Box Turtles

[TrumpWon]

My favorite reptile. As kid my dad would bring them home from work. We built a big pen for them. Had to build it twice after finding out they can climb a chicken wire fence . Fed them chicken necks fruit vegetables and caterpillars. Was like watching dinosaurs to me. Had them with everything from pristine shells to ones that had been hit by a mower. Even had them laying eggs.
Couple years ago I lived in Baltimore and would find them as I rode my bike on the Gwynn Falls trail in the heart of the city.
On the radio this morning I heard about the Box Turtle Connection a century long study of them in NC.
Nice to see that there were other box turtle affectionados out there.
https://theherpproject.uncg.edu/research/box-turtle-study/

[mcbammer]

    One fact you may or may not know . Its easy to  know if  a box turtle is male or female . the males have ruby red eyes the females do not .

[TrumpWon]

 I sexed them by the bottom of their shell. Concave- male, flat- female
Thought the red eyes were from smoking weed
Other tips
https://www.ncarboretum.org/2016/05/18/mr-ms-box-turtle-five-tips-identifying-box-turtles-gender/

[ironglow]

  I rather wonder if the turtle was the inspiration for Leonardo DaVinci's design for a tank..circa about 1500 AD.

[oldandslow]

I never cared what sex they were. Cool critters though. I guess our long extended drouth did them in like about all the other wildlife around here. I haven't seen one in years.