Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
While I was out dirt bike riding my Grandparents called me and told me they had found a Box Turtle. I dont think it was a pet because he is not eating. I want to release him on a private golf coarse, do you think the chemicals would bother him? I've found many snakes there and they're fine. It's a great place but im just worried about the grass ferilizer. Thanks for a response!
~Tyler
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

Are you sure he's not eating because he's wild or could it be that he was a pet & isn't well?
Might be better to call a local rehabber & turn it over to him/her so that someone who deals with them all the time can determine what it needs.
I fear golf courses because my DH plays golf & he's seen people attempt to abuse turtles on the course- trying to use them as tees. DH stopped them but how many turtles get abused when there isn't anyone to stop the idiot humans?
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PHRatz

Golf courses are not really great areas for wildlife...they tend not to have much in the way of diversity of plant material, and there is typically a heavy use of chemicals to control weeds, insects and to fertilize.
Is there any reason why the turtle could not be released near to where it was found (after a health check)?

I dont think any body would hurt this turtle. Tiger Woods and Sean Connery play at this golf course. People are too rich to bother turtles here. There are also many many acres of land where he can roam without ferilizers hurting him. This isnt realy a golf course it's a town. It's been named the smallest and in america or at least New Jersey. There are many animals there, especially toads. If it was going to hurt him wouldnt it hurt the toads? Thank you for the replies!
~Tyler
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

Im sorry I forgot to answer the last question. I dont want to let him go where I found him because the nearest lake is 10 blocks away and it is no place where he can survive. Here are pics. Can you tell me if he looks wild or not.

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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

The best thing for him would be to release him right back where you found him. He looks to be a healthy young male, probably wild. The fact that there's no lake where you found him doesn't have anything to do with it. They don't live in lakes-they're terrestrial and spend most of their time in wooded areas and not out in the open anyway. If he was out in the open, it was probably early in the day and he was just moving from one area of cover to another. They have a homing instinct, so if you move him to the golf course he won't stay put and will just try to get back to where he was and probably get nailed by a car along the way. A golf course is just the wrong kind of habitat for a box turtle because of all the open area. They want to be in the woods or close to the edge of the woods, not out in the open where people and predators can spot them easily.

Im not trying to argue at all, but wont he have more of a chance of getting hit where we found him. This is not wooded. These are houses on little areas of land. If you look up 5th ave Lindenwold New Jersey on google earth, that is no place for boxie to live is it? Im just trying to give him a good life, and I know for a fact that once you look at the area you will think the same.
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

It sounds like you have already made up your mind about this.

You will not be doing this turtle any favors by relocating it, especially not to a golf course. Golf courses are so intensively manicured that they are remarkably devoid of diversity of plant material and wildlife. There is no guarantee that the turtle will stay in the area that you have deemed to be safer.

I am currently involved in a relocation study, and a "rescued" turtle was recently brought to the tract where the study is being conducted. This turtle was fitted with a radio transmitter to track his movements...within a short he had traveled over 2 miles, and is still on the move. AWAY from the nice safe tract where he was released.

The turtle you have has apparently survived quite well in the area where it was found...please put it back there.

BTW, many states have laws prohibiting the relocation of wildlife, and box turtles are protected in the state of NJ, so you should probably be contacting state officials or a licensed rehabber instead of seeking affirmation here on the internet.

Got to agree with stephF contacting state officials or a licensed rehabber is best. We got one three months ago and believe she was moving due to construction. Where she was found the were no trees in sight and very little grass. The UPS driver picked her up on a seven lane road by a kmart. She now lives in a enclosed area we built nursing her road hit wounds. If you don't put him back were you found him he will try to "GO Home". If there is that much traffic find a rehabblitator and have a good piece of mind. Golf courses also have big mowers they can't move from. and the chemicals are really bad like the two headed red ear found at Atlanta Country Club (maybe a product of chemicals.

OK thank you all very much! Im sorry if I sounded stubborn. We contacted the NJ division of fish and wildlife. They didnt pick up but we left a general message and our number. Thank you very much again!
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

In Herplover's defense...I've spent weeks in Lindenwold, and I know the area precisely where this turtle was found. "It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap. We gotta get out while we're young."...sorry, bad Bruce Springsteen reference(he's from near there). I'd bet anything that this turtle is an escaped pet. Herplover made a good decision by not releasing the animal in this spot. Of course, it's hard for anyone to know that without having been there. Steph, think of it as the areas 1-2 miles outside of center city Richmond...with more roads.

If you have a hard time reaching someone at the wildlife agency, let us know. I can get the contact information for the person who does this type of thing, but it may take a while.

Yes thank you! Nothing but street basicaly. But you could call that the nice part of Lindenwold. They still didnt get back to us, so my Mother and I are goung to call again when she gets home from work. I have the info they need, but I dont think they're going to listen to me, I'm too young.But thank you agian every! I'll tell you when they get back to me!
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

Go to this pond near me (Since they own this area) and let him go back in the woods they said it would be good for him because it is near a permanant body if water and there is 18 acres of land for him to roam freely! Thanks to everyone for there help!
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty

Ok I live right near you I assume your talking about pine valley to release the turtle. I use to caddy there and trust me there are lots of boxies there along with many reptiles. It is very pine barrens like there and has a significant amount of quality habitat, lots of streams, sphaghnum swamps, etc. It is a classic golf course carved into the woods, not some parkland stripped of trees, it was built how golf course are suppose to be. However if wild he will go right back to were he came from. I know camden county boxie spots like the back of my hand. If you want I can come out and help see if you have suitable habitat were you found him. If not I can help you relocate him. I'm also very skillful at determining whether it is someones pet or not. Email me at cjoneill12@comcast.net if you would like, I could help you out. Also camden county has a large amount of backyard boxies, they simply stay in a backyard and live out there lives. Email me I'd be happy to help.
Chris

pine valley is so amazing but you have to have a special authorization to even get in there! they have there own private police force! it is ranked the the number one golf corse in the USA. its in clemeton by the park i live 10mins away from there its like boxie paradise.and man it is such a great place to golf and herp too. good luck

It very well could be a juvie, which it looks like from the pic. Juvies have a tendency to wander. I wouldn't be suprised if it is living along that stream to the north, or to the right of chews landing road, or pine hill golf club. Believe it or not you've got a decent amount of boxie habitat around that locale. And remember boxie don't need much land at all to live out there lives, a backyard is perfectly adequate, a garden probably is for that matter.

I dont know if you know where Rowand's Pond is? I took him yesterday and released him there. I stayed a little while to see where he went and he went down to get a drink and then burried in some Pine needles. It seems like a great spot for him, not a lot of trash all the cover he needs, and lots of water. Thank you very much for the help though. Yes, I didnt feel like arguing with people about Pine Valley. I knew it would be good to realese him around the swamps. I even know of a natural sring back there where I could let him go. He wasnt eating so I had to do something soon. But also, Pine valley is home to some kids on Dune Buggies and dirt bikes. I ride, but I look for wildlife so I dont hit them. My dad's boss's kid's on the other hand, dont!
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As I turned around I smelled a
horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

~Ty