newbie to forum and found a friend.

[okie girl]

hello,
I moved from Nevada to Oklahoma. In January I brought Maggie the Russian tortoise, (or so I was told), with us. We've only had her since last Aug.

Then yesterday an Ornate Box turtle was found inside the horse's hay in their pen. I counted anywhere between 4-6 rings for her age.

I have an outdoor area for Maggie in a huge old tractor tire for the day time.

questions- can these 2 to be together?
and is Maggie really a Russian and not something else?
I know her shell will heal, is there anything I can do to help it out in the in between time.

I added 2 pictures.
thank you.

 

[african cake queen]

hi, sweet pictures. i have pancakes tortoise. dont know what to about shell. i am sure some one will give you advise soon. this is a great site. lindy

 

[coreyc]

Welcome to the TFO

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum, both of those photo's look like box turtles two different types..

 

[dmmj]

They both look like box turtles to me, the first pic is hard to see, but it does not look like my russians in it. The shell will heal on it's own, just give it time. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Yvonne G]

Maggie is a three-toed box turtle and the found one is an ornate box turtle. If they are the same sex, you can keep them together, however interbreeding between different species is frowned upon.

Here's a good care sheet for box turtles:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/american/boxcare.html

Oh...and...

Hi Okie Girl: Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name?

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[okie girl]

Oh Sorry,
My name is Tasha.

thanks so far for the info.

 

[turtletrucker]

Welcome! This really is a cool place to chit-chat with other turtle/tortoise people!

Like everyone said, you have two box turtles there, lol.

 

[jeffbens0n]

I agree, looks like a 3 toed box in the first picture and anornate box in the second. Make sure you read up on them as their care is different from a Russian, particularly the diet. Good luck!

 

[Laura]

not too sure that will heal, but it looks stable.
welcome!

 

[DixieParadise]

Tasha, Welcome to the forum and to the Box Turtle capital of the world. Ok, not really it just seems that way to me. My Mother lives in Shawnee and has two box turtles that frequent her garden every year. She said she was going to catch them for me...and I asked her why. She is getting the pleasure for free, that many of us would give money to have. I told her as long as she was ok with them in her garden to leave them and she has. I will have to get pictures for everyone.

Just follow the caresheets on the forun and I am sure you will do fine with them.

 

[okie girl]

Since the box one wasn't bought at a store can I put them together now?

DixieParadise= that is cute that they come visit each year, she s lucky then.

 

[Laura]

wild caught have the most parasites in some species..
i would be cautious..

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

I would not house your two different species of box turtles together.

 

[Cfr200]

I live in Missouri and often find these two types of box turtles within feet of each other while on walks in the woods or in city parks. I have a 3 toed turtle that lives somewhere in my yard, I have only seen her twice in 3 years.
I would be worried about putting yours together because I would be worried about Maggie catching something from the ornate one you found. Most wild turtles have parasites, I guess you could always take a fecal sample to the vet and see. If she/he does you could treat it and once she/he was clean you could then keep them together.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Take Maggie to the vet for a fecal...and change her name and actually take both to the Vet for fecals...welcome...If they are the same sex I say you can keep them together after a period of quarantine. I have 3 subspecies of box turtles together all female and they do just fine...