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The desert box turtle, also known as the Sonoran box turtle, (Terrapene ornata luteola) is a subspecies of box turtle which is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They are generally terrestrial but occasionally take to the water and are most known for their boxy shell and its structural integrity.
Box turtles are known to feed on animals found dead on roadways, victims of being struck by a car or other rolling vehicle. [ citation needed ] Hatchlings and young turtles need more protein and prefer a carnivorous diet, to which, as they grow, they incorporate more and more plants.
Box turtles can be injured by dogs and cats, so special care must be taken to protect them from household pets. Box turtles require an outdoor enclosure (although they can have indoor enclosures when necessary), consistent exposure to light and a varied diet. Without these, a turtle's growth can be stunted and its immune system weakened.
When you acquire a pet turtle, you may not know what its gender is. The gender is determined by the temperature during the incubation of the egg – cooler produces males; warmer produces females.
The high, rounded shape of box turtles are particular obstacles for mounting. The male eastern box turtle leans backward and hooks onto the back of the female's plastron. [87] Aquatic turtles mount in water, [88] [89] and female sea turtles support the mounting male while swimming and diving. [90]
The desert tortoise is the official state reptile in California and Nevada. [6] The desert tortoise lives about 50 to 80 years; [7] it grows slowly and generally has a low reproductive rate. It spends most of its time in burrows, rock shelters, and pallets to regulate body temperature and reduce water loss.
The eastern box turtle is a subspecies of the common box turtle (Terrapene carolina). While in the pond turtle family, Emydidae, and not a tortoise, the box turtle is largely terrestrial. [4] Box turtles are slow crawlers, extremely long-lived, and slow to mature and have relatively few offspring per year.
Box turtle distribution information: Turtles of the World, 2010 Update: Annotated Checklist of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution and Conservation Status: Author: