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Box turtle

Box turtles are the North American Terrapene species, named for a hinged plastron that lets the animal close its shell completely — a defence no other North American turtle has.

The eastern box turtle is the one most often kept.

They reach 12 to 20 centimetres and live extraordinarily long: fifty years is unremarkable and animals over a hundred are documented, which makes one a genuine multi-generational commitment. They are terrestrial rather than aquatic, omnivorous, and wild populations are declining sharply — collection from the wild is a significant cause, and several states now protect them.

Origin
Eastern and central North America
Adult size
12–20 cm
Lifespan
50+ years; over 100 documented
Housing
Outdoor pen where climate allows, with deep damp substrate
Humidity
High — 60–80%, with a soaking area
Diet
Omnivore — invertebrates, greens, fruit, fungi

3 box turtle photos, newest first

Box turtle feed
  • Mossy, a box turtle

    Mossy

    Mossy picked up a leaf on the way past and has decided to keep it.

    FrostyOtter · 6 days ago

  • Clemence VIII, a box turtle

    Clemence VIII

    Clemence VIII tipped a whole barrow of books over in the library and is now walking slowly across the evidence.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Clemence VIII, a box turtle

    Clemence VIII

    Clemence VIII does not believe the camera is necessary.

    SunnyHeron · 2 weeks ago

Living with a box turtle

Never take one from the wild, and never release a captive one. Wild box turtles have precise home ranges and a displaced turtle will wander trying to return, usually dying in the attempt. Collection is a major driver of the decline, and buying a wild-caught animal funds it.

An outdoor pen with a secure buried perimeter, shade, planting and a shallow water area is far better than any indoor setup where climate allows it.

They need high humidity and a damp substrate deep enough to burrow into. Kept dry indoors they develop shell and eye problems, including the swollen eyelids of vitamin A deficiency.

Indoors, UVB and a basking spot around 30°C.

They brumate through winter in temperate climates. Plan for a lifespan that may outlast you, and say so in a will.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual reptiles vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

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