Alaskamike
Well-Known Member
Thanks YvonneI wouldn't mix the species. If I'm remembering correctly, the Florida box turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri's status is 'threatened'. Also, both the ornata and the bauri are pretty aggressive.
good to know
These 2 I'm fostering, were take from a lady's garden and raised by her when they were babies. I offered to get them out of her classroom and care for them them for 2 months.
My assumption is at the end of summer she will be ready to take them back when they get their house finished - but she could change her mind. If she does I'll keep them, if not, I have told her I would come over and help her set up a appropriate enclosure outside for them - they were living on sand, in an old sandbox before. And the in a small plastic container of sand in the classroom.
I'm sure she had no idea it was a "no-no" to remove them from the wild. She just thought they were cute and looked helpless. You're correct, In Florida these are a protected species and considered "threatened". Its really a shame the Boxies are suffering so. May people have never eve seen one in the woods (although they are expert little hiders).
Finding a captive bred adult FBT is not real easy, because of the regulations. But some people have them.
This is when I wish I had some appropriate large wild acreage with a pond/ swampy area, to help repopulate them.