Tortoises for Sale

Box Turtles as Pets - Buy a Box Turtle

The box turtle or box tortoise is one of several species of turtle. It can refer to either those of the genera Cuora or Pyxidea, which are the Asian box turtles, or more commonly to species of the genus Terrapene, the North American box turtles. They are largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to escape predators. Otherwise the two genera are very different in habitat, behavior, and appearance, and as such are not even classified in the same family. Even though box turtles have become very popular pets, their needs in captivity are complex and the capture of turtles can have serious detrimental effects on the wild population.

The average life span of box turtles is 40 years. However, it is possible for a box turtle to live for over 100 years. The age of a growing box turtle in the wild can be roughly estimated by counting the growth rings on the scutes; the plastron is the best place to do this because it also allows examination of wear pattern. Estimates beyond 20 years are unreliable because most turtles have stopped growing by that age, and the plastron is usually worn smooth.

Asian box turtles

Family Geoemydidae
Genus Cuora

Amboina Box Turtle, Cuora amboinensis (Suckow, 1798)
Yellow-headed Box Turtle, Cuora aurocapitata (Luo & Zong, 1988)
Snake-eating Turtle, Cuora flavomarginata (Gray, 1863)
Indochinese Box Turtle, Cuora galbinifrons (Bourret, 1939)
McCord's Box Turtle, Cuora mccordi (Ernst, 1988)
Pan's Box Turtle, Cuora pani (Song, 1987)
Three-banded Box Turtle, Cuora trifasciata (Bell, 1825)
Yunnan Box Turtle, Cuora yunnanensis (Boulenger, 1906)
Zhou's Box Turtle, Cuora zhoui (Zhao, 1990)

Genus Pyxidea

Keeled Box Turtle, Pyxidea mouhotii (Gray, 1862)

North American box turtles

Family Emydidae
Genus Terrapene

Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina
   Florida Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina bauri (Taylor, 1894)
   Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina (Linnaeus, 1758)
   Gulf Coast Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina major (Agassiz, 1857)
   Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis (Agassiz, 1857)
   Mexican Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina mexicana (Gray, 1849)
   Yucatan Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina yucatana (Boulenger, 1895)
Coahuilan Box Turtle, Terrapene coahuila (Schmidt & Owens, 1944)
Spotted Box Turtle, Terrapene nelsoni (Stejneger, 1925)
Western Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata
   Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata (Agassiz, 1857)
   Desert Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata luteola (Smith & Ramsey, 1952)

Wood Turtles as Pets

The Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) is one of two species in the genus Glyptemys, both of which are limited to North America. Until 2002, the wood turtle was placed in the genus Clemmys but genetic analyses revealed that the wood turtle and bog turtle formed a distinct group. The wood turtle reaches carapace lengths of 6 to 9 inches. The wood turtle is accurately named, and spends most of its time in wooded areas. It is, however, also semi-aquatic and dependent on streams, rivers, and ponds.

Wood turtles can grow up to 9 inches long. They have a brown, sculptured carapace, with pyramidal scutes. There are two apparent phenotypes; an orange 'redlegs' morph with a yellow ringed iris (generally) and a yellow 'yellowlegs' morph with a solid black iris Schnirel (1985). The Yellow legs phenotype seems to hail from the western part of the range. North American wood turtles have longer carapace lengths, relative to the plastron. In females the plastron is often longer than the carapace - Schnirel (1985). This can be a guide in attempting to sex neonate Glyptemys insculpta. Adult North American Wood Turtles are more sexually dimorphic. In males, the tail is longer and the vent (cloaca) is further out on the tail. Males tend to have longer claws and a more pronounced concavity in the plastron. Young wood turtles are difficult to sex.

Leopard Tortoises as Pets

The Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis) is a large and attractively marked tortoise found throughout the savannas of Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape. This chelonian is a grazing species of tortoise that favors semi-arid, thorny to grassland habitats, although some leopard tortoises have been found in rainier areas. In both very hot and very cold weather they may dwell in abandoned fox, jackal, or anteater holes. Leopard tortoises do not dig other than to make nests in which to lay eggs. Not surprisingly, given its propensity for grassland habitats, it grazes extensively upon mixed grasses. It also favors the fruit and pads of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia sp.), succulents and thistles. They generally have a life span of 100 years.

Leopard tortoises require a large enclosure, and ideally should be housed outdoors whenever weather permits. Leopard tortoises are solitary animals in the wild. When many are housed together they need sufficient room to get away from one another and many hiding spots. Males should not be housed together because of their tendency to spar for territory and breeding rights. They should always have access to shaded areas no hotter than 90 °F, and at night they should not be left out in temperatures colder than 65 °F. When sunny daytime temperatures are less than 70 °F, the tortoises should be housed in heated shelters. If housing them indoors, during the day the temperature within the enclosure should range from about 80 °F at the cool end to 90 °F in the basking area. At night, the temperature should not fall below 70 °F. They should be kept at low humidity levels, and they should be exposed to between 12 and 14 hours of full spectrum UV light per day. They can be provided with a shallow bowl of water large enough to soak in, or they can be soaked in shallow water periodically-about three times a week for those less than one year old and once a week for adults.

Captive leopard tortoises should be allowed to graze. They do best with a diet consisting primarily of grasses. Their diet should be full of fiber and they should be given a calcium supplement. The diet can be supplemented with dark leafy green vegetables such as collards, kale, and turnip greens. Grape leaves, if available, are very nutritious and a good addition to the diet. They can also be fed fresh and dried alfalfa, but only in small amounts, as it is very high in protein. Fruit should not be given.

African Spurred Tortoise

The African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), also called the African Spur Thigh Tortoise, is a species of tortoise which inhabits the southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa. It is the third largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest species of mainland tortoise (not found on an island).