The Eastern Box Turtle grows up to be 8 inches in length. It is brown with yellowish or orange markings. This turtle has four toes. The male turtles have longer and thicker tails. Few people realize these remarkable gentle creatures can live up to more than 120 years in the wild.

    The Eastern Box Turtle lives from southern Maine to Georgia. It lives west to Michigan, Illinois, and Tennessee. It is native to the southern Appalachian mountains.

    Box turtles can be found in a variety of different settings, from fields to forests, although they seem to perfer moist situations if possible. The Eastern Box Turtle likes woodlands, pastures, and marshy meadows.

    The Eastern Box Turtle eats snails, worms, insects, spiders, frogs, snakes, lizards, small mammals, and many kinds of  plants. They also eat berries.

    The Eastern Box Turtle lays 3-8 white eggs, and may lay eggs up to 4 years after mating. They like to lay their eggs in a northern climate. The incubation period for the eggs is 75-90 days.

    Carrying its home on its back provides protection for turtles. Unfortunately, vehicles, such as cars, can crack the shell and kill the turtle. Many are killed on the road each year.

For more information visit:
http://wildwnc.org/af/boxturtles.html
http://mcnet.marietta.edu/~mcshaffd/boxt/care.html
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/3550/ebox01.html
http//www.billsturtles.4t.com/Samantha.html
http://www.mckeever.org/turtle.html
                                                                                      by Chris
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