They are also highly sought for their use in the illegal pet trade. Their slow reproductive rate does not allow for a fast recovery if a local population looses several individuals in a given amount of time. This causes local populations to decline or become extirpated from an area. Habitat destruction and fragmentation isolate individuals from finding mates and food. © Ben Wurstīox turtles are fairly common throughout their range however, their population is declining in New Jersey. Zoom+ Box turtles are easily identified by their bright coloration and unique shell. They do not require food during their first summer or fall before going into hibernation.

Young either remain in the nest after hatching, emerge and go directly into hibernation, or emerge and explore for a few days to weeks, then hibernate. Females deposit eggs in a hole that she digs in loose or sandy soil and sometimes in lawns. Mating begins shortly after individuals emerge from hibernation. They can live up to 20 years in the wild. Individuals become reproductive at 4 to 5 years in age. Some hibernate at depths up to two feet deep. They burrow into loose soil, vegetative debris, and/or loose sand, and sometimes in the mud of stream bottoms.

Adults eat large quantities of fungi and particularly like berries and fruits from trees and shrubs.īox turtles are cold-blooded and in the northern parts of their range hibernate from late October until April. Young turtles eat earthworms, snails, insect larvae, and some vegetative matter. Young turtles eat more insects, while adults eat more plant matter. Changes in food preference occur during different seasons and life stages. If you find an injured one and do transport it to a state certified rehabilitator record the animals location and make sure to inform the rehabilitator so it can be re-released where it was found.īox turtles are omnivores. It is very important to not take a box turtle from its habitat and relocate it. If box turtles are removed from their territories and placed in an unfamiliar area, then they may die while trying to find their way back home. Researchers found that their territories are around 250 square yards or less. They like water, but are not adapted for swimming in water.īox turtles have very small home ranges. They are usually not far from streams or ponds, however, during rainy weather they may roam farther from water. They are often seen in neighborhood backyards in rural and suburban areas. Box turtles inhabit open woodlands and meadows. It can be found in all of the 21 counties in New Jersey. The eastern box turtle occurs in the eastern United States from central Maine south to southern Georgia and Alabama and west into Wisconsin and Illinois. The plastron of males is slightly concave. Younger turtles are more vibrantly colored than older ones. Individuals can appear very different in coloration. Both have yellow, orange, olive, or tan on their carapace and plastron that is contrasted by a light or dark black background. Sexes are slightly similar in appearance. Male box turtles can be identified by their red eyes. This is meant to protect the turtle from predators, especially the neighborhood dog. The plastron (bottom of shell) is hinged and can close very tightly, in front and in rear. Its carapace (top of shell) is high and shaped like a dome. Box turtles range in length from only 4″ up to 8.5″. They are the most terrestrial turtle found in the Garden State. They are unmistakable for their bright coloration and unique shell. The eastern box turtle ( Terrapene carolina carolina) is a very well known turtle in New Jersey. The eastern box turtle is a very well known turtle in New Jersey, however in recent years their population has been in decline.

Eastern box turtle