the ornate box turtle I found on the way to Walmart yesterday. This guy was a big male, green head, bright eyes, bright orange dots on his front legs. He was alert and active. I didn't intimidate him at all. He had good weight. I didn't want him to get hit so I got him out of the street.
I noticed that he had parts of his shell skinned down to to white and plastron was cracked. I turned around and took him home where I could get a closer look. This guy had definately been around. His shell looked like he had slid on his back or may had been hit by a mower. He was missing one of his front toes. The front of his shell looked like he had been chewed on by a coyote or dog. The shell crack underneath was healed. Everything this guy had been through he had survived and thrived. All of his nicks and scrapes healed over long ago. I decided that I had nothing to offer him no matter how well intentioned I might be.
The local gene pool needed this guy's genes. He was released in a large wildlife area a quarter mile from where he was found. Road Warrior go sew some more wild oats. You deserve it.
Mike B
