Tennessee State Reptile
Eastern Box Turtle (common name) Terrapene carolina (scientific name) Overview Of all the land turtles that inhabit the eastern U.S., the box turtle is the one that is usually seen, though its numbers are decreasing. This turtle can have a long life, but that means it matures relatively late. It produces few new turtles each year, and a very limited number of these make it to adulthood, making the species vulnerable. Diminishing habitat and pollution are also problems for the eastern box turtle. This turtle was designated the official state reptile of Tennessee in 1995. It is also the state reptile of North Carolina. Close-up STATUS Official ALSO KNOWN AS Common box turtle PHYSICAL DETAILS There are actually four subspecies of eastern box turtle, and these can have quite different shell shapes, colors, and markings. An eastern box turtle always has a hinged shell and can completely retract its head and legs into the shell as a defense mechanism. Its dark brown to black shell usually has a very rounded, dome-like shape and bright orange, yellow, or red markings. The shell’s underside is often a dark color, but markings vary a lot. The patterns on its head, neck, and solid legs usually match its top shell. The eastern box turtle frequently has four claws on each back foot, though some subspecies have three, and its toes are always just a little webbed. Its upper jaw ends in a sharp, downward-pointing beak, adapted for catching insects. It can be difficult to distinguish a male from a female at a distance. A male has strongly red or orange eyes and a concave undershell, while a female has more neutral-looking orange-brown eyes and a flat undershell.     Males Females Size Average length 6-8 in (15–20 cm) Average length 6-8 in (15–20 cm) Weight Average 1-2 lbs (0.5–1 kg) Average 1-2 lbs (0.5–1 kg) LIFESPAN Over 100 years; average 50 years in the wild. HABITAT Usually moist woodlands with substantial brush cover, but also grasslands with cover, marsh banks, bogs, riverbanks, and stream banks. Range: Eastern U.S. from southern Maine to northern Florida, west to Michigan, and south again into Texas and Mexico. Conservation Status: Near Threatened (NT). Though common in many areas, numbers are decreasing. Habitat loss and fragmentation are issues for these turtles. Collection in the wild for use as pets is also a problem. BEHAVIOR In the colder part of its range, the eastern box turtle hibernates underground, digging itself about two feet into the earth to protect itself from frost, and can stay underground for over six months. Mating season starts almost immediately afterward, and continues throughout warm weather. A male will often mate with more than one female each year. A female need not necessarily mate each year, and can sometimes produce eggs for as long as four years after a single mating episode. A female generally builds her nest in spring, digging in soft soil and depositing as few as three or as many as eight eggs. These usually hatch between August and October; hatchlings are fully formed and able to forage for themselves. They are mature at five years old. An eastern box turtle usually stays in the same area all its life. It is not aquatic, but will soak in shallow water during hot weather to keep cool. DIET Insects, worms, slugs, beetles, caterpillars, grubs, berries, flowers, mushrooms, leafy vegetables, roots, and seeds. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Hatching period: August-October Average nest size: 4 to 5 eggs Size at birth: average length 1.25 in (3 cm) TRIVIA Humans don’t kill the eastern box turtle for food. This turtle is often poisonous because it eats poisonous mushrooms and retains the poison. An eastern box turtle looks more like a tortoise, even though it’s actually a turtle.
	Click to enlarge an image Eastern Box Turtle Eastern Box Turtle Close-up Juvenile Eastern Box Turtle CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Family: Emydidae Genus: Terrapene Species: T. carolina
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press