eastern+box+turtles

Eastern box turtle By Stephan Lee

The eastern box turtle have a steep-margined, keeled, high-domed, rounded carapace with variable markings. Concentric growth furrows can be seen on the carapace, although in some older individuals they become very difficult to see. The upper jaw is slightly hooked. The toes are only slightly webbed. Males are slightly larger on average than females, the posterior lobe of their plastron is concave, and the claws on their hind legs are short, thick, and curved. Males also have thicker and longer tails. Females' rear claws are longer, straighter, and more slender, and the posterior lobe of their plastron is flat or slightly convex. Males have red irises and females have yellowish-brown irises. Environmental temperature determines activity rate. Preferred body temperature is between 84 and 100° F (37.8° C). In the heat of the summer, box turtles largely restrict their activity to mornings and after rain. When it gets too hot, they hide under decaying logs and leaves, crawl into mammal burrows, or into mud. When it is really hot, they go into shady pools and puddles to cool off. In the spring and fall, they may be out foraging during all daylight hours, and they sometimes bask in the sun to get warm. Box turtles are diurnal and scoop out a shallow indentation in which to spend the night. The eastern box turtles usually feed on earthworms. Vegetables are other types of foods they eat. Some vegetable types of food they eat are squash peas in the pod, sweet potatoes, and okra. They regularly eat grapes, apples, fresh figs, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, peaches, and most other fruits.Our turtle's name is sunburst. She lives in the sunnyist room. One of the maintenance men found her walking on Spear Avenue. They brought her to the science room where she has lived for the last few years. Sunburst is very cute. When I hold her, her claws are sharp and thats because she needs those sharp claws to dig.