Tommy Turtle

[Tom]

After literally years of searching, I finally found my old turtle pics. This was my first turtle ever and I got him for my birthday in September of 1979. The date on the back of some of these photos says Aug. 1980. The pictures are absolutely terrible quality, but my mind fills in the blanks just fine. I tried for many years to figure out what, exactly, he was, and only recently figured out he was a Western Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola. I have no way to verify this, but I'm pretty sure. Giving him up was one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I'd give anything to get him back...

 

[terryo]

Imagine if you had kept him! Our backyard turtle (Eastern Box Turtle) was well over 60 years. The summer before last was the first time he didn't come up from hibernation and again last summer, so we are assuming that he died. I inherited him from my Dad. I am so sad that I didn't take any pictures. I do have some on a few old 8 mm movies.

 

[Tom]

I realize the pics are almost useless, but can any of the box turtle people out there make a guess as to species? I'm pretty sure he was a luteola, but every once in a while I see a three toed pic that looks kind of familiar.

 

[Tom]

Already on page 3 today and no response yet. Bump.

 

[spikethebest]

i wish i could help, but im not the best. but looks like 3-toed to me.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

He looks like a three toed to me also, but it's hard to tell.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

He looks like he got around. Did your mom not protest the little puddles and pellets he left behind and underfoot? She must have been a good sport!

 

[dreadyA]

I thought desert box turtles have ray on their carapace??

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Lordy what bad linoleum... that brings back so many memories. Every house in the 50's had that linoleum...he looks like a 3 toed to me.

 

[Yvonne G]

Sorry, Tom...but the pictures aren't clear enough for me to even make a guess. If you held a gun to my head, I'd say 3-toe. Was there any color on the plastron?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Sorry Tom, I didn't mean any insult. It just brought back flashes of my childhood to see that picture...

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the guesses. From what I understand the Westerns have some pretty good color when they are young and then darken up as they get older. The pet store had two types for sale. This was 1979 and the listed them as Eastern or Western box turtles. I think both were $24.99. I know these pics are terrible and blurry, but he was pretty dark. I was pretty sure for a while that he was a luteola, but lately I have seen some pics of three toeds that look pretty similar too.

Thanks so much for the guesses. I guess I'll never know for sure.

Let this be a lesson to all kids and teenagers: Don't give away an animal that you've had since you were a little child just because you temporarily lose interest in your teen years. Man I was stupid! When I'm on my death bed and they ask me what I regretted in my lifetime I will start with "giving up Tommy Turtle".

 

[Tom]

I just spent an hour looking at ever box turtle pic I could find. He definitely wasn't a three-toed. He most closely resembled a Western, but there were a few gulf coast pics that looked pretty similar.

 

[PATMAN]

So sorry you don't have that turtle any more. I can only imagine how you feel.

I still remember the first pet 3 toed box turtle I ever had. I bought her at a pet store way back in 1984.

Believe it or not I stil have her! I never expected to have her this long!

 

[Yvonne G]

I also have the very first box turtle that I ever got. She has a distinctive dog chew mark on the front of her carapace, so I can always recognize her. I got her in the 80's.