Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When i was a kid i used to see box turtles all over the place, now they are very rare sightings in north Texas, or at least in DFW area. Well today two neighborhood kids found one in a back yard and in a matter of seconds this pore turtle now sports the name leonardo, and is in a plastic blue storage box. Ive talked to the youths and told them of how at there age i saw them all the time but that now they are not very often seen. In one ear out the other.To compound the problem there parents have a small botanical garden type of back yard with small ponds(mosquito nests) and they are planning on sticking the turtle inside a confined area outside in the mosquito factory where it cant get out. Basicaly inside a plastic circular wall about eight inches high. This turtle is doomed to searing heat, fire ants, and being constantly handled by two children that basicaly see it as nothing but a toy. Now the good news, they left the turtle outside tonight, and somehow it wound up in my garage, whodathunkit! Im not usualy a fan of relocation (or stealing from children), but under the cercumstances dont yall think it would be best? I know an area about five miles away where i happened upon a very large, old, one eyed box turtle,and its a refuge. I cant see letting it go around the corner as its a very busy suburb next to a highway. Honestly i dont know where it could have come from. What do the turtle experts think ? What should i do? SKINNER

I am in Houston, Tx. I don't think the turtle population has gone down much here. If I go of in woods and look for them I can usually find about as many as I have for many years. About relocation if you only had him a few days you should let him go. If you know of a wooded area with natural cover and there is a resable amount of live food it sounds like a nice place for him. About stealing from children If you know they will not take care of him it would be best he take care of himself. Box Turles are wounderfully survies they can live almost an where. I the woods next to my house (about 5 acres) we see a lot of them. I have even found them on my walk. Let us know what you deside to do.

I had a situation like your's once. I was looking for turtles at a local river and I passed a fisherman. I asked him if he caught any fish. He told me to look in his bucket to see what he caught. There were a couple of catfish in there. As I was looking at them I saw a tiny map turtle hatchling. I asked him where it came from and he said he found it before he started fishing and that he was gonna let his grandkids have it. I thought to myself "This in one dead turtle if I don't do something". I was thinking that even if it didn't make it to the kids that it would either drown in the bucket, get inhaled by one of the fish, or get a fin stuck in it. Just as I was trying to figure out a way to get it without him seeing he got a bite on his line. While he was paying attention to the fish I put the little guy in my bucket. I told him that I had to go and got the hell out of there. That was about 2 years ago and I still have the turtle. He's about 4 inches now and as healthy as can be. Anyway to answer your question. I've found box turtles in the strangest places. I once found one on Wal*Mart parking lot but there was small field near. I took him to a large forest before I let him go. In your case someone could have had him as a pet and let him go in there yard and it ended up in your neighbor's yard but I really don't know.

Thought about it all night last night, as i work midnight shift security and have nothing to do but think, and decided that I would release the turtle at the nature preserve. Its the one place i have seen box turtles in the past two years so hopefully it will get hooked up and slap some shell and kick out some littluns. Took him to a spot that was out of the way and watched him inch his way to freedom. Im sure there are those that would say there are risks of introduceing disease to the area, what can i say, im proud that i could help the little guy. So let the criticks pout Id do it again. SKINNER

do it. It's better than an inexperienced house with kids in a bin.

Give it up for adoption or to a breeder.