Ornate Box Turtles

[kbaker]

I am looking at putting a small group of Ornate Box Turtles together. I did a search on the forum, but I did not find much. Dan has some and I hope to hear from him on the subject and maybe he will give up some pictures.

I was hoping I would have more of a choice when picking them out, but they do not seem to be for sale very often. If I understand correctly, New Mexico is the only state open for collecting and selling. And the breeders in the states that are not in their natural range.

I invite Ornate owners to post pictures, tell me about their turtles and where they came from.

 

[tortoiseguy65]

If you are interested in captive produced hatchlings, let me know. I have a friend who breeds them. He produces all the different box turtles found in the US.

I am looking at putting a small group of Ornate Box Turtles together. I did a search on the forum, but I did not find much. Dan has some and I hope to hear from him on the subject and maybe he will give up some pictures.

I was hoping I would have more of a choice when picking them out, but they do not seem to be for sale very often. If I understand correctly, New Mexico is the only state open for collecting and selling. And the breeders in the states that are not in their natural range.

I invite Ornate owners to post pictures, tell me about their turtles and where they came from.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Here is a link for a good rescue in New Mexico. Please don't consider taking any from the wild or buying any that are wild caught. They are becoming more and more endangered. This rescue has a lot of ornates come in.

http://www.rgttc.org/index.html

 

[terryo]

My Ornate is over thirty years old now. I had to give her to a friend three years ago because I was renovating my yard, and she was used to hibernating since she was a baby. I was really devistated. Two days ago, my friend brought her home to me. She said she knew I would want her back, now that I had a place for, but wouldn't ask for her. I can't tell you how happy I am to have her home again. She was my very first boxie that I didn't inherit from my Dad. She's always been very sweet, and friendly. Eats most anything you give her. She will sit out in the sun more than the others (Eastern's and Three Toed's), but will not soak in the pond as much as the others. Likes meat and fruit better than veggies and greens.

 

[kbaker]

Jeff-
I PM'd you.

kimber_lee_314-
Thanks for the link. I will check them out.

Terryo-
Very nice turtle and set up. Do you know what state she came from?
What size was she when you first got her?

 

[terryo]

Someone had hatchlings and kept a few. She was one of the one's he kept, and then gave to me. Here in NY.

 

[kbaker]

The rescue does not ship so they are not an option right now, but I do have a lead on (2.2) ornates. I should now this week if it will happen.

Dan-
Are you still mad at me?
I want to hear about your ornates and see some pictures.

 

[kbaker]

The (2.2) changed to (1.3). I was going to get (1.2), but chickened out because I was not sure with the pictures I got of them. So I got just (1.1).

They came this morning and I was very surprised how nice they were.
I should have gotten more.

Here are some pictures of them after they walked their pen.

 

[terryo]

They're beauitiful. I'm still looking for a male........I saw some hatchlings for sale, but I'm searching for an adult.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

They are lovely - is the bottom picture a luteola?

 

[kbaker]

They are lovely - is the bottom picture a luteola?

Thanks. As far as I know it is T. o. ornata and not T.o. luteola, but if they look that close alike I probably could not tell the difference. These are my first Westerns and I don't think I have ever seen a real live Desert Box Turtle before.

 

[Nay]

Terry, I am so glad you got yours back.(Now if just Izzy would make an entrance, your family would be complete)!!

Kbaker, this is Louise, got her 7 or so years ago from a woman who had her in her dorm at school in ,guess????, an aquarium. She is so personable, and she loves to dissapear, in her pen, for months at a time(has done it twice for me now)She loves to soak, even in very cold water, and if I had to do something different, I would not have hand fed her. She comes running,yes, but she will try your fingertips if she can..They are the cutest little torts. (my pic link has one or two more of her)



http://picasaweb.google.com/NadineNat/Louise
Enjoy them,Na

 

[egyptiandan]

No not mad at you

The male is all Ornate, but the female is most likely a cross between an Ornate and a Desert (to many rays on the second coastal scute to be an Ornate and to few to be a Desert).

You want to make sure the enclosure is well planted so they aren't seeing each other all the time. Terrapene ornata stress out very easily when in close contact with each other.

Danny

 

[terryo]

Terry, I am so glad you got yours back.(Now if just Izzy would make an entrance, your family would be complete)!!

Still looking for Izzy.
Here's Nora today in the new boxie garden.

 

[kbaker]

Dan-
Glad to hear from you. If I remember correctly, you are in Mass.? How many ornates do you have and how are they set up?
I'm sure everyone would like to see pictures from you.

I will try to get a good picture of the female to show the shell. Maybe you can explain further what to look for. It's not completely clear to me because I don't see that many rays. Are there any other characteristics that I can look for to tell if she is an ornate, desert or mix??

Na-
Louise is very pretty. Have you ever owned an Eastern? They bite from the start without hand feeding!

TerryO-
What did you think of the pictures I emailed you?

 

[terryo]

I got your first e-mail but I didn't get your e-mail with the pictures. Could you send it again? Thanks

 

[egyptiandan]

The easiest way to tell is the number of rays on the second coastal scute. 5 to 8 for an Ornate and 11 to 14 for a Desert. When you get an inbetween number it's most likely a cross. The crosses are naturally occuring where the 2 subspecies meet in Texas and New Mexico (so western Texas and eastern New Mexico).

I'll take some pictures Tuesday of their enclosures. I have 3 enclosures, 1 for Deserts (I have 4), 1 for crosses (I have 3) and 1 for Ornates (I have 4). The enclosures are pretty over grown with weeds, grass and hostas (in most of the enclosures). They make tunnels and trails through the grass and weeds.

Yes I'm in Mass. I've been able to hibernate everyone outside here in the winter. You just need to cover them so they don't get to wet in the winter while they are hibernating.

Danny

 

[kbaker]

I took some pictures with my phone just in time because it is storming outside. I posted them in my album in the Photo Gallery. I count 7 to 8 yellow rays on the second scute. What do you get?

I am glad that whichever I have, I can leave them out year round. I did cover the 3-toed pen last winter and I put in extra leaves.

TerryO-
I sent another email. Let me know when you get it.

 

[kbaker]

I have 3 enclosures, 1 for Deserts (I have 4), 1 for crosses (I have 3) and 1 for Ornates (I have 4).

Danny

What are your sex ratios and size of enclosures?

Do you know what state your ornates are from? Do you think there is much difference between ornates from state to state?

 

[egyptiandan]

I'm counting 8 or 9, depending on whether you want to count a very faint one or not

My groups are 2.2 (Ornates), 1.2 (crosses) and 1.3 (Deserts). The Deserts and Ornates are in 8' X 4' pens and the crosses are in a 6' X 6' pen.

My Ornates and crosses came from Texas. I have in the past had Ornates from Wisconsin (which didn't do well as I had them to crowded). They didn't seem any different than the ones from Texas I have now.

Danny