The Three Toed Box Turtle

The three toed box turtle has, appropriately, three goes on its hind feet and that is how it got its name. The three toed box turtle is a member of the box turtle family which is a sub species of hinged shelled turtles. This particular species of box turtle is found in the southern central areas of the United States.

The three toed box turtle has a dome shaped shell that can grow to be about four and a half to five inches long, though there is a record of a seven inch long shell. Unlike other subspecies of box turtle, the highest part of the three toed box turtle's domed upper shell is closer to the posterior region of the turtle. This turtle has no dorsal or limb coloration, these parts are usually a tan or olive green color. Every once in a while a few yellow lines or dots can be seen in the center of each scute (scale on top of the turtle's shell). There are often orange red or yellow spots on the neck and head and often the bottom shell is the color of yellow straw.

Most often, the three toed box turtle is found from area between the panhandle of Florida, eastern Texas, southern Louisiana and Missouri. These turtles can interbreed with other species of eastern box turtles that are also found in this area. This makes the offspring difficult to distinguish from the common box turtle, another subspecies of hinged shell turtle. These turtles are one of the most popular turtles to keep as pets so it isn't yet known whether or not a pet three toed box turtle would have an impact on the wild box turtle population in any given area. These are the most adaptive of the pet turtles and have a reputation as being the only subspecies of box turtle that can happily live in an indoor tank or enclosure.

The three toed box turtle is an omnivore whose diet consistently changes from season to season. They eat insects, slugs, earthworms, snails, mushrooms, strawberries and green leafy plants. Sometimes they will eat quail eggs. All box turtles like live food better than plant food. Some of these turtles will eat poisonous mushrooms, but do not get sick themselves. Instead the mushrooms make the turtles themselves poisonous. When kept as pets, these turtles will eat crickets, waxworms, mealworms, tomatoes and even dog food that has been moistened.

Personality wise, three toed box turtles do not like to be watched while they are eating. They also do not understand glass and, if kept in an indoor tank can become very frustrated and anxious in their tanks if not provided with a visible barrier. These turtles also need to maintain a certain level of humidity and have been known to migrate with the seasons. When they get too dry, they will dig shallow holes in any leaf litter they find in an effort to conserve moisture. The three toed box turtle also spends more time soaking than any other subspecies of box turtle.