Butterflies Sunday. Box turtles today. Seems there is always some kind of critter around to tickle the imagination and invite a new round of photo captions.
Thanks to all of you who have played my caption game so far. You put a lot of words into Marley’s doggie head on the first picture last Wednesday and came up with some good options for the girl and the butterfly. So what about the girls and the box turtle?
Sometimes the box turtle can be mistaken for a tortoise since it is often on land, but it is actually of the genus Terrapene Carolina. A tortoise stays on land all the time and you might see one of the bigger models of tortoise at a zoo or have heard of those Galapagos tortoises that could grow extra large with no predators on their island. At least, none until man came around. The box turtles we have here in Kentucky never get very big, maybe six inches. They grow new plates to their shells when one is damaged. These can live thirty or forty years while those tortoises can make it a lot longer than that. One giant tortoise in a zoo in India was thought to be 150 years old when it died in 2006, but when they carbon tested its shell, they determined it was actually 255 years old.
Of course in a zoo, it was safe from many of the dangers that lurk for the little box turtles out here on our farm. Sometimes one of these guys makes the mistake of trying to cross a road very slowly. They aren’t too good at dodging cars. Other times they might be caught taking a bite of somebody’s first ripe tomato and thus make a gardener feel murderous. But in our garden, the turtles seem to come, get that bite of tomato and go without ever being seen. It’s probably lurking in the tall grass nearby just waiting for its chance for another bite. Besides tomatoes, eastern box turtles eat earthworms, snails, slugs, grubs, beetles, caterpillars, grasses, fruit, berries, mushrooms, flowers, and even carrion. They can even eat many mushrooms that are toxic to humans.
I used to have a cockerspaniel that loved to catch box turtles. I think that was the only wildlife he was quick enough to capture. He’d carry the poor creature around in his mouth and eventually set it down somewhere far from its home. I know it must have taken the poor turtle forever to make it home again. The girls here may have been relocating this guy too, but other than a long walk home it had no reason to fear. The girls just wanted a peek at his or her eyes. A good look could tell them whether they were holding a miss or a mister. Males tend to have red or dark orange eyes, while females tend to have brown. And while most of them try to hide their toes inside their shell to keep you from counting, the average eastern box turtle has five toes on its front feet and four toes on the back feet. Also, the marking on each turtle’s shell is unique from turtle to turtle. So it might be possible to know if you’d seen this guy before if you take a picture of that shell or have an excellent memory.
So, now that you know way more about eastern box turtles than you probably had any idea you wanted to know – but you did, didn’t you – now we can get back to playing our caption game. Leave your idea of the perfect caption here in a comment and you’ll get any entry in a drawing for winner’s choice of one of my autographed books and a grab bag book by a different author. Deadline is midnight EST September 14, 2019 and you have to be at least eighteen to enter.
What caption would you put on this picture of the girls and the eastern box turtle?
Comments 39
Wow, God sure makes interesting creatures!
Shh-h-h, I think it’s asleep.
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The girls were probably hoping it would wake up, Jolene.
I have another friend who lives in a mobile home…
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There are mobile homes and there are mobile homes, Sandi. This fellow definitely has one he can move around with him.
It sure doesn’t look like a fun place to sleep to me. Does it to you?
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That’s a cute caption too, Roma. I agree. It looks a little crowded in there and you would never want to turn over. That would be a terrible oops.
I don’t think he knows how to get out of his box.
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I like that one, Lynn. Cute caption.
If we’re very quiet, maybe he’ll stick his head out
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I think they did try that quiet thing – for maybe thirty seconds, Marji. That’s about as long as they could stay silent. LOL.
Why won’t he stick out his head, I want to pet him?
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Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever petted a turtle, even a sweet little box turtle, except on its shell, Connie. I for sure don’t want to get that close to a snapping turtle. 🙂 But the girls might have tried a pat if the turtle had stuck out a head or leg.
Wanna go home with us?
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Wouldn’t be surprised it they were saying that, Ola. Would be surprised if their parents said okay. LOL.
The little one looks like she’s worried…maybe of scaring him. “Don’t be afraid little turtle…we won’t hurt you.”
You can really capture some great moments, Ann. I love all your photography. Enjoy this beautiful late summer weather we’re having this week. 🙂
What are you doing in there!
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I’m sure that was something the girls were thinking, Diane. Either that or maybe wondering how he fit inside.
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I think she looks a little worried too, Lavon. She has her hand on her sister for courage. 🙂 Glad you liked the picture and the weather has been great, but according to the forecast the heat is coming back next week.
Peek-a-boo! I see you!
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Don’t think the turtle is feeling like playing, Lisa, but we did find one once over in the hayfield that was much braver and kept its head and legs out to let the kids give it a good look. They didn’t pick that one up though. Too nervous about that head out and wondering if it might have teeth! 🙂
I love how the smaller girl has her hand on her (perhaps) older sister’s side. My first thought was “Do you think there’s more than one in there?”
Thanks for sharing this fun picture!
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I liked that about the picture too, Connie. It’s sort of as though she’s worried something might pop out of the shell to maybe scare her and she has big sister to keep her safe. They are giving it a good look.
Hi, Little guy, have we met before?
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You and Suzanne are on the same track here, Donna. And who knows? Maybe they had met this guy before since those box turtles live a while.
“Tommy, where have you been? We missed you. Did you miss us?”
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Now that we know each turtle’s shell is unique, Suzanne, we might just know if we’ve seen Tommy before. LOL. The girls have a pretty good memory.
“Hi, girls! Thanks for the lift!”
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Poor turtle did get a lift, Melanie, but he also eventually got to crawl back to familiar territory. So maybe he did enjoy taking a tour of the farm via little girls’ hands. 🙂
Yoohoo, anybody home?
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That’s a cute one, Carol. The kids always want the turtle to stick his head out. Then if it does they worry it’s going to bite them. I don’t know. Maybe it would, but it chooses hiding over fighting.
“Let’s call him Ben the Box Turtle. I wonder if he’s hungry?” Psalm 143
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That’s a good name for a box turtle, Emily. I know some make pets out of the box turtles and I guess if you had one for a pet, you’d need to figure out something to feed them.
I am wondering what are you hiding in this box??
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Just a peek inside, right, Lois. But I guess it’s just filled up with turtle legs and such. 🙂
“Worry not, little one, we’ll keep you safe!”
I always wondered how to tell the boys from the girls. Thanks! 😊
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I never knew how to tell them apart either, Karen. But also their shells are shaped a bit differently to allow the turtles to mate. The things you can learn on the internet. 🙂
I sure hope what’s in this weird box is pretty. Just like you pretty girls!
Author
Everything is beautiful in its own way, Betty. But my girls are pretty girls and this box turtle’s grandmother would probably think it was extra pretty too. 🙂