Unexpected guest!!!! :-)

[Maggie3fan]

I always thought the turtle/tortoise differentiation was by the way they walk. Where turtles hind legs/feet go out to the sides and push it forward, tortoises walk on straight hind legs much like an elephant. Don’t know if this is true or not, just my opinion.

It's sort like comparing apples and pineapple. They are made the same sorta but turtles have a much different diet for example. They come from different continents, have different living habits. Turtles are much more water oriented and frankly some have more personality than most tortoises. Somebody like Will, will come on and tell you the biological difference, I sure can't.....I have more turtles than tortoises, but I'm a diehard Sulcata fan. I have 2.
Oh and to answer your first question, most people are stupid.

 

[TriciaStringer]

I was going out to feed my Hermann's tortoise just now, saw movement in the grass and realized I had an unexpected visitor!!!!

View attachment 251385


I have NEVER seen a wild box turtle in our yard in 18 years!!!!! There is an undeveloped wetland area and small river adjoining the north side of our subdivision, but the other 3 sides have highways, roads and businesses!!!!
I SOOOOO wanted to keep him! (...at least i think it was a he....he did NOT much appreciate being picked up!)
An Eastern Box Turtle, you reckon?
View attachment 251387



Turtle: "Quit looking at my butt, lady...I'm outta here!"
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Awe! What a special surprise! We’ve helped them across the road and sadly the only one we found on our property was dead and behind our freezer in our garage. He must have gotten stuck. I sure wish we knew he was there. We found him when we moved the freezer to sell it.

 

[TammyJ]

Can I just ask a really stupid question here? Why is it called a turtle when it's really a tortoise??? What is it really? D-UHHHH!!!

Tammy, you got some nice responses to your stupid question but you did not explain your question properly. You were actually referring to a BOX TURTLE and asking why it is called a BOX TURTLE, and not a BOX TORTOISE. Is a Box Turtle a turtle or is it a tortoise??? That is the question you would like answered. Right?

 

[TammyJ]

What is a Box Turtle?

 

[TammyJ]

What is a Box Turtle?

Tammy, a Box Turtle is not a turtle, it's a tortoise. Someone made a mistake long ago and it stuck.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Tammy, a Box Turtle is not a turtle, it's a tortoise. Someone made a mistake long ago and it stuck.

A box turtle is actually a Terrapin. I hope that's spelled right, and the right answer....hahhahahahaha

 

[RosemaryDW]

I would be over the moon to see one; lucky you!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

All tortoises are turtles but not all turtles are tortoises :wink:

So cool to see the wild in your yard!

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

When someone calls any of my tortoises turtles I ALWAYS correct them. That drives me nuts. If you think tortoises are turtles throw a 50 pound Sulcata in a pond and see what happens..

Ok... I totally agree!!! And I still correct people!!! Bob[emoji217] is a TORTOISE!!! A Leo more specifically!

But in the terms of a turtle vs a tortoise... it is more of a prestige thing [emoji16] (to my understanding)

If you look into the taxonomy of it all, A tortoise is a turtle, BUT every turtle is not a tortoise!

According to the last research I read, a tortoise is a subspecies of turtles that have in fact evolved to live on land!!!

Aka... tortoises are crazy mother-forking awesome and deserve the most prestigious title!!!

aka----motherFORKING TORTOISE!!!

[emoji6][emoji16][emoji8][emoji173]️[emoji217][emoji173]️[emoji8][emoji16][emoji6]

I posted a kids-ish motivated video the other day... it discussed just this!

AND ... I will continue to correct people to the end of my days!!! Even if a tortoise can be called a turtle.......... they DESERVE to be summoned under their proper title of

Mr.

or

Ms. TORTOISE!!!!!!!

[emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji217][emoji173]️[emoji173]️[emoji173]️

PS: Apple emoji has a tortoise with stumpy feet, not a flippered turtle [emoji8]

PSS: I LOVE THEM ALL, and I dream I am swimming with Squirt and Crush from "Finding Nemo" ...Renamed (by me) as the adventures of "Squirtle D. Turtle, the Current of the Shelled Exclusive" ... it has HOURS of behind the scenes and endless bloopers as they slowly plow over the lunch salad bar tent instead of the directed scene of whatever is clearly NOT the SALAD BAR!!! [emoji8][emoji217][emoji173]️[emoji217][emoji8]

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

Awe! What a special surprise! We’ve helped them across the road and sadly the only one we found on our property was dead and behind our freezer in our garage. He must have gotten stuck. I sure wish we knew he was there. We found him when we moved the freezer to sell it.

[emoji22][emoji24][emoji22][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]

[emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]
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[emoji24][emoji24]

[emoji24]

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

All tortoises are turtles but not all turtles are tortoises :wink:

So cool to see the wild in your yard!

JINX!!! [emoji8][emoji6][emoji8]

You owe me an in life beer or a ... virtual tortoise forum high five...?!? But I am just now scrolling through the conversation... soooo I might owe you?

 

[wccmog10]

Yes, as a few of you mentioned- all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. So a tortoise is a type of turtle. Tortoises by definition have elephantine hind limbs. So- a box turtle is in fact a turtle, and not a tortoise. Terrapins are another type of turtle that live in brackish water (at least that’s how I learned it in herpetology class). As far as I know the only terrapin in the United States is the diamondback terrapin (and the University of Maryland). But either way all of our shelled friends *could* be refered to as turtles (or chelonians if you want to get real fancy).

It is always nice to find a healthy looking box turtle, especially in your own yard!

 

[TammyJ]

Yes, as a few of you mentioned- all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. So a tortoise is a type of turtle. Tortoises by definition have elephantine hind limbs. So- a box turtle is in fact a turtle, and not a tortoise. Terrapins are another type of turtle that live in brackish water (at least that’s how I learned it in herpetology class). As far as I know the only terrapin in the United States is the diamondback terrapin (and the University of Maryland). But either way all of our shelled friends *could* be refered to as turtles (or chelonians if you want to get real fancy).

It is always nice to find a healthy looking box turtle, especially in your own yard!

I think that would be the forelimbs? They are pretty elephantine looking, whereas the hind limbs seem a bit stingy in comparison.

 

[wccmog10]

I think that would be the forelimbs? They are pretty elephantine looking, whereas the hind limbs seem a bit stingy in comparison.

It is the hind limbs that are elephantine. The back foot has a circular flat spot on it (like an elephants foot), which is what makes it “elephantine.” The “circular flat spot” is what touched the ground when they walk.

I found this photo on my phone. You can see how the backfoot is on the ground.

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

It is the hind limbs that are elephantine. The back foot has a circular flat spot on it (like an elephants foot), which is what makes it “elephantine.” The “circular flat spot” is what touched the ground when they walk.

I found this photo on my phone. You can see how the backfoot is on the ground.
View attachment 252533

Look at that little guy go!!! He really cleared all the lower leaves, now he is acting like a giraffe!

"Must reach further... must... reeeeeach leaf[emoji261] , heck I'll just stand up on my elephant feet [emoji6]....must reeeeeach "

 

[For Love of Everything Shell]

I think that would be the forelimbs? They are pretty elephantine looking, whereas the hind limbs seem a bit stingy in comparison.

Watch this video! He shows the elephantine feet of a big Galapagos tortoise!!! It makes it easier to understand

Cute little Tortoise / Turtle informative video (for kids or childish adults like me)

https://tortoiseforum.org/index.php...(for-kids-or-childish-adults-like-me).169805/

 

[wccmog10]

Look at that little guy go!!! He really cleared all the lower leaves, now he is acting like a giraffe!

"Must reach further... must... reeeeeach leaf[emoji261] , heck I'll just stand up on my elephant feet [emoji6]....must reeeeeach "

Ya... I planted that for her to give shade. I wasn’t really expecting her to eat it. Then climb up there and reach higher. But there are parts she cannot reach. So it should eventually give some shade once it fills out a bit.

 

[Loohan]

Tammy, a Box Turtle is not a turtle, it's a tortoise. Someone made a mistake long ago and it stuck.

Say wha?? I thought boxies were torts when i joined this forum and soon learned otherwise. You mean i was right all along, and Wikipedia is wrong?

Box turtles are North American turtles of the genus Terrapene. Although box turtles are superficially similar to tortoises in terrestrial habits and overall appearance, they are actually members of the American pond turtle family.

 

[Redf005]

Awesome!

 

[TammyJ]

Say wha?? I thought boxies were torts when i joined this forum and soon learned otherwise. You mean i was right all along, and Wikipedia is wrong?

WackiePedia sounds a bit footish and elephantine...OOOPS. Sorry, I mean Wikipedia....so, box turtles are pond turtles then. OK.....we don't all have to like where we live. Right. A bit of thinking OUTSIDE the BOX. And roaming out of the pond....hmmmm.