Back to Normal on VanHorn

I was mowing the grass and looked over by the raised flower bed. I now know that things on VanHorn are back to normal after the flood. Here was a pair of Eastern Box Turtles (Terrepine carolina) actively engaged in the mating act! The male climbs up on the females' carapace (top shell) with all four feet and then pulsates. The actual copulation involves the male standing somewhat upright, leaning the concave part of his plastron (bottom shell) against the back of the female's carapace. It is in this balanced position that the male fertilizes the female with his penis. Males sometimes fall backwards after copulation, and if they can't right themselves they die of starvation. What a terrible death!

The mating season begins in the spring and continues throughout summer to October. Males may mate with more than one female or the same female several times over a period of several years. A female may lay fertile eggs for up to four years after one successful mating. Nesting occurs from May through July. Nests are usually dug in sandy or loamy soil, using the hind legs. Then eggs are laid in this cavity and the nest is carefully covered up again. Females lay three to eight eggs, usually four or five, and they are elliptical with thin, white, flexible shells. The female lays several clutches each year. Incubation normally lasts three months, but this varies according to soil temperature and moisture.

Remember these critters are not edible. They eat poisonous mushrooms as part of their diet and are not affected by the toxins, but store the poison in their tissues. If we eat the flesh of the box turtle, we have a good change of dying from mushroom poisoning.



This critter is our only turtle that has a hinged plastron (Remember - bottom shell). Box turtles may live more than 100 years.