Here in Oklahoma, we’re lucky to share our state with a fascinating and gentle creature: the box turtle. Whether you spot one lumbering through your backyard in Tulsa, crossing a dusty road near the Wichitas, or exploring a patch of woods in the Green Country, these encounters are a special part of Sooner State life.
As veterinarians at OkVets, we get a lot of calls about these shelled residents, especially during the spring and summer. The questions are almost always the same: "I found a box turtle! What should I do?"
This guide is our comprehensive answer. We'll cover how to identify Oklahoma's native species, what to do when you find one, and why these wild animals are best left in the wild.
Oklahoma is home to two primary species of box turtles. Knowing which one you've found is a fun bit of local biology!
The most amazing feature of both is their hinged plastron (bottom shell), which allows them to completely close up—or "box" themselves in—for protection.
Ever wonder if the box turtle in your yard is a male or a female? There are a couple of visual cues you can look for! Adult male box turtles typically have bright red or reddish eyes. In contrast, females usually have brown or yellowish eyes. Additionally, the plastron (the bottom shell) on a male is often slightly concave (curved inward) to help with mating, while a female's plastron is flat.
The Golden Rule: Leave it alone.
It’s tempting to want to "rescue" it, but this is often a death sentence. Box turtles have a powerful homing instinct and live their entire lives—which can be over 70 years—in a small territory of just a few acres. Moving a turtle from its home causes immense stress. It will spend the rest of its life trying to get back, often crossing dangerous roads or failing to find food and water.
If you can do so safely, you can be a hero.
If you see clear signs of trauma (a cracked shell, bleeding) or illness (swollen eyes, bubbly discharge from the nose), the turtle needs professional help.
When a turtle is clearly injured or sick enough to be caught easily, it's often suffering from one of several common ailments we see in our practice. These include:
These conditions require professional diagnosis and treatment. Please do not attempt to treat an injured or sick turtle yourself.
We understand the appeal. They are cute and seem easy to care for. But wild-caught box turtles suffer immensely in captivity from stress, nutritional deficiencies, and improper living conditions.
A Note on Oklahoma Law: Beyond the practical challenges, it's also important to understand the law. In Oklahoma, while you can technically keep a box turtle for personal use (a hunting license is required to take one from the wild), it is illegal to sell or trade them commercially. Given the extreme difficulty in caring for a wild turtle and their vital role in the ecosystem, we as veterinarians strongly advise against ever taking one from its natural habitat.
A Long Life with Slow Beginnings: The reason every adult turtle is so important is their life cycle. They are slow to reach sexual maturity (up to 5 years) and lay only a few eggs each year. The sex of the hatchlings is even determined by the temperature of the nest! Because so few young turtles survive to adulthood, removing even one adult from the population can have a significant negative impact.
Box turtles are a treasured part of our state's natural heritage. By respecting their wildness and helping them only when absolutely necessary, we can ensure they continue to roam the Sooner State for generations to come.
Oklahoma Veterinary Specialists delivers 24-hour emergency care and board-certified specialty services with advanced technology and compassionate treatment.
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