Box Turtle

The box turtle or box tortoise is one of several species of turtle. It can refer to either those of the genera Cuora or Pyxidea, which are the Asian box turtles, or more commonly to species of the genus Terrapene, the North American box turtles. They are largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Otherwise the two genera are very different in habitat, behavior, and appearance, and as such are not even classified in the same family. Even though box turtles have become very popular pets, their needs in captivity are complex and the capture of turtles can have serious detrimental effects on the wild population.

The average life span of box turtles is 40 years. However, it is possible for a box turtle to live for over 100 years.

Diet

North American box turtles are omnivores. Their sharp eyes and keen sense of smell help them in finding food such as snails, insects, berries, fungi, slugs, worms, roots, flowers, fish, frogs, salamanders, various rodents, snakes, birds, and eggs. During their first five to six years, the young are primarily carnivorous while they grow. Adults tend to be mostly herbivorous, but they do not eat green leaves. Box turtles have been known to eat road-kill. Babies and young turtles need more protein and prefer a carnivorous diet, and then include more and more plant matter as they get older.

Studies

A study by Davidson College revealed that a box turtle snapping its jaw shut can produce sounds as loud as 75 dB. This sound can be used to scare away predators or possibly even be used as a mating call.

Mating

While it appears that most Terrapene carolina mating occurs in one-to-one encounters, there are occasions when two males will contend for access to a single female. These encounters consisting of butting, shoving, and perhaps attempting to overturn each other. One of the males eventually becomes exhausted and retires from the field while the other wins access to the female.

Threats

Habitat destruction is the biggest problem facing box turtles. Woodlands converted into farmland have reduced the turtles range in many US states. Remaining land is often fragmented with roads and housing projects, breaking up the animals’ habitat. As they try to cross manmade additions, turtles are often killed by cars, animals, and other dangers.

A further threat to these animals in North America is the capture and sale of wild-born box turtles. A 3-year study in Texas indicated that over 7,000 box turtles were taken from the wild for commercial trade. A similar study in Louisiana found that in a 41-month period, nearly 30,000 box turtles were taken from the wild for resale. Once captured, turtles are often kept in poor conditions where up to half of them die. Those living long enough to be sold usually suffer from conditions such as malnutrition, dehydration, and infection.

Indiana and other states have laws against collecting the turtles from the wild. In many states, it is illegal to keep them without a permit. Collecting box turtles from the wild may cause irreversible damage in the populations, as these turtles have a low reproduction rate and have a hard time finding a mate.

Most turtle and tortoise societies recommend against box turtles as pets for small children. Box turtles are easily stressed by overhandling and require more care than is generally thought. Box turtles can be easily injured by dogs and cats so special care must be taken to protect them from household pets and neighborhood animals. Box turtles require an outdoor enclosure, consistent exposure to the sun and a varied diet. Without these, a turtle’s growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened.

Finding box turtles in the wild and taking them as pets, even for a very short period of time, can have detrimental effects. Box turtles want to stay within the same area where they were born. If one is moved more than a half-mile from its territory, it may never find its way back; but may spend years unsystematically searching. This exposes the animal to danger and also disrupts the breeding cycle.

Tortoise

Tortoises or land turtles are land-dwelling reptiles of the family of Testudinidae, order Testudines. Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton. Tortoises can vary in size from a few centimeters to two meters. Tortoises tend to be diurnal animals with tendencies to be crepuscular depending on the ambient temperatures. They are generally reclusive animals.

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Pythonidae (Python)

The Pythonidae are a family of non-venomous snakes found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Among its members are some of the largest snakes in the world. Eight genera and 26 species are currently recognized.

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Kingsnake

Kingsnakes are a type of colubrid snake that are members of the Lampropeltis genus, which also includes the milk snake.

Lampropeltis means “shiny shield” (from Greek λαμπρος, “shine” + πελτα, “small shield”), due to their dorsal scales. The majority of kingsnakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skin. Kingsnakes use constriction to kill their prey and tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their diet; they will eat other snakes (ophiophagy), lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. They are highly resistant to the venom of other snakes and are known to eat rattlesnakes. The “king” in their name (as with the king cobra) is a reference to their taste for other snakes and their ability to overpower other snakes. Kingsnakes are commonly kept as pets.

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Corn Snake

The Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata), or Red Rat Snake, is a North American species of rat snake that subdue their small prey with constriction. The name “corn snake” comes from the fact that they have a maize-like pattern on their bellies that resembles corn. The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1676. Corn Snakes are found throughout the south-eastern and central United States. Their docile nature, reluctance to bite, moderate adult size (1.2- 1.8 metres or 4–6 ft), attractive pattern, and comparatively simple care make them excellent and popular pet snakes. In captivity, they usually live around to 20-25 years. Like all rat snakes, Corn Snakes are non-venomous.

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Boidae (Boa)

The Boidae are a family of non-venomous snakes found in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia and some Pacific Islands. Relatively primitive snakes, adults are medium to large in size, with females usually larger than the males. The name is derived from the Latin term bos, meaning “cow”, and is based on an old myth that boas pursue cows and suckle them until they are drained to death. Two subfamilies comprising eight genera and 43 species are currently recognized.

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Rosy Boa

The Rosy Boa (Lichanura trivirgata) is a snake of the Boidae family, one of only two members of that family native to the United States. The other is the Rubber Boa (C. bottae). Rosy Boas are native to the American Southwest, and Baja and Sonora Mexico. These small attractive snakes attain a length of 39 in (1 meter) (though some species from the coast of California reach 4 feet) and a large adult has a body width about the diameter of a golf ball. Coloration in Rosy Boas is highly variable. The Common named was derived from the Rosy or Salmon coloration that is common on the belly of Rosy Boas originating from Coastal southern California and Baja Mexico. Most Boas do not have this ventral coloration but instead have a series of dark to orange spots on a light colored background.

Almost all Rosy Boas have at least some trace of three longitudinal stripes, one down the center of the back, and two on the lower sides. The appearance of these stripes varies widely from extremely straight and having high contrast with the interspaces to extremely broken with almost no contrast with the interspaces. Stripe colors can be orange, maroon, rust, brown, or black. The interspaces range from shades of light to dark gray, yellow, or tan.

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Monitor lizards

Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon. Varanidae is monotypic, containing only the genus Varanus.

Monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, although some can be as small as 12 centimetres in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semi-aquatic monitors are also known. Almost all Monitor lizards are carnivorous, although Varanus prasinus and Varanus olivaceus are also known to eat fruit. They are oviparous, laying from 7 to 37 eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.

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Iguana

Iguana is a genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central and South America and the Caribbean first described by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena in 1768. The genus iguana includes two species: the Green Iguana (a popular pet) and the Lesser Antillean Iguana.

The word “Iguana” is derived from a Spanish form of the original Taino name for the species “Iwana”.

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Gecko

Geckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae which are found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. There are an estimated 2,000 different species of geckos worldwide, with many in existence still yet to be found.The name stems from the Indonesian/Javanese word gekok, imitative of its cry. The Malay word for gecko is ‘cicak’. All geckos, excluding the Eublepharinae family, have no eyelids and instead have a transparent membrane which they lick to clean. Many species will, in defense, expel a foul-smelling material and feces onto their aggressors. There are also many species that will drop their tails in defence, a process called Autotomy. Many species are well known for their specialized toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces and even cross indoor ceilings with ease. These antics are well-known to people who live in warm regions of the world, where several species of geckos make their home inside human habitations. These species (for example the House Gecko) become part of the indoor menagerie and are seldom really discouraged because they feed on insects (pests).

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