Eastern Box turtle rescue (and yes, I used the "r" word)

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Kristina

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I was recently contacted about a "female Three Toed box turtle" that was in need of a home.

Well, I went to pick "her" up, and she ended up being a male Eastern Box turtle, which are protected in my state due to being endangered. They had picked him up off the road 6 years ago, and for the last year he had been cohabitating with their Bearded Dragon. Oh yes, I said Bearded Dragon. Because, as you all know, it is perfectly appropriate to house a lizard from the hot and dry Austrailian desert and a turtle from the damp and cool Michigan woods/wetlands together (insert sarcastic tone of voice, please.) On reptile carpet, I almost forgot that part.

At any rate, I now have both the Dragon and the Box turtle. The Dragon is missing half of its tail, because the other Dragon they had bit it off. But he is beautiful, and is a pastel, so he is a soft orange color with lots of lavender. Very friendly, loves to be out of his cage, and my kids are enjoying spoiling him with meal worms.

That left the problem of the Box turtle. About a year into his captivity, they were letting him crawl around on the floor unsupervised with the dog, and you guessed it - the dog chewed him up. His front marginals are chewed away. She said he was a bloody mess. He can't close his shell all the way. That, coupled with his exposure to any pathogens or parasites the non-native Beardie may have been carrying, and the fact that he has been on a pellet diet for the last 6 years, made it impossible for me to just take him over to the wetland preserve and release him as I oh so wanted to. I don't have a wildlife rehabilitation permit (yet, working on that) so I got in touch with someone who does, a couple of counties south of me. And she has a LTC female that can't be returned to the wild for much the same reasons!!!

He will be going to his new home in the next few days. I have had him about a week but have been keeping my mouth shut about it, because it is highly illegal for me to have him in my possession, but was still trying to figure out what the heck to do with the poor kid! Now that I have been in contact with the permit holder, it is a big weight off my chest.

Here he is ;)

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terryo

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What a beautiful boxie. I just renewed my permit. I also have a license/permit to own and collect. They're not too hard to get here in NY, but they take forever to get, so I renew mine about two months before it expires. I'm glad you found a home for him.
 
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