I came across this cutie while pulling out some sticker bushes about a week and half a go. And while it's far from uncommon to cross paths with an Eastern box turtle, after all, I've done so multiple times each year that I've lived here; but it is a little more uncommon for them to stick around one location for so long; as it's now been a week and some change, the turtle is still here.
I had made a couple of small piles of sticker bushes on the day I found it, and for reasons I now can't remember, ended up leaving said piles on the ground overnight. The next day I found that the turtle had moved into one of the piles, and there it stayed for the next 4-5 days. I forgot to get a picture of it tucked in there, but I did get this one of it looking the entrance.
The pile of sticker bushes must not have been in the right location, because it has since moved back to the are where I first found it. Seems to be a better spot for sun, and food, so I'm thinking that's what was behind the move.
Normally when I find them out and about, I do tend to pick them up to see whether they're a male or female (flat shell on bottom = female, concave = male), but I don't want to do anything that might make this one leave (i.e. insult it), so I've resisted the urge to check. It would be nice to know how to properly address it, but I'm okay just continuing to call them "sweetie" (fun fact: I call almost everything I encounter outside, "sweetie"). I do know though that it is full grown, so it's at least 6 years old.
I've also been trying to bribe them into staying by providing some food scraps, well, a couple of apple slices, and few bites of banana. Both of which seem to have gone over like gangbusters. I really hope that it does stick around for awhile, as it's been nice to have someone to talk to, but I'm prepared for whenever it needs to move on.
Kind of a short post today, so here's one more recent non-turtle picture that I took...
Did you name the Turtle? Perhaps, Michaelangelo? Only need three more.
ReplyDeleteNo, not yet. And nobody would be happier than me if three more were to show up!
DeleteHope your little buddy sticks around. My best friend had turtles living in his back yard. They mostly chilled in their pond, but every now and then, they'd pop up on the lawn or in the rocks. Not sure if they were male or female... but if I ever come across one now... I will be able to tell.
ReplyDeleteThat was a lucky best friend!
DeleteGreat photos, Jon! Do you have a running list of all the creatures you've seen in your backyard over the years? That'd be pretty cool. Also, I can hear the sound of the horn from the General Lee now ;-)
ReplyDeleteNo. I haven't written them down, but given the subject matter, even with my ever worsening memory, I'm sure that I could still rattle off the majority of the animals that I've encountered since moving here.
DeleteI vote Raphael.
ReplyDeleteHe was my favorite...
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