Boxy Lady

[Wicked Dark]

ok. that was a REALLY bad pun. But I can't help it. This is my first ever box turtle sighting. She was a beaut, too - about a 10-inch carapace.



I found her trying to get up the steep embankment of an old logging road in a state park. Well, steep for a turtle anyway. So I helped her up it and set her by the tree. Waiting for her to stick her head out was agony because of the bug cloud encircling my own. Eventually she did though she never moved or put a foot out. Luckily I had the legacy 90mm f2 lens for some extra reach. I read that the males have red eyes so pegging her as female was easy even though I couldn't see her tail. I also read they can spend their whole lives inside an area the size of a football field, so that help up the embankment was a big one!

[Iguanasan]

Aren't you sweet for helping a lady out That's a fine looking turtle you got there.

[Wicked Dark]

Thanks Ig. I got it wrong though and now have a correct ID. It's a much rarer Blanding's Turtle, not a box turtle. Even more cool.

[Bambi]

where did she go?

[Wicked Dark]

I see the photo...you don't?

[Bambi]

I see the photo...you don't?

no, it says 'photo unavailable' but I can see it on your flickr page...

[Wicked Dark]

I think it's fixed now.

[JAS_Photo]

Cool sighting! I wonder though about the dangers to her of other animals and birds? Is withdrawing into her shell enough protection or can they poke at her and get at her somehow?

[Bambi]

I think it's fixed now.

yes! there she is. Nice shot

[Wicked Dark]

glad it's back. seems like Lightroom re-published it because I tweaked it and then flickr reassigned its url.

I think the carapace and plastron combo works pretty well. From what I've seen when turtles pull in they have extra dense shielding on their feet and heads and seal up pretty well. I think a big, determined predator could possibly kill one, but I think a lot of them just give up.