Eastern Box Turtle

This American native is a beautiful turtle species. We have two through a Department of Natural Resources special purpose permit. In many states this is the only way they can be kept in captivity. Finally in 2004 it became illegal to collect them from the wild in our state. This helps to protect the wild populations from being depleted by the pet trade. The beautiful pattern and mild temperament makes the species a wonderful pet, but their natural charm endangered wild populations because they became very popular in the pet trade.

They can still be kept as pets in many states even with DNR permits, but they cannot be bought, sold, or bred in captivity in these states. If you live in a state where they cannot be bought or sold you can still obtain a pet Eastern Box Turtle from other states where they are legally bred in captivity. A vet check prior to shipment, proof of lawful obtainment and a DNR permit will be all you need. The DNR permit in our state is free of charge, updated yearly, and renewable every three years.

The native species should never be collected from the wild for pets. If an injured member of the native species is found in the wild you should contact your local DNR for the name of a licensed rehabilitator.

This is Sean. He’s one of our two American Eastern Box Turtles. Sean was a rescue turtle lawfully obtained from another state. He cannot be released due to DNR laws and the fact that he’s never lived in the wild and likely wouldn’t survive.

He’s one of our favorites, if not our most favorite, to work with in photography. He’s extremely active and outgoing. He always makes an interesting subject. Below are a few examples of Sean’s work. As with any of our models Sean can be found on a wide variety of apparel and other items at our Red Bubble shop. http://www.redbubble.com/people/luckytortoise/shop

Turtle: pro- 2nd Amendment

Turtle on the beach with pina colada

Turtle playing football

On the subject of native species: in a future blog entry we would like to feature the work of rehabilitators or organizations who are helping to care for our living natural treasures. If you are doing work in this area, know of someone who is, or would like to promote an organization please contact us here or on our FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/TheLuckyTortoise

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