Written By: Carolina Labro, Wildlife Rehabilitator
About a year ago, as I was going out to my backyard in the morning, I saw a little turtle resting on the mat outside the sliding door. I was astonished to find this little creature there. I approached her to examine her more closely, thinking to myself, “Why are you here?” And I noticed that it was munching on a worm! As soon as I picked her up, she retracted into her perfectly tight sealed box. After getting her checked out by a wildlife veterinarian, it was confirmed that she was a young female Florida Box Turtle and most likely in the middle of breakfast when I found her.
I brought her back and placed her near the bushes at the back of my house, where she raced back into hiding. I still see her from time to time, having a feast on a type of rounded leaf moss in the corners of my garden. On rainy days she goes after every earthworm scattered over the patio, and I’ve even spied on her enjoying a good soak in a small puddle of water. When I don’t see her for a while, I imagine her embarking on one of her adventurous voyages around the garden, exploring and enjoying herself.
I’m so delighted that a Box Turtle has decided to make my backyard her home, and we invite you to go outside and take a look around to appreciate the uniqueness and diversity of nature. You will not be disappointed!
Fun Facts:
Box turtles generally live for 25-35 years but have been known to survive to over 100 years old!
Box turtles have a great internal GPS and even use the stars to help them navigate
Eastern Box turtles are homeowners of 2 or more residences that serve them as nesting sites, summer or overwintering vacation destinations!
Box Turtle hatchlings are born with an external yolk sac that provides the hatchlings with nourishment during its first days of life. This allows them to be completely independent from parental care!
They are omnivores! They love earthworms, snails, slugs and a wide variety of plants.
Besides using visual cues, Box Turtles have a highly developed sense of smell that helps them with recognizing potential love interests or even intruders!
