I have never seen any turtles eating vegetation out of the water.

There are many large turtles here each year that come out of the river and look for a place to lay eggs. Any bare patch of earth will do it seems and flower beds are a favourite target. They make a big mess digging but do not appear to eat anything. After laying eggs they normally head straight back to the water and disappear.

Doug

I probably have a dozen or more different box turtles that live in my woods and yard, and they are the most gentle of creatures. And they never eat hostas. Strawberries, yes, and they will bite the bottoms out of any tomatoes they can reach, and lettuce. But no hostas. I always give them watermelon and cantelope rinds in the summer, and they love them. They gather around the compost bins where I leave them, like a herd of little cattle. It's funny to watch them. I know some of them have been here for at least 20 years. They are all different, and I can tell most of them apart.

Sandy

Sandy and I are familiar with box turtles, living in the Ozark range. They are not true turtles, but I think tortoises (sp?) and live on land. As Sandy has said they will eat the lower hanging tomatoes. They also relish peaches that have fallen off of the trees, or any fruit you put out for them.
They are truly pleasant creatures and not aggressive at all. I've kept them at times having rescued them from the middle of busy highways (rednecks like to deliberately run over them - ?). They enjoy a 'bath' but don't really 'swim' because their shell has a huge cavity where they can retreat to when threatened and close up their hinged shell parts. So they bobb when in water. But they like to get a good drink while bobbing.

Please don't harm them when you have one on your property. I had many hostas while. living in Arkansas and never had them eaten (I had a large outdoor dog so rabbits or deer were never a problem because she wouldn't allow them). I can safely say "no-box turtle will not eat hostas and turtles, when migrating overland won't either".

We had one that we'd kept for several years as a pet who we named "Boxer". It loved cooked spaghetti with red sauce-probably for the tomato taste. LOL

Sandy, have you seen a clutch just as they have hatched. They are soooooo cute. I understand they do eat beetles and I would keep them around even given a chance they eat slugs. (Oh yes)

Theresa

Theresa, no I have never seen a freshly hatched clutch, but I have found eggs and once, a very tiny new baby but it was by itself. So cute!

And yes, they eat bugs. All kinds, they love slugs, those nasty cutworms, just about anything. So if you see one nosing around your hostas, it's not after your plant, it's after what's eating your plant! So take good care of these small guardians of your garden, they are as important as the toads!

Fun facts: how to tell the boys from the girls: in general males have red eyes, concave shells (underneath) and fat tails (where their male apparatus is). Females have convex shells, brown eyes and thin tails!

Sandy

I have photographed A box turtle in my garden,and I have observed one walk all the way through my garden,but he never stopped to eat any hostas. I have to say no,to them eating hostas. When hostas are eaten right off at ground level,it is rabbits. They did that to my Showboat hosta,but it is growing back,like it never happened. Phil

On a walk through my woods garden this morning I encountered three of the little fellows patroling, one old one with a scarred shell, a smaller, brighter colored one with still clearly defined ridges, and a medium sized older brown female. Of course I didn't have my camera with me!

Sandy

I wondered about that last year, and discovered that they do not eat hosta.

As Sandy points out, they eat STRAWBERRIES, and that is what DH found our resident young turtle doing the other day. And, they also like tomatos.

My hosta named Bibb Lettuce is in a tall pot and is out of reach for hungry turtles. :) S/he hides beneath elevated pots where it is moist and cool I think. Safe from the two curious dachshund hunters. .....who basically leave it alone.

OK all you turtle familiars - WHY AREN'T THERE ANY PICTURES IN THIS THREAD??? This is like someone telling a good joke and omitting the punch line lol. They SOUND really cute. What do they LOOK like gathering in your garden? I'm quite familiar with the sort that don't quite make it across the highway, but I've never seen an entire herd!
Jan

Ok fine I'll look for my turtle pictures, lol!

Sandy

Here's a fine little lady a couple of years ago. I saw her again today.

Sandy

That is not a hosta he's eating. He is in the field outside the fence munching on weeds.

Sandy

All this young guy got was leftovers. Pretty funny when you take a load of rinds and put them out and see turtles coming from all directions. They must have a pretty keen sense of smell. But I can't find a picture with them all lined up at the cafeteria!

Sandy

It was very hot and dry and I watered him and made a puddle for him to drink. He was very grateful.I always put water out for them to drink in the summer.

Sandy

In respect to Jagd still having rabbits eating hostas. I sprayed my yard with Liquid Fence and that rabbit stopped coming now for a week. My trap only caught one squirrel. Bernd

Thank you all for the information on Turtles. The one I found, I rescued from under the van and placed down by the pond. Looked exactly like Mosswitch's picture. My husband thought it might have been in the gravel of the driveway to lay eggs. (not a good idea) There is gravel on the shoreline, so I hope it is safe there. Rabbits eating my hosta is war. Turtles I am more inclined to try to feed something other than hosta....I wondered if they ate hosta because when people keep pet turtles I thought they were fed lettuce among other things. So I am not getting rid of the turtle even if she had been nibbling, but the concensus seems to be that she is not the culprit.....So WHAT is eating my Hostas?

Groundhogs love hostas.And a whole lot of other plants.

Sandy

awh.. I want some! The only ones I have in my hosta beds are made from concrete and came from Mexico.

I want some of those! Lol!

Sandy

Oh Sandy those turtles are charming. That little guy chowing down on the watermelon rind has a really beautiful pattern on his shell. I can see why you welcome them in your yard, and give them occasional handouts. And it's lovely that you can tell them apart. (Do you give them names, like hostas lol?)
Thanks for all the info. Theresa too. I don't think we have box turtles in this climate. The turtles we see in the river at the cottage don't really come ashore - they sun themselves on rocks in the river, and never visit our garden.
Jan

No, Jan, I don't believe box turtles are as far north as Canada, I think Wisconsin and Michigan are the northern limits.

I do love them, but no, I haven't named them. I do recognize individuals from year to year, tho, they all have identifiable characteristics; chips on their shells, etc. One only has 3 legs and one has a deep scar on the front of his shell where he may have run into a lawn mower or something. Some have yellow patterns on their faces and feet, some are orange or red, some are just brown.

I usually pick them up when I see them, so they are used to being handled and don't retreat into their shells much any more.

When they are younger (up to 15 yrs or so) you can count the rings on the underside of their shells to tell their age but as they get older the rings wear off smooth. I know some of these have been here for at least 25 years. They live a long time.

The little one with the pretty shell is an ornate box turtle. They are mostly native to the upper and lower South.

Sandy

I get these guys in my backyard all the time, and my backyard is fenced so they actually have to make an effort to get in there. Always come out to find my dogs barking at them, brave little guys don't even go in their shell when my dogs come shove their noses in their face.

I think they will eat anything. This one ate my cabinet while I brought it in while mowing.

Box turtles are cute little guys. Not a chance in the world I will have any box turtles coming anywhere near my hostas. The nearest wild ones I've seen are in Alley Pond Nature Preserve, about 20 minutes drive from here. I DID, however, see a bad baby squirrel digging in my hosta garden mulch today and ROLLING around in the hollow he had made. I made a loud hissing sound from the window and he skedaddled. Bad squirrel!

Box turtles are cute little guys. Not a chance in the world I will have any box turtles coming anywhere near my hostas. The nearest wild ones I've seen are in Alley Pond Nature Preserve, about 20 minutes drive from here. I DID, however, see a bad baby squirrel digging in my hosta garden mulch today and ROLLING around in the hollow he had made. I made a loud hissing sound from the window and he skedaddled. Bad squirrel!

Last summer there was a turtle in the back garden who was emaciated looking......hard to do I'd say, but his skin was not filled out, and I realized he was thirsty. I had a hose so I dribbled water on the brick where he was. His snout went down instantly and he tried to lick water, but it had quickly soaked into the brick. Ah. So I got a pie plate which has low sides, and it was so pathetic to watch him. He dropped his snout into the dish, and drank for about 15 minutes solid. Then he marched himself over to the clump of ornamental grass at the corner of my Teahouse studio and disappeared. I moved the pieplate over there and left it, refilling it as time went by. I only removed it last week when I moved the big flower pots so DH could paint the trim. And guess who was nestled between the bricks beneath one of the pots? You guessed it! We later found him munching one of DH's strawberries, about 2 feet from where his hideout was. Apparently turtles have a good memory. This one knew where to find his water and his food.

I'm glad you mentioned this subject now, Sandy. Hard difficult times are coming for the critters who depend on a source of water as much as food. So please put down a LOW bowl of water. Those turtles cannot climb. If the grass is dry, giving no moisture, they need water at ground level. Don't let it stagnate, or skeeters will eat you alive. But give some heed to the needs of the critters.

And I had a hummingbird flying through my hose today as I misted the staghorn ferns hanging in my sasanqua bush. The turtle may be hanging out in the ferns at the base of this bush these days.

I can't lay off of this thread. :o)
I think if you want to spare your strawberries Moc make sure you leave water out. These cuties can live in very arid conditions and get water from plants. Whenever I pick one up I can almost hear it crying "water, water please" That is why Sandy's devour melon rinds. It is a natural source of water in late summer when it is driest.

We didn't cover how the retreat works to our northern hostaholic friends like Jan and Almost Hooked. The ones you see on the road are true turtles that migrate before mating (if they make it). The box turtles live a real long time. One reason .is how they can "retreat" into their shell as Sandy referred to. Their lower shell is in 3 parts connected by hinge sinew like a clam shell that spans across the shell. Only the center section, which is about 1/2 of the total lower shell length, is connected to the upper shell (I've tried to spell parapice 5 ways and never got it right-LOL Oh well, this isn't spelling forum)

When alarmed these most peaceful of critters don't hiss or spit. They pull their heads, tails and legs into their shell and "close the front and rear doors". I've seen a redneck in an old Ford pickup try to run one over but just caught the edge of the shell. The box turtle rolled off the road like a ball, all tucked neatly inside. I stopped and found it and took it home in case it was hurt. After several days of devouring lettuce (they like the water laden stems) and all the water it could drink I released it in my safe yard.

I didn't know about the red and brown eyes Sandy. But now you have mentioned it I looked carefully at your brown eyed beauty. If you look really closely you can see the eyeliner she uses to highlight her big brown eyes. She has achieved the "smokey" look perfectly. With alluring eyes like that I can see why the boys eyes are red. They don't get enough sleep. LOL

Really fun thread. We called our long time pet Boxer but if you ever have one (don't keep it long-I think it is a threatened species now) you could name it Bobb. You will know why when you place it in a sink full of fresh water.

Theresa

Since I live beside a river with a fair bit of swamp as well, the turtles I see routinely are not the type referrred to generally in this thread. I am not a biologist and cannot identify turtle species very well but most of the turtles I see have a wicked looking snout and are referred to as snapping turtles.

They live in the mud of the swamp and many grow to be two plus feet across - I have measured on many occasions mature females who come to lay eggs in any patch of bare ground they can dig in.

As I said, I have never seen them eat any vegetation much less hostas and in fact I always thought they were carnivores or scavengers.

Doug

I use the concrete and hypertufa "leaves" I've made as turtle waterers, and also a couple birdbath tops that rest on the ground. After I found one bobbing in the woods pond, too, I made sure that I put a big pot saucer down there for water for them. It is very important during the hot dry season. If it gets too bad for them, they simply burrow into the ground and kind of hibernate, coming out when the rains come back.

I found one this spring when I was in the woods that had just come out of winter hibernation. It was so covered with mud that I thought it was a muddy rock at first, didn't realize it was a living thing until it moved!

Sandy

Is the one being held by marinewifenc an average size? And do they swim by choice, or remain on land always?
Jan

They aren't swimmers. They will do anything necessary to do when they need water. I have never seen a 'box' turtle any longer than 10 inches by 7" across. That doesn't mean some aren't larger. But I doubt if any that are, are larger by much.

I don't have one to check now but don't think they have webbed toes like swimmers do. They are diggers, not swimmers. When the cicadas emerge I have seen them surrounding a tree waiting for the larval cicadas to emerge. Feast-time!

The water turtles, like snappers, painted shell, Troost, are true scavengers and meat eaters. I have had some at some time and lettuce in their tub has never been touched. Nightcrawlers won't survive 5 minutes though.

I am happy my beloved box tortoises are not aggressive. I have seen how their vee-shaped beaks can cut and would hate to have my finger in their grip. But they simply don't bite peeps.

Theresa

They swim like Ostriches fly. Total landlubbers with no webbing between their toes. I think if I saw a guy hurting these sweet little animals, I would punch him in the face. And then kick him in the junk. And I don't even like violence at all.

Don B.

I can see why these guys have so many friends! They're too cute, in their own homely way.
(We don't have cicadas here either.)
This is a very interesting thread, even without the hostas!
Jan

I have a Hosta in with an Eastern Box Turtle which we raised from an egg. Never touched the Hosta. These guys (box turtles) are rapidly dissapearing over thier range. YOu guys who see wild turtles please cherish them. BTW, if you find one don't take it home or release it far away in a park or whatever. They have a strong sense of home and by the time they are adults (takes several years) they know an area very well. If relocated they will wander trying to get home. too many get killed by cars, lawnmowers, dogs etc......faster than they can reproduce. Racoons etc. eat eggs and hatchlings. Once they reach adulthood they have few natural enemies and can live for decades.......documented individuals have lived 100 years. Note that though they are land turtles they are closer related to water turtles. In the east and south they are generally close to a water source. The desert and western box turtles are a different though related species that survive in areas a little more arid.

I live in AZ desert and I am getting a desert tortoise. What plants can I plant that she will eat? I will put dichondra grass as there is one area in my yard that is shady.

I`m a turtle lover.also. We live and garden on a lake and have lots of wildlife...mostly un-invited! Not too crazy about snappers,tho. I have to be careful where I put my hands. My grandmother used to say that a snapper won`t let go until it thunders!!!! We don`t get much rain this time of year in KY!. Lesley

The box turtles are so cute! We have a nasty old snapping turtle who gets in the pond and eats our frogs. Fortunately he only shows up once in a while.

What a fascinating thread! My only experience with turtles has been to watch (to ensure its safety) one large one cross the road in cottage country. Many years ago we had one huge snapper at a relatives cottage, about two hours north of Toronto....it actually scared me! I wouldn't go in the water..lol at least not in the immediate area. The turtles posted here make me want one...I need a predator for my slugs...now to find a predator for the grasshoppers who are also eating hosta leaves....

BTW: Don, you are my hero!!!

Josephine,
Just make sure you don't have raccoons, too. The poor box turtles don't stand a chance with them around unless they can get to a log surrounded by deep water - and even that doesn't always save them. I remember how excited I was the first time a raccoon showed up. Now I wish they'd all vanish - horrible destructive animals.

MadPlanter...good advice, thank you! I'll study some more. :-)

And here's my cutie pie! I found him on a morning walk, right next to a road in my neighborhood and brought him home. And yes, that is a letter that someone at one point had painted onto his back...

Aww, he's cute! And look, he's posing for this pic. : )

How long have you had him? (He kinda looks like he's smiling).

Don B.

I like this thread a lot. I don't have the time to spend in a lot of forums. that's nice of this forum doesn't make a big stink about some off topic stuff.

When and if I find time I have some input, first of which would regard Turtles vs tortoises.

minor details!

hh

Don, I found him in mid May. I have a huge soft spot for turtles and melted when I saw him next to a road. I posted that I found him on my neighborhood listserv but no one claimed him so I build a pen for him outside. Less freedom for sure but now he won't get run over by a car or lawn mower or attacked by the dogs, cats, racoons and foxes in the neighborhood.

hostahillbilly, Turtles vs tortoises are both so special!

It's good you found him, JotaRo. I'm sure you've given him a much better home than anyone could who'd be ignorant enough to put PAINT on a turtle. Seems like he's safer from animals AND people in your care. I had a great aunt who had a box turtle for at least several years, and she fed the poor thing literally nothing but lettuce. It had horrible joint deformities (like rickets)? because of the lack of necessary vitamins and nutrients. I remember the terrestrial turtle from when I was a little boy, feeding it when we visited, and Aunt Stella telling me and my little brother that it just needs lettuce, only lettuce. I put two-and-two together years later. Well.... Sometimes people are silly. Just some nostalgia I rememered from seeing this thread again.

Cheers!
Don B.

Don.

Yes, fortunately there is a wealth of information online now about how to give box turtles balances diets. Not only do they eat all kinds - with some exceptions - of fruits, veggies and greens, they are also huge into bugs and insects. Give them earthworms, slugs, etc and it's dinnertime!