Desperately seeking Box Turtle help

On our way home today we literally came a few inches from running over a juvie box turtle in the road. We stopped to make sure it had not been hit. I had all four of my kids with me so you know what happened next......Please daddy!!!!

So, here we are the proud new parents of an animal that have I no idea how to keep nor do I know if it's even legal to keep one. I am assuming it's your standard Eastern Box that we have here in Illinois.

This will be my son's pet so can you all please lead me to some appropriate care sheets for him? Thanks in advance.

Griz

Originally Posted by Griz

On our way home today we literally came a few inches from running over a juvie box turtle in the road. We stopped to make sure it had not been hit. I had all four of my kids with me so you know what happened next......Please daddy!!!!

So, here we are the proud new parents of an animal that have I no idea how to keep nor do I know if it's even legal to keep one. I am assuming it's your standard Eastern Box that we have here in Illinois.

This will be my son's pet so can you all please lead me to some appropriate care sheets for him? Thanks in advance.

Griz

Glad youre still around

Ill go a huntin for ya!

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/boxtu...eaternboxt.htm

Couple for now

I think you would be better off only keeping this tyrtle for a very short time, then releasing it back very near to where you found it. A much better alternative would be a captive bred box turtle, they are readily available from breeders. In releasing the wild one, and acquiring a captive bred one, you would be teaching your children an invaluable lesson about woldlife conservation, and about captive herp breeding programs. The captive bred one will likely be much easier to keep, wild caught specimens are often difficult to acclimate to captive conditions.

All the best,
Glenn B

Definitely see what their status is in Illinois, Bob. Here in Indiana they are on the protected or endangered list for the state.

Glen, I actually am doing just what you had advised. This little guy constantly was scratching to get out and hissing etc. It got to where my son starting feeling badly about the situation. So, a deal was struck to release the turtle and in return, we would pick up a captive bred one once we had the caging issues addressed.

Thanks for the advice guys!

Bob

Originally Posted by Glenn Bartley

I think you would be better off only keeping this tyrtle for a very short time, then releasing it back very near to where you found it. A much better alternative would be a captive bred box turtle, they are readily available from breeders. In releasing the wild one, and acquiring a captive bred one, you would be teaching your children an invaluable lesson about woldlife conservation, and about captive herp breeding programs. The captive bred one will likely be much easier to keep, wild caught specimens are often difficult to acclimate to captive conditions.

All the best,
Glenn B