It sounds like it was a female laying eggs.

You can put a source of water out that the turtle can get in. We have a box turtle that has lived in our yard for about five years now, and he likes getting in the "toad pools" we have around the yard. He'd probably like something deeper than what we have. Box turtles, for whatever reason, like to poop in the water rather than on land. We scrub the pools out regularly (not using bleach or other chemicals).

Do you know what kind of turtle it is? Box turtles can spend their entire lives inside an area the size of a football field. Our box turtle has taken up residence just fifty feet from where it hatched. It disappears for long periods at a time, but always shows up later. We planted some strawberry plants (not the wild, invasive type) that we know he eats, and they're really spreading. He also really likes the june bugs we've had lately.

Probably the most important thing you can do is just make sure you don't hurt it accidentally, by mowing, weedeating, pets, etc.... If it's selected your yard, it's probably because you already have what it needs. They know a lot more than we do.

Tim
www.WildlifeTheater.com

{{gwi:1348589}}

Box turtles like berries, bugs, mushrooms (even poisinous ones), worms, and slugs. The younger they are the more carnivorous they are the older ones prefer vegtable matter. They like to live in brushpiles and leaf litter. It sounds like you had one laying eggs so you already have the right habitat. If I were you, I would build a brushpile and put some water out like a bird bath in the ground if you haven't got those things already. Also like timvid says just be careful not to hurt it always check your driveway well before moving the car, my friend ran over one two years ago. It was under his car so now we check.

Hi, thanks for the info. I should have said this was a turtle about the size of my hand-so I think it was a youngster-also no eggs. I have planted -or transplanted the wild blackberry bush to an area I think will best suit a turtle. I love the idea of the water. Don't know why I didn't think of that. Though I have a large pond out back and then I had a pond installed up near the house. I did make it user friendly-shallow sections, rocky places and lots of plant life. The frogs sure love it. I also planted blueberry bushes and haven't been able to find strawberies yet. Have lots of slugs and mushrooms too. Wil they eat the wild invasive strawberries as the other? I do have lots of room so it wouldn't really matter, though it would have to be in a spot some distance away. I have lots of leaves around as well. Wish the snakes didn't like the same things. I have brought home turtles I found in the middle of the highway and not knowing which way they are wanting to go I simply took them home with me so they would't be killed. What is the thought on that?

You should never move turtles from their home territories. Simply take them across the road, in the direction they were heading. Removing them from their home territory (which is quite small) is not good for them, and they will continue to search for their home pond, for the females return there each year to lay eggs.

Sorry.

Most important is finding out what kind of turtle you have. it might actually be a tortoise who would have slightly different needs.....for example would drown if thrown into a canal like sooooo many people and kids do.

I have gopher tortoises in my yard. they like to eat my grass, all different types of weeds, and of course my fruit intended for composting...like blueberries and canteloup (sp?) rind. the male who has a burrow in my yard doesnt come out everyday. you can tell by whether the sand at the apron (opening) has been tamped down by foot traffic. Also, there are all different types of other critters that depend on the tortoise and their burrows for survival.

once you figure out his identity, you could buy some "grass" seed that he/she specifically eats...for example there is a 'sulcata tortoise rescue' who sells a seed mixture for them.

try to get a photo. we would love to see him or her.

michelle

Our box turtle was hibernating and we didn't know where. We accidentally dug her up today. What should we do? We re-burried her, but I'm afraid that might be bad also.

thanks!
Tatia