Bob Adkins wrote:

That's puzzling! Diamond backs are on the endangered list, but Eastern box
are like fleas on a dog's back. In eastern Louisiana there are so many in
the woods that you nearly trip over them. Here in SW Louisiana, they are
very scarce. Their woodland habitat is almost gone, and it's too wet for
them anyway. If their burrow floods while they are in hibernation, they can
drown. The moisture here also afflict them with disfiguring fungus.

Has nothing to do with whether or not they are abundant or endangered.
*sigh* The law was passed due to the salmonella some turtles can carry
so all turtle sales were banned.

I recommend a meat treat 2-3 days per week, and feed them mostly nutritious
leaves, mushrooms, and fruit. I think too much protein can nuke their
kidneys.

Depends upon how old they are. Juveniles are primarily carnivores while
adults tend more towards being herbivorous.

Can you tell I like turtles? This despite spending my fourth birthday
in the ER getting my thumb sewn back together after a friend gave me a
turtle for my birthday. What no one seemed to know until he tried to
eat my thumb was that it was a snapping turtle. *smile* That was one
pet I wasn't allowed to keep.

BTW, in case you are curious about what sex your box turtle is, it's
easy. Turn them over and look at the bottom plate (plastron) The male
will have a concave indentation parallel to the tail whereas the female
will be flat with no concavity.

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu