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Terrapene carolina

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(Terrapene carolina)

Class – Reptiles

Squad – Turtles

Family – Freshwater

Genus – Box-shaped

Terrapene carolina carolina - The carapace is short, wide and brightly colored. The marginal scutes are almost vertical and slightly overhanging. There are four toes on the hind legs.
Terrapene carolina major- The largest subspecies with an elongated carapace and four toes on the hind legs. The pattern on the carapace is either absent or represented by a fuzzy reddish-brown pattern. The rib on the marginal scutes is well defined.
Terrapene carolina triunguis- The carapace is reddish-brown or olive with an indistinct pattern. On the head and front legs there are orange or yellow spots. Males often have a red head. The hind feet usually have 3 toes.
Terrapene carolina bauri- Carapace with a bright pattern consisting of light radial lines. There are three characteristic lines on the head. The hind feet usually have three toes.
Terrapene carolina yucatana- The carapace is tall, dome-shaped, reddish-brown or straw-colored with dark rays and dark edges of the scutes. The third vertebral scute protrudes in the form of a hump. The back edge guards protrude slightly. The hind legs have four toes.
Terrapene carolina mexicana- The carapace is elongated, high, dome-shaped. The third vertebral scute protrudes in the form of a hump. The posterior marginal scutes are moderately prominent. There are 3 toes on the hind legs.

Appearance

The length of the carapace is up to 20-23 cm. Its color is quite bright - bright yellow spots and stripes stand out sharply against a dark gray background. The iris of the eyes is especially beautiful, which in males is bright red, and in females it is reddish-brown. The plastron has two hinges that can seal the shell tightly if the turtle retracts its head, paws, and tail. The ability to completely hide in a shell is manifested in the name of the species of turtle - box turtle.

Habitat

USA from southern Maine south to Florida including the Florida Keys and west to Michigan, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, with populations in New York. Turtles are also found in Mexico near the Gulf of Mexico.

Inhabits open meadows, pastures and swamps. The Carolina turtle lives in forests, usually near ponds or streams, but is sometimes found in open places- in meadows, swamps or dry hilly areas.

In nature

Temperature environment affects the activity of turtles. Optimal temperature 29-38 degrees C. During hot periods of summer, T. carolina becomes active only in the morning and after rain. During hot weather, the turtle crawls into shelter under logs or settles in a pile of leaves, hides in holes of other animals or in the mud. Sometimes she crawls into puddles to cool off.
In spring and autumn, turtles feed throughout the day and sometimes crawl out to bask in the sun. Typically, Terrapene carolina is active during the day and spends the night in shelter.
In the northern regions, T. carolina settles down in a burrow for a long period already in October-November. hibernation. They dig a burrow in loose soil, on the clay banks of streams or rivers a meter deep, and can use the burrows of other animals. Turtles often return to their wintering grounds from year to year, and several turtles may sleep in the same burrow. When warm winter they can crawl out of winter holes and rush in search of other places to continue wintering. Turtles awaken in April. In the south, the turtle is active all year round.

The turtle's food includes earthworms, newborn mice, liver, fish, shellfish, insects, as well as plant foods: greens, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, berries. Turtles also eat poisonous mushrooms without visible harm to your health. It is possible that this is why there have been cases of human poisoning from Carolina turtle meat.

Reproduction

Turtles begin mating in the spring and finish in October. Males may mate with more than one female, or they may mate with the same female for several years in a row. After mating, the female can lay fertilized eggs for 4 years. Egg laying occurs from May to July. Females begin nesting at dusk and finish at night. She prefers sandy soil and digs with her hind legs, then covers the eggs with soil. There are 3-8 eggs in a clutch, usually 4-5, they are covered with a thin elastic shell of an elliptical shape 3 cm long and 2 cm wide. Incubation usually lasts 3 months, but may vary depending on soil temperature and humidity. The sex of Terrapene carolina turtles is determined by the temperature of the soil in which the eggs are found. At a temperature of 22-27 degrees C, males are born, and above 28 degrees - females. Terrapene carolina turtles are well developed at birth and begin to grow quickly after hatching from the egg: in the first five years they increase in length by 1.5 cm, and by this time they reach maturity. After this, growth slows down, but continues until 20 years. Some T. carolina individuals live over 100 years. Along the boundaries of the habitat of subspecies, individuals of different subspecies of turtles can mate and give birth to hybrids, the identification or establishment of which species is impossible.

IN marriage ritual There are some differences between different subspecies. Thus, courtship in T. carolina Carolina is divided into three phases: the male circling around the female, while he bites her; the preliminary stage before mating, when the male tries to mount the female; the mating itself. Terrapene carolina major courtship and mating occur simultaneously, and turtles prefer to do this in shallow water. Terrapene carolina triunguis and bauri have different rituals. Males of the subspecies T. carolina triunguis and T. carolina bauri stretch their necks in front of the females and shake them. The male Terrapene carolina triunguis demonstrates this pose in front of the female, and the male T. carolina bauri climbs onto the female's carapace with all four paws and begins to shake there. Mating occurs in a similar way: the male stands almost vertically, aligning himself with the back of the female's shell, and begins to balance during fertilization. Once the process is complete, males sometimes fall over on their backs, and if they do not find the strength to get up, they may die from exhaustion.

With air temperature 20-28C and relative humidity 70-80%. You can use soil mixed with sand or peat. The thickness of the soil layer is 8-10cm. Be sure to have a spacious shallow pool in which turtles love to lie.

The food preferences of these turtles depend on temperature, light and their environment. Unlike warm-blooded animals, their metabolism does not give them an appetite; instead, they can only reduce their activity level and not eat food until they have an appetite. good conditions. These turtles are omnivores, feeding on plant and animal foods. Favorites are earthworms, snails, slugs, beetle larvae, caterpillars, grasses, fallen fruits, berries, mushrooms, flowers, bread and carrion.

In captivity, if there is an outdoor range, turtles also receive a lot of natural green food.

Turtles prefer to feed at dawn or dusk, especially during or after heavy rain. However, in any case, additional feeding is necessary. It usually includes a wide assortment of berries and fruits, such as cherries, apples, bananas or melons, plus additional vegetables, leafy greens, cauliflower, green and red peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. Mice, locusts and snails can be offered as protein food. Calcium must be added to the feed to balance high levels phosphorus contained in protein feed.

The Carolina box turtle is a small animal that inhabits the coasts of Eastern Canada and the United States of America. The animal is popular in America. The Carolina box turtle is increasingly being purchased as a pet. This breed of reptile requires almost no water. They spend all their time on land. In winter, the animal prefers not to go into the water at all. The body color is unusual. The main color is black. There are many curved lines on the skin and shell orange color. The upper part of the legs is completely orange. The length of the shell does not exceed eighteen centimeters. The length of the head is approximately eight centimeters. You can distinguish males from females by eye color. In males they are bright red. Females have darker eyes (burgundy).

The female can give birth several times a year. The mating period is repeated three times in twelve months, the process lasts three months. Up to ten small turtles can be born at a time. They live in captivity for approximately twenty-five years. Animals can be bred at the age of ten. Life expectancy depends on the environment. It is not recommended to breed turtles at home. If the female has laid eggs, they must be moved to a special room where the babies will hatch under ultraviolet rays.

Recently, Carolina box turtles have become increasingly popular. Due to its endurance, ease of maintenance, this breed turtles take root well in human homes. Live pet maybe in a small aquarium. Cover the bottom with a thick layer of sand and peat. Remember: turtles need water as well as land. Therefore, it is necessary to build an aquarium where the pet can crawl ashore. It is advisable to change the water every seven days. The aquarium can be filled with ordinary tap water, the temperature of which should not be lower than twenty degrees. Too much warm water pouring is also prohibited. The bottom of the “shelter” can be decorated with algae. The reptile will feel comfortable among the plants. Place a lamp with ultraviolet rays above the shore to warm your pet. Make sure that the turtle does not crawl out of the aquarium. It is not recommended to give the animal “walks” on the floor (carpet). He may accidentally swallow “garbage”, which will lead to dire consequences.

The Carolina inhabitants of reservoirs feed on meat, squid, massive worms, and snails. You can also give your pet fish with bones. It is better not to give pork or chicken. Turtles are excellent eaters of liver. You can feed the animal weekly with carrots, apples, cabbage, and milk. Greens include spinach and lettuce. You can buy special food at the pet store.

Young turtles are allowed to be kept together with fish. But as they age, it is better to relocate them, because adults can begin to hunt the small inhabitants of the aquarium. They get along well with other breeds of turtles, snakes, lizards, and frogs.

CAROLINA BOX TURTLE (Terropene Carolina)

There are 6 known subspecies of Carolina boxtail.

The dome-shaped, brown or black-brown carapace has a barely noticeable stepped keel. The shell is decorated with yellow, orange, olive spots and stripes that resemble letters of the alphabet.

Thus, on the side shields there is a sharply outlined letter “E” of a beautiful golden yellow color.

These intricate writings perfectly hide the turtle in the thickets; her protective coloration flawless. In the Florida boxtail subspecies T.s. bauri the scutes are slightly swollen and have radial lines. The plastron is yellowish and sometimes covered with dark spots. The oblong, ovoid head is covered with brown and yellow spots.

Noteworthy is the hooked upper jaw, which looks like the beak of a bird of prey.

Females are somewhat larger and their plastron is smooth; in males a long tail and depressed plastron. The sex of Carolina turtles, in addition to generally accepted methods of determination, can be determined by the iris of the eye - in the male it is from orange to red-brown, in the female it is from yellow to pale yellow.

Reaches a length of 15-17 cm (depending on the subspecies); the largest subspecies are three-fingered (18 cm) and coastal (22 cm). Distributed throughout the eastern states of the United States from the north (southeastern Canada, Maine) to the south (Louisiana and Texas); the western edge of the range is limited by Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Further, the range goes to eastern and southeastern Mexico (states of Nuevo Leon, Veracruz, Yucatan, Quintana Roo).

The ecological characteristics of the species are extremely heterogeneous, and it is not so easy for the Carolina box turtle to imitate the conditions of a terrarium - however, this is not surprising given such a vast range.

Different authors vied with each other to report conflicting information about the habitat Carolina turtle, and, summing up all this information, we must proceed from the fact that everything depends on the specific population, and within its limits, take into account individual preferences from individual to individual.

Yet most of its range is characterized by dry and hot summers but harsh winters.

Thus, it lives in relatively dry areas, including mixed and foothill forests, but is attached to bodies of water, which can be lakes, shallow ponds, and even puddles. The main thing is consistency of water. After the spring rains, turtles come out of hibernation, look for new shelters and food, rummaging in forest litter.

As for their diet, these are very “convenient” animals: they are omnivores. True, young animals prefer animal food. They eat earthworms, any mollusks, including naked slugs (with obvious disgust, clearing the mucus from the muzzle with their front paws), woodlice, any insects, their larvae and caterpillars, small salamanders and frogs, as well as flowers, berries and mushrooms, and poisonous. It is believed that old turtles switch exclusively to a mushroom diet.

It is said that in the past, people who ate box turtles were poisoned and died because the mushroom's poison was concentrated in the turtle's body.

IN natural conditions She also eats carrion. Thus, turtles are attracted to colonies of herons and other fish-eating birds. Pieces of half-rotten fish that have fallen from their nests are a real treat for the Carolina turtle.

In captivity, she eats food invertebrates (mealworm and its larvae, cockroaches and others), newborn mice, beef liver and heart, fish, dandelions, any fruit, cabbage, carrots and lettuce. Fanciers of past times offered them, in addition to the above, meat, bread and boiled potatoes and reported that the Carolina turtle was “crazy” for half-rotten bananas.

To prevent turtles from being picky, before feeding, vegetables are grated and mixed with offal or fish, adding lettuce and oat sprouts. Add to mixture once a week bone meal and once a month - “tetravit” at the rate of one drop per turtle. In any case, this is how they fed the Carolina turtles at the Moscow Zoo.

In hot summers, Carolina turtles appear early in the morning, in the dew, eating plants, and also in the evening, especially in warm rains. In severe drought, they hibernate for several weeks, only appearing for a short period in the autumn.

Other populations, on the contrary, are supporters of water; They stay in meadows and swamps and not only swim, but also dive. An aquatic lifestyle is more typical for young animals. They love to take “mud baths.”

Eastern box turtle in nature (T.s. Carolina) goes into hibernation for several winter months, burrowing into silt, rotting vegetation at the edges of streams and lakes, forest floor, as well as into half-rotten stumps.

During warmer months, box turtles are usually released into the outside of the terrarium. The terrarium should be spacious (at least 1 m2 per pair), since these turtles are very active and tend to wander. In nature, they travel long distances, but remain attached to their territory. Their individuality should also be taken into account in captivity.

At the Moscow Zoo, five turtles (2 males and 3 females) were kept in a terrarium measuring 200X70X50 cm. The pool (45 x 40 x 20 cm) was filled with wet peat. Sometimes peat is mixed 1/3 with sand and 1/3 with potting soil; substrate layer -8-10 cm.

As in nature, some individuals lead an exclusively terrestrial lifestyle, while others prefer wet habitats, where they dive into water and bask in it for a long time. There is a mention when one copy T.s. Carolina had the habit of bathing in the outdoor pond at least four times a day with aquatic turtles, and he warmed up with them on the island. The proper temperature for this subspecies is from +20 °C to +28 °C, and it should not drop for a long time. Relative humidity — 70—80 %.

The outdoor area should be equipped with a heated house where turtles can take refuge during bad weather, although they can withstand even lower temperatures for short periods.

Carolina turtle tournaments are frantic and last for hours; the same applies to long hours of mating; it occurs in shallow water.

At the beginning of summer, the female lays eggs in the sun 2— 7 round white eggs, carefully burying them. The Carolina turtle has 4 clutches per season. Hatching occurs from 50 to 90 days; The hatching deadline is 150 days.

In captivity, the hatching rate is determined by the incubation temperature (from +22 °C to +31 °C). The Carolina turtle retains the ability to store active male sperm for 5 years.

As the experience of the Moscow Zoo has shown, before mating, box turtles were given artificial wintering for a month at a temperature of +8 °C +13 °C. The wintering box with turtles was covered with a 10 cm layer of shavings, and they were covered with hay on top.

After hibernation, the turtles began to actively mate, and on July 13, 1985, one female laid three eggs. After 53 days, 2 turtles hatched (the eggs were incubated at a temperature of +29 °C +30 °C).

Under natural conditions, young turtles, without feeding, remain to spend the winter with the adults, choosing shelter from the northern winds and burrowing into loose soil. They appear at the end of April.

It was found that the growth of box turtles is influenced by many seasonal factors: temperature, precipitation, the abundance of grasshoppers on which they feed - climatic conditions determine growth by speeding it up or slowing it down.

The growth rate of a young Carolina turtle in the first year of its life is 68%, in the second year - 28.6%, in the third - 18% and in the fourth - 13.3%.

The fourteen-year-old tortoise grew by only 3%.

At 5-7 years they reach sexual maturity, and a twenty-year-old turtle can be considered a mother. There is evidence that they lived to be 80 years old and even passed the century mark.

Box turtles retain the ability to regenerate: the damaged shell is replaced by one third within 1-2 years; in museums there are specimens with completely updated shells.

The Carolina turtle quickly gets used to it in captivity, eats from your hand and can be taught the simplest tricks by reinforcing its reflexes with treats. However, sometimes she bites her owner and, as zoologists say, “being irritated, she also protects her life, bites and does not easily release what she grabs.” As for the temperature regime, all this applies to the nominal subspecies, the so-called eastern box turtle (T.s. Carolina), most cold-resistant. Naturally, subspecies from the southern states of the USA (Louisiana, Florida, Texas) require higher thermal indices.

Thus, it is advisable for the hobbyist to determine the species or subspecies of the box turtle, and therefore its origin and temperature regime in the terrarium.

Head of a SHORE or LARGE BOX TURTLE (T.s. major) light, and there are no reddish spots on the limbs. It ranges from southeastern Louisiana to western Florida. There are 4 claws on the hind legs.

The most spectacular, elegant of the box-shaped ones is MEXICAN (T. s. mexicana). It has a similar pattern of carapace scutes in the form of diverging rays, like the Florida (T.s. bauri), it is decorated with yellow, red and brown. Living in northeastern Mexico, it, unlike YUCATAN (T. With. yucatana; eastern Mexico), has three claws on the hind legs, like the Florida one. The Yucatan has four. She prefers semi-deserts and heathlands.

In addition to two subspecies of the Carolina turtle that live in Mexico, in the same country it is distributed exclusively rare view— WATER BOX, or BOX COAHUILA (T. coahuila), named after the Mexican state and limited by rivers and swamps near the town of Cuatro Cienegas. She retained her passion for aquatic environment, she has a single-color carapace, and pronounced swim membranes on her hind legs.

On the contrary, NELSON'S BOX TURTLE (T. nelsoni) dry-loving; it lives in the Mexican states of Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit. It is clear that both the two subspecies and the two species of box turtles from Mexico require more high temperature, than turtles of temperate regions.

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