Mr. T is AWAKE and ABOUT !!!

[applestar]

Last year, my neighbor brought an Eastern Box Turtle over, saying her son found it in the street and she didn't want it to get run over but she was afraid her outdoor cats would torment it if she put it in her yard, and she thought my kids would like to see him.

Based on on-line research, I decided this was a he-turtle, so we named him Mr. T and put him to work patrolling the fenced veg. gardens for slugs. We actually saw him a couple of times solemnly munching with slug slime frothing at his mouth.

When the cold weather came, I was considering releasing him in the woods behind our yard, but I missed my timing and he burrowed into the soft soil in the New Kitchen Garden (luckily, since it's just off the brick patio on SE side of the house, and probably the warmest/most protected of the 3 major gardens). I had the kids pile extra fall leaves on top of the spot to keep him warm after seeing that the local wildlife refuge's EBT enclosure was piled knee high with leaves for the winter.

Mr. T has been emerging a little at a time since April 2 -- a bit of shell peeking from the leaves, poking out his head to take a peek, a stroll along the fence, then going back to his bed of leaves at night ... During the heatwave, he spent most of the nights above ground , but when that cold snap came, he burrowed back underground again. I think he's ready for spring to be here, like the rest of us.

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[gixxerific]

It's good to have your defenses ready.

I have a robin building a nest in my tree all the lizards and bullfrog, tree frogs and a ton of spiders as my main defense.

[applestar]

Oh, hey! April 2 was when I judged it to be the right time to plant seed potatoes -- the Forsythias in the area were blooming and Bradford/Callery pears too. Now we can add a 3rd nature sign to our Phenology for potato planting time: "... and when Box Turtles emerge from hibernation."

[tomf]

Mr T is kind of like your ground hog as in ground hog day.

[Ozark Lady]

I had always heard that turtles were bad for the garden, that they would eat all the fruits and stuff. So, we play with the turtles that we pick up out of the road, but always turn them loose away from the garden.
Interesting that your turtle is not being a nuisance. It never occurred to me to research what they eat.
One living in my brother-in-laws house eats and drinks out of the cat food feed and water dish, and they supplement him with lettuce and tomatoes. Wonder what it does to that turtle to never hibernate?

[Kisal]

My experience with box turtles is the same as Ozark Lady's. I grew up back east, and my brother and I kept the occasional one as a pet. My dad used to fuss at us to keep them out of his garden, because they'd take bites out of the tomatoes.

The numbers of the Eastern box turtle are dwindling, although it hasn't yet been listed as threatened or endangered. You might want to give some thought to the idea of releasing Mr. T in the wild, so he can find a mate and help ensure that his kind don't end up on those official lists. Just something to consider.

[applestar]

Well, he couldn't reach the tomatoes in the garden last year.
I've given him pieces of fruits that I put out for the birds, and I also have strawberries growing in that garden that if he feels the need for, he can have. Later on, as we start harvesting Juneberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Elderberries, Mulberries, Raspberries, and Plums, in addition to Strawberries, we can certainly share. (Not sure if I'll share Apples, Pears, Peaches, or Nectarines, which still only produce small harvest. Well, maybe the Enterprise apples ) Then, of course, there are absolutely plenty of earthworms in that garden -- and everywhere else... I cannot dig or pull up a weed without encountering earthworms.) I really don't think he'll want for anything in terms of food, shelter, water, and habitat.

Mate is another matter. The problem is that last year, each time we let him go to see where he's headed, he made a turtle-line in one direction only. The direction where there used to be a creek -- now paved over, where there used to be fields and woods, now subdivision and shopping centers. With roads that used to be hardly traveled which has turned into a rush hour route for communities that have been developed along the way. My on-line research said box turtles head for their birthplace, just as surely as sea turtles do.

I think if it seems like we can't care for him adequately, we'll turn him over to that Wildlife Refuge I mentioned where they already have an Eastern Box Turtle enclosure, and where they'll know the best place to release him.

[Kisal]

Oh, I have no doubt that you will care for him very well. I don't think they are difficult animals to keep in captivity. I just thought it would be nice if he were able to contribute to his species. But as a rehabber, release was always my ultimate goal for an animal.

As I said, they aren't listed as threatened or endangered, so it certainly isn't critical that he be released.

[applestar]

Mr. T is color co-ordinated! ... or trying to camouflage
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