March 28th is Weed Appreciation Day!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

On the Homefront: Baby Box Turtle


I was in the backyard yesterday evening clearing out some overgrown vines when I almost stepped on a tiny baby box turtle (Terrapene carolina).  It was so small and cute I just had to stop and take a couple of pictures before moving it to a safer spot.  I placed a quarter next to the turtle for scale, and you can get a good idea of just how small it really is.


Moments like these always remind me of why I love living in the country!  A few years ago I saw a newly hatched baby box turtle digging its way out of the ground in a nearby park.  It was so new that its shell was still shiny and all black.  Last year a female box turtle laid some eggs at the edge of our gravel driveway, but unfortunately they did not hatch.  I sometimes see adult box turtles on our property, but this is the first time I have found such a small baby.  I hope it survives, and that I will see it again!
             

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