Herps in Maryland?

[rrcoolj]

I exadurate but I never ever see any herps in maryland... atleast the part I live in. So you can imagine my surprise when I ran into this little turtle while running in my backyard. Beautiful box turtle I believe it is. And it looks like a male. I was super excited to see something like this so of coarse I took pics. He was in the open so I released him in the woods near some tree roots and vegetation. But this little guy really makes me want to get a turtle again. But you know this time I would take care of it properly. I do have a 55 gallon freeing up soon. Hmmm....

Pics!

 

[snakeguy101]

very nice, is that an ornate box? or just a really nice eastern?

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Nice looking female Eastern Box Turtle!

 

[rrcoolj]

Ahh so it's a female. I thought it might be a male because of the small indent on the plastron but it might just be an injury. She was pretty beat up on the bottom.

 

[Masa06]

You think shes beat up? My friend found a poor 3 legged turtle.. Big indent on its bottom.. So we assumed it was attacked.. Its shell is also scratched where it "leaned" on when it walked.

 

[CTU2fan]

Ahh so it's a female. I thought it might be a male because of the small indent on the plastron but it might just be an injury. She was pretty beat up on the bottom.

Eye color is usually reliable, pretty brown eyes = female, red eyes = male.

Not sure what type of turt you're interested in getting...a 55 would be a nice size for any number of domestic mud and musk turts. Striped mud and loggerhead musk are favorites of mine.

 

[rrcoolj]

I was actually looking at loggerhead musk. I pretty much have all the equipment(filteration, uvb, etc.). IDK though I still have to finish this cage then we will see.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Ahh so it's a female. I thought it might be a male because of the small indent on the plastron but it might just be an injury. She was pretty beat up on the bottom.

Yep, it's definitely a female. Eye color is not always the most reliable way to sex them. Once you find a male and see how concaved the bottom of the shell is you'll always be able to tell the difference between the 2 sexes.

 

[rrcoolj]

Yep, it's definitely a female. Eye color is not always the most reliable way to sex them. Once you find a male and see how concaved the bottom of the shell is you'll always be able to tell the difference between the 2 sexes.

A males plastron must be pretty concave then. I guese I have always had female turtles.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

A males plastron must be pretty concave then. I guese I have always had female turtles.

It sure is. They have to be able to balance on the female while breeding. Box turtles don't have the luxury of weightlessness from breeding in the water. I'll try to remember to take some comparison pics of my male and females side by side.