Box Turtle Habitat & Nesting Areas

Unlike many other species of turtle, box turtles have a bilobed, a hinged shell that allows them to almost completely seal themselves inside. The box turtle is considered a land or terrestrial turtle. The box turtle shell is large and domed and varies in color from shades of brown and olive to bright orange and yellow. The shell often exhibits a blotchy color pattern with the darker browns and greens providing a backdrop to splashes of brighter colors. Box turtles live exclusively in North America and lay their eggs in sandy depressions.

  1. Range

    • According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, box turtles are exclusive to North America. Box turtles range from Maine to Florida, along the east coast and as far west as Michigan, eastern Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas.

    Activity

    • The activity levels of box turtles depends in large part on local temperatures. In the northern states, box turtles will remain active through the spring, summer and fall, though they rest in shade during the hottest parts of the day. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, box turtles will often bask in the morning to regulate body temperature, and then forage throughout the later parts of the day.

    Habitat

    • Box turtles typically live in wooded habitats. During the colder months, box turtles hibernate in logs, under stumps and in areas of brush. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, box turtles prefer wet woodlands and fields, particularly where there are sandy deposits for nesting.

    Diet

    • According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, box turtles eat a wide variety of plant and animal material, including frogs, salamanders, snakes, birds, slugs, worms, roots, flowers, snails, insects, berries and fungi. In some cases, they will also scavenge, feeding on dead ducks and small mammals. Their diet is determined in large part by their environment, and varies by season.

    Nesting

    • Box turtles typically lay three or four eggs each year. Females pick a sandy area in which to nest, digging a 2- to 3-inch hole in which the eggs are deposited and then covered. According to the World Chelonian Trust, female box turtles will often create several fake nests to act as decoys for predators. There are many predators that eat box turtle eggs, such as weasels, skunks, raccoons and foxes.