Q&A for How to Care for an Eastern Box Turtle

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How can you tell the age of an Eastern box turtle?

Audra Barrios
Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist
Audra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering experiemces, reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and exotic animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues, and animal husbandry. Audra earned a BASc in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied Natural Sciences at the College of Marin. She is the founder and Executive Director of Things That Creep, a non-profit dedicated to herptile conservation through education. She has spent the last nine years working as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.

Audra Barrios

Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist

Expert Answer

If the turtle is a baby or one to five years old, you can make a guess based on its size. Keep in mind, however, that while in optimal conditions a turtle might be full grown in five years, it might still be very small if it didn't get enough heat or food. For a full grown turtle, there is no good way to tell the age, unless you know when it came out of its egg.

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Question

How long cat Eastern box turtles live for and how big can they get?

Community Answer

Staying small in size, most range from 4.5 to 6 inches, but occasionally reach over 7 inches. In captivity, box turtles are known to live over 100 years, but in the wild, often live much shorter lives due to disease and predication.

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Question

Can I turn a wild box turtle into a pet?

Community Answer

If you live in an area in which they naturally live in the wild, I wouldn't recommend keeping it. If you still decide to, make sure it can roam freely in a garden. Don't take it inside, and since it's a wild animal, wash your hands before and after interacting with it.

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Question

I live in a very hot climate. My box turtle loves being outside. How hot is too hot?

OMAR GHAZY

Community Answer

The ideal temperature for box turtles is from 21-32 C. So if it goes above 35 C, then it is better to keep it indoors.

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If I decide to keep a wild Eastern Box Turtle (female), what do I do to care for it?

Community Answer

In some states, it is illegal to keep a wild Eastern Box Turtle. This is because collection further damages their already vulnerable population. If the turtle appears healthy, please return her to her wild habitat, for the sake of her species. If you have found an injured turtle and are considering caring for her for that reason, please instead allow a wildlife rehabilitation professional or vet to care for her. You can call your state's Fish and Wildlife Service, or a nearby veterinary college, and they will usually be able to direct you to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center. Reptiles can make wonderful pets, but the Eastern Box Turtle in question should not be kept as a pet.

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I live in a very hot climate. My box turtle loves being outside. How hot is too hot?

FutureHow

Community Answer

I believe 90+ would be too hot for your turtle. If you're going to let the turtle outside on hot days, make sure it has cool water and plenty of shade.

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