This little guy showed up in my yard

[Amanda81]

Chances are, seeing it's not that deformed, the mouth that is, he would be fine. Does he seem to have problems eating? If not, I would put him back where you found him. Maybe he will just hang around there to live. However, be careful then of using a weed whacked or lawn mower.

I wanted to put him back but my Grama isn't having it. She will "relocate" him if he's in the garden again. She said she had already done this to a few big ones this summer so I better take him w me and at least if i relocate him I know it's a safe place. No weed eaters or mowers at least. No dogs or cars either.

 

[wellington]

It's been said though, and I think is true, that they will spend a life time trying to get back to their original home.
You could try to put it in the woods close to her home, if there is any, otherwise, I don't think it's wise to relocate it too far away.

 

[Amanda81]

I gave him a little romaine lettuce, some of the red cabbage looking stuff, 2 mazuri nuggets softened, and I boiled an egg, crushed the shell, popped the egg open and crumbled it up a little and gave all that to him this evening. He didn't seem interested. I slipped a little mazuri and egg white in his mouth while he was hissing at me, he didn't seem to have a problem with it.
Course now that I know he's a couple years old I guess eating isn't an issue. I thought he was a baby so I was concerned about it. I'm a little ashamed that I know nothing about these poor turtles, their native to my area, I should know more about them. So I guess the only real question now is
Release him here or back at gramas and hope he stays out the garden.

 

[Len B]

They say (who ever they are) That if a box turtle has everything and all it's needs are met they may spend it's entire life in area the size of a football field, but 6% of all males have a gene that make them wander this way the gene pool stays strong....When I was younger,That gene got blamed for a lot of my actions.So if you want try to get to stay near, give it plenty reasons to stay right where it is now,

 

[Amanda81]

They say (who ever they are) That if a box turtle has everything and all it's needs are met they may spend it's entire life in area the size of a football field, but 6% of all males have a gene that make them wander this way the gene pool stays strong....When I was younger,That gene got blamed for a lot of my actions.So if you want try to get to stay near, give it plenty reasons to stay right where it is now,

I would prefer him stay here, it's safer. But I worry if he is took from his original area he would stress so bad and die. I read someplace that if you move a box turtle from its "home" it will either stress out and die or it will spend the rest of its life attempting to get back to its original home.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think he's young enough that he probably hasn't got his inner territory marked yet. I believe it would be ok to relocate him to your property as a wild tortoise, though not captive.

 

[CharlieM]

Ideally this guy should have a chance to live out his life in the wild. Relocating may be a great option unless it's not a suitable location or he just wanders back to your grandmother's place only to be relocated again. Follow your gut on what's really right for him. Most people will tell you it's best to release him but unless it's the correct area it may be a death sentence. It's a tough call. It's too bad your grandmother keeps relocating them. Her place must be a good location for them.

 

[Amanda81]

Yes I wish my Grama would let them be. She has a couple make appearances each year but she is set in her ways and ain't going to have them eating her garden.
He will be better off relocated to the back of my property. Its basically woods. I have seen a couple adults back there this summer so it's apparently suitable to them. There will be no danger of cars, kids, or dogs. That's better then what he will get if my Grama finds him again. Since he is not a baby as I thought and his little cleft lip issue hasn't stopped him from eating what he needs there is no reason to not release him. So I will put him out on the back of my property, hopefully he will be just as happy there. Perhaps in a couple years I will come across a large boxie with a single nostril and cleft beak. Lol.