The three-beaver turtle ( Terrapene carolina triunguis ) is a subspecies in the genus of shellfish turtles commonly referred to as boxed turtles. This subspecies is from the south-central part of the United States and is an official reptile of the state of Missouri.
Video Three-toed box turtle
Description
The three-pointed boxed tortoises are so named because of the number of toes on the hind legs, but some people think that there are some 4-toe examples as well. However, some speculate that individual 4-toed is actually an Eastern box turtle ÃÆ'â € "three boxes of hybrid turtle. The three-pointed turtle turtle has a vaulted shell that grows an average of 4.5 to 5 inches in length. The length of the shell shell for this subspecies is 7 inches. The highest part of the carapace or the upper shell is positioned posteriorly than in any other subspecies. Dorsal colors and extremities are generally absent, although some dark patches often occur in adult turtles. These areas more often become uniform green or brown olive colors. Sometimes, dotted yellow dots or lines are visible in the middle of every large scale. In men, the head and throat often show yellow, red, or orange spots. Often the bottom or plastron skin is a straw yellow color, and has much less black marks than any other plastron subspecies.
Maps Three-toed box turtle
Distribution and habitat
From west to east of its reach, a three-pointed turtle box can be found from the eastern Texas north bank of the Florida Panhandle. Its northernmost habitats are in Missouri and Kansas, while southernmost is in Louisiana. Three-toeds interbreed with other subspecies of east-eastern turtles that overlap with the borders of this area. This example occurs in the eastern Mississippi valley where this species is difficult to distinguish from common box turtles. Being popular in pet trade, three-bolsters are sometimes found well beyond the reach of their homes. It is not known whether such captives when released into the wild have an impact on local species in the area. The tortoise is adaptive, and perhaps the only box turtle that can live happily in an indoor cage.
Diet
The three-pointed box turtles are omnivores, their food varies with the availability of food sources and seasons. They are known to eat earthworms, insects, slugs, snails, strawberries, mushrooms, and green leafy plants. They have been observed to eat quail eggs. Note however that all turtle boxes will prefer live foods to herbs.
It has also been speculated that these turtles eat poisonous mushrooms, but they themselves do not hurt by the poison of mushrooms. After that, the turtle then becomes poisonous. Carr believed this to be the reason why a group of boys in Mississippi became ill after eating a boxed three-turtle turtle.
As pets, they are reported to eat mealworms, corn, melons, crickets, candle worms, tomatoes, cooked eggs, fruits, and even damp dog food. They can be embarrassed to be watched while eating, and may stop and stare motionless if this happens.
Behavior
Three-pointed box turtles are known to migrate seasonally to keep the humidity level they like. In Arkansas, three-turtle box turtles are observed in grasslands in late spring, while in early spring, summer, and late autumn they are found in forest areas. During dry periods, they dig a shallow tube into the leaf litter to save moisture. When water is available, the tortoise is longer than any other subspecies.
Environment in captivity
The three-pointed box tortoises require treatments that are similar to all the eastern turtle boxes, which are best outside the large enclosure. This enclosure should have plenty of room to allow the turtle to dig, but also must be protected to prevent turtles digging under the enclosure. In the room, a three-seat buffer should be kept in a large wooden enclosure or large tub, at least 30 gallons for a single turtle. Do not keep the tortoise in the aquarium, because the tortoise does not understand the concept of glass and will become very depressed if no visual barrier is provided. The enclosure should have a high-temperature side with a hot bulb about 85 ° F and a lower temperature side at 70 ° F. The enclosure should also contain a hiding place for the turtle and the area where it can soak. Moss peat bedding about 80% moisture (moist but not wet) is preferred for this box turtle. They also do well in leather chips and materials like other wood. Desert materials such as gravel or sand will be too dry and difficult for turtles to dig, and will cause small scratches that are susceptible to infection. Many owners simply spray the cage surface area down at the beginning of the day to moisturize the material and increase the moisture of the cage.
References
Further reading
- Agassiz L (1857). Contribution to the Natural History of the United States. Vol. I. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. li 452 pp. ( Cistudo triunguis , new species, p.Ã, 445).
External links
- Center for Conservation and Management of Reptiles and Amphibians
- Turtles Missouri
- Three-sided box turtle
- Diet and Feed Your Box Tortoise
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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