Eastern box turtle: probably the best woodland creature

[kentuckiense]

Terrapene carolina carolina

You're probably asking yourself what makes them so awesome. Well, I will tell you. These things have serious attitude. When you pick them up, the snort and snear at you like you're annoying them and they have a really important meeting that they're late for.

I took this photo a while back at that prescribed fire site where the Calopogon pallidus was. You can see the charred sphag and tree. I got really lucky with this photo... I sort of had to just hold the camera around the tree and snap it.

It has red eyes, so it's most likely a male.

 

[adiaphane]

That turtle is beautiful.

 

[kentuckiense]

That turtle is beautiful.

I can put in a good word for you if you'd like.

 

[PHRAG]

I think you missed your calling as a wildlife photographer Zach. Drop out of school, buy a camera and travel the world.
:evil:

 

[silence882]

I bet the western box turtle could take it in a fight.

--Stephen

 

[PHRAG]

I bet the western box turtle could take it in a fight.

--Stephen

Looks like we have a challenger. I need to call my bookie.

 

[Heather]

Oh! I love turtles! I like the little painted ones that sun themselves on rivers here. My favorite part of kayaking is looking for turtles.

Thanks Z!

 

[L I Jane]

Wonderful--I just saved one about a month ago from being smushed on the road.I stopped my car & carried it across the road where it scurried away into the brush.

 

[phrag guy]

that is awesome.

 

[SlipperFan]

Turtles are neat! We have 3 kinds in our pond: The Spiny Softshell, the Painted and the Snapping. Actually, the latter isn't neat at all -- it's very stinky!

 

[kentuckiense]

Snapping turtles are scary. There are some gargantuan ones back home. The shells look to be about 2.5 feet long and I have no doubt they could bite through a broomstick.

 

[Heather]

We get the big snapping ones in the road during nesting season (I guess?) and people are always trying to get them to move out of the middle of the road but they are mean. Hence the name....

 

[couscous74]

Cool picture.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

We used to have loads of box turtles in Cutchogue, where I spend my summers (with my acaule's...). Unfortunately, I see fewer every year...the cars nail them one by one. Raccoons also dig up the nests, and dogs treat them as chew toys. The ones I find nearly all have chewing damage to their shells, and amputees are frequent...or were frequent. I haven't seen one this year...though my wife saw a squooshie near a neighbor's house. The ones we have out there are exceptionally beautiful...many of them have bright red markings on the shells, and some are bright orange. Take care, Eric

 

[kentuckiense]

We used to have loads of box turtles in Cutchogue, where I spend my summers (with my acaule's...). Unfortunately, I see fewer every year...the cars nail them one by one. Raccoons also dig up the nests, and dogs treat them as chew toys. The ones I find nearly all have chewing damage to their shells, and amputees are frequent...or were frequent. I haven't seen one this year...though my wife saw a squooshie near a neighbor's house. The ones we have out there are exceptionally beautiful...many of them have bright red markings on the shells, and some are bright orange. Take care, Eric

That's so sad to hear. I really love these little guys... Such a fun creature to just sit and observe.

While out in the field yesterday we saw seven of them. A couple very very, very orange. One had a little damage to the carapace but was looking just fine. Also, for the first time ever I saw two together.

 

[Mark]

That is so cool! How'd you do it? I'm thinking hot/sweet rub and charbroiled with some oven-roasted potatoes and onions, maybe a bell pepper. Dipping sauce? Something sweet and fatty but not to overwhelm the basic rub. Probably based on the pan juices. You are so lucky! I've got to get out hiking more.