Backyard Science: Eastern Box Turtle Eggs and Hatchling Turtles

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Sunday March 11, 2012 · 9:00 AM PDT

2012/03/11 · 09:00

I last left you with a description of the nesting and egg laying process. It is time to continue describing the rest of the story.

So, the eggs are laid, the nest is covered, and we wait. The wait can take several months in a natural setting, as the eggs take their time incubating, hatching, and the babies emerge from the nest.

In the meantime, why don’t I go over some neat facts about those little eggs and the hatchlings that result.

And yes, today we have baby pictures! Prepare to squee, folks.

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In your opinion, are baby Eastern box turtles:

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In your opinion, are baby Eastern box turtles:

Cute

93 votes

Precious

55 votes

Adorable

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Absolutely darling

38 votes

SQUEEEE!

55 votes

All of the above

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Backyard Science: Eastern Box Turtles Aren’t Like You and Me

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Sunday February 19, 2012 · 6:00 AM PST

2012/02/19 · 06:00

The turtle lives 'twixt plated decks
Which practically conceal its sex.
I think it clever of the turtle
In such a fix to be so fertile.

-Ogden Nash-

Today I’m going to talk about Eastern box turtle reproduction. Some of what I will describe here comes from textbooks on the subject that I have in my possession, so I will attempt to strike a balance between being unreadably scientific and grossly oversimplified.

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Sunday February 12, 2012 · 9:00 AM PST

2012/02/12 · 09:00

I will refrain from getting overly technical here, but I would like to share some points of interest, dispel some myths, highlight some concerns, and provide information that may be more up to date that what you thought, or learned, when you were younger.

The basic body styling of turtles and tortoises has been around for many millions of years. In fact, they were around when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and have (obviously) outlived them.

Apologies for the lack of photos again, but my scanner is on the fritz. :o(

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Sunday January 29, 2012 · 9:00 AM PST

2012/01/29 · 09:00

Operation turtle rescue had ended by November 2002. I had found six box turtles and been given a seventh from a different area. Three of these would have to stay indoors over the winter due to illness, injury or just underweight. The four healthy ones would remain outside, overwintering in the hibernaculum that we had made for them.

Now was the time to plan and build the full outdoor enclosure. The enclosure would have to have certain basic features for box turtle survival, and many other attributes for box turtle contentment. And the enclosure had to be as big as we could make it.

But first, PICTURES!

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Friday January 20, 2012 · 9:09 AM PST

2012/01/20 · 09:09

By September I had located 3 Eastern box turtles on the vacant property: Ruby, Fannie, and Hector. That is also about the time that things started to gain some momentum. Within the next couple of weeks, after expanding the search area somewhat, I was once again out turtle hunting one day, when the lace of my shoe caught on a twig and pulled loose. I crouched down to tie my shoe, and found myself saying “Oh, Hello!” to a turtle that was inches away from my foot.

I picked it up, and resumed my search, but before I had tiptoed very far I happened to look across a small clearing, and there was another one! Two more adult males to add to the refugee population back at home. Ernie and Mort had arrived.

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Friday January 13, 2012 · 7:00 PM PST

2012/01/13 · 19:00

So there I was, out in a parcel of land slated for 'development', with a young Eastern box turtle in my hand. It was August of 2002, and it was right about then that I had one of those “oh crap” moments that one has after one jumps in with both feet before thoroughly testing the water.

I had rescued my first turtle and it dawned on me that I had no adequate place to keep her yet.

(Note: please do not try this at home)

SNFinVA for Backyard Science

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Sunday January 08, 2012 · 9:00 AM PST

2012/01/08 · 09:00

This is the first in a series of diaries about how I went from being a run of the mill animal lover and pet owner to something of an Eastern box turtle maven. It has been a very interesting journey, to say the least.

RSS

Backyard Science: Eastern Box Turtle Eggs and Hatchling Turtles

Backyard Science: Eastern Box Turtles Aren’t Like You and Me

Backyard Science: Fun Facts About Eastern Box Turtles Part 5

Travels with Box Turtles, Episode 4

Eastern Box Turtles, Take 3: Momentum

Backyard Science- More adventures with Box Turtles

Backyard Science - I Like Turtles