Box turtle

[Quillback]

This dude was out in the driveway this morning.  Seems like about every month or two when it is warm out I will see one schlepping across the yard.  Could be the same one I guess, they can live for a long time.

[Johnsfolly]

It is very likely the same one. It would certainly would get my daughter's attention. She loves turtles, especially box turtles and her pet tortoise . 

Here's one that my daughter hasn't seen yet an eastern box turtle at the house in Maryland. I've seen this guy a few times while cutting the lawn.

[fishinwrench]

My youngest insists on painting her initials, or a peace sign, or something on every one that passes through our yard.   I'm not too wild about that idea, but it has taught me something....  We never see the same one twice. 🤔

[Johnsfolly]

Just now, fishinwrench said:

My youngest insists on painting her initials, or a peace sign, or something on every one that passes through our yard.   I'm not too wild about that idea, but it has taught me something....  We never see the same one twice. 🤔

Mark and recapture is a pretty common assessment tool for estimating the population density for wild animals. Maybe your daughter will be a biologist .

[fishinwrench]

17 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Mark and recapture is a pretty common assessment tool for estimating the population density for wild animals. Maybe your daughter will be a biologist .

A wildlife design specialist maybe.   If it was up to her all critters would sport ribbons, bows, and other forms of body art jewelry.

"That possum would look alot prettier with earrings and some eye shadow".

[Coosa]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

My youngest insists on painting her initials, or a peace sign, or something on every one that passes through our yard.   I'm not too wild about that idea, but it has taught me something....  We never see the same one twice. 🤔

My neighbor painted one up by writing his name on it and we found it bout a mile away on the other neighbors farm 1 yr later!

[Coosa]

Here is the turtle motel I made for my daughter this year. It's a motel because I only let her keep the same one a few days then let them go and replace with another.

[Coosa]

[Coosa]

[tjm]

One of my earliest memories is box turtle in Grandma's garden that she said had been "partners with my grand father" and had been there 17 years. It wintered buried in the mulch pile.  Think I was three. A few years later I scratched initials on one that I had as a "pet" for a couple weeks and 12 years after that found that turtle had grown about an inch in diameter and had fire scars .

Don't know if they are different sub species or male and female but in Henry County some have red spots on the legs and some have yellow spots, the cousins used to get 10-15 and have races; almost every race the red ones won.