Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Early this morning the phone rang waking us up, it was the neighbor next door.
Could I come out & look at a turtle?
The man had gone to throw food out for the wild birds & saw this one trying to get into our gate so he picked it up thinking it may be my girl who got loose almost 3 years ago.
I get outside & it's not her.

They said they'd had her for about an hour because they didn't want to call too early. They said this one is friendly didn't act scared of them.. so I went ahead & took her from them over the fence then set her down to see if she'd walk so I could get a really good look at that tail but she didn't walk right away. She did eat for me though, she saw who gave her the food & didn't mind at all taking it from me.

I can't keep her so I guess I'll just have to open the gate & let her go.
I can't do that just yet though because.... well...
Hobo found her before I got back out from brushing teeth & such. eek!
He's having a nice morning...
lol

She's a pretty one isn't she?

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PHRatz

Well that just means there will be more wild baby turtles running around your area. Perhaps she knew Hobo was there and was trying to meet him!

She is a beauty though.

Great story! Since they are both native to your area, maybe they have some "past history" together, LOL!

I thought about that.. maybe they have met before & it's really a good thing that Hobo is still in the gene pool.
They are native to the same region so what the heck maybe her eggs will hatch & the babies will make it.
Since she was trying to get in at the front gate going North hopefully she'll do ok. All the building that's going on around us is to the South and to the West. The street behind us that's to the N. is like our street- an already established neighborhood.
Behind that is pasture land that I think belongs to someone privately & is not a part of this edition.. I hope.
After 4 hours when it was finally over, Hobo walked off & didn't come out for food in the evening. I guess he was just too tired LOL!
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PHRatz

Very nice looking turtle, is she an ornate? The reason I ask
I just obtained an ornate boxie female and she looks like that one.

norristhenut

It's a Florida Box turtle(T.c. bauri).

>>It's a Florida Box turtle(T.c. bauri).

I can see how easy it is to get them confused but we're in West TX near the NM border so it's not likely a FL box would be around here unless it were a lost pet.
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PHRatz

Good point, and at a second glance I can see you're right. A quick first glance at the yellow stripe on the side of the head fooled me.

>>Good point, and at a second glance I can see you're right. A quick first glance at the yellow stripe on the side of the head fooled me.

I've talked about this before but I'll say it again because it's been a while.
I sometimes see what I think of as odd markings on box turtles around here & my theory has always been it's because we live in an area where T.o. ornata & T.o. luetola overlap.
I think they breed with one another & then we end up seeing the odd markings that never look like the pictures I see in a book or on the web.

You just never know what you'll see so it's pretty interesting.
The very first time I saw a FL box turtle photo though, I was surprised by how much they look like ornate.
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PHRatz

Hi Ratz, would you look at this pix pls? Is this a Florida?
thanks. I have had her for about 2 years now. She was a dog bite victim left at our local Humane society. Thanks.

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Patsy

Based on the plastron I'd say it's a Florida box because all the ornates have an ornate plastron to go along with the ornate carapace. The carapace sure does look ornate though doesn't it?
Plus the head is way more colorful than any ornates I've seen at least in this region.
That's a really pretty box turtle Pasty!
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PHRatz

btw what do the rest of you think?
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PHRatz

Yup, you nailed it. That is a Florida box turtle.

Thanks once again Ratz. Geez, I'm just get a key that auto types Thanks Ratz! You are v. generous w/ your time.
Oh, I just went back to the pix and see what you mean. I am so clueless about which box is which. I believe I have three 3toed and a 3toed hatchling, but I am not sure about them either.
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Patsy

You're welcome Patsy..
btw ornates tend to be much more carnivorous than other box turtles so it's harder to get them to eat vegetation.
Mine love berries & in fact tomorrow we're going out to pick some cactus berries because it's that time of year & not only can the tortoise eat them but all the boxes (except Chip)love them.
Veggies though, & green stuff... they seldom if ever will touch anything green.
I tried some avocado since the board certified avian vet said it's only the pit & the peel that are toxic.
Well... not one of them would touch it. LOL
They'll eat grapes, banana, strawberry, mulberry, cactus berry but green anything? I give up!
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PHRatz

Yes Norris she is ornate.
Is she T.o. ornata or T.o. luteola? I dunno.. we have so many around here that could be either or.
Her head is very very yellow like my Mr. Chip & he is obviously T.o. luteola. He's plain looking.
Hobo on the other hand is obviously T.o. luteola & his head is very green.
Either way, they are all ornate around here.
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PHRatz

She's a beauty...I bet they've already met before.