!!
This one sure doesn't look like any wild ones I see around here.
Is the plastron marked too?
I can't answer your question but I really enjoy looking at the photo.
That is one beautiful little boxie!
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PHRatz

Gorgeous!!!!!!!

Ditto to Steffke!

That is surely a very pretty turtle. I'm thinking that it's a highly colorful ornata. It could be an ornata luteola (Desert box turtle) as they tend to have more lines on their carapace. Most importantly, it structurally looks like an ornate to me.

Two young Deserts that look slightly similar...

I was wondering about a ornate X desert hybrid too. Amazing bright rays either way though. I hope that we'll see more of this turtle over time to see how he develops.

I will try and get a picture of Squirt's underside if dh will hold him for me to do so. A little info about him......I don't know if the lady who gave him to my daughter (to give to me) would know what type he/she is or not. You see.....when the family moved into the home, the turtles were already in the backyard. The seller of the house didn't want to take the turtles as that had been their home for who knows how long. Anyway....Squirt was a hatchling the new owner found before the family dog did. Who knows......could be that there are several different kinds there and this is a x-breed.

Well, I will try and get that picture later on today and get it posted here. You all have a good day today. Take care! .........9boxies

I think that he/she is a three toed. Any one else have another idea.

>>I think that he/she is a three toed. Any one else have another idea.

Yesterday I got a cheap box turtle book in a herp supply order & ya know it's ahhhh ok as far as glossing over details goes (the book isn't that big, not enough room for too much)but what I really like about it is it has a lot of color photos.
I see a 3 toed in the book that does have a similar pattern to squirt so I think that's a good guess.
I have no real idea but it's a good guess!
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PHRatz

My guess is either a 3-toed or gulfc coast.

Here's a 3-toed.

And here is a sibling from the same mother. (Father is one of two 3-toeds).

So you can see they vary greatly. Another thing I noticed with 3-toeds is that some start with nice patterns in their shells and then about half way to adult size they turn a plain tan-ish color.

Ok, I looked back on my disk that I had from the time I took the pictures of
squirt so you could see the magenta spots on him and I had a picture of him on his back so I posted it to the gallery. Anyway......I will see if I can get them on this post. I can't remember who but someone had asked for more views of him, so here (hopefully) is a pic of right side up and upside down of him/her.

I agree, he/she does look like one of the three-toed that someone posted. Anyway....if that is what Squirt is, I will have to do some more reading to see what the difference is in him/her and the ornates that I have. That way I can care for squirt properly.

You all have a good day and an awesome week-end! Take care! ....9boxies