Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

This little guy is the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). He was grazing in the backyard the other day. These turtles are omnivorous and will eat slugs, worms and insects as well as leaves, grass, fungi and berries. We attempted to grow spaghetti squash a few years ago and a turtle (maybe this one!) ate every single squash. In the wild, the turtle’s lifespan is between forty and fifty years but individuals have been known to live for over one hundred years!

Grazing in the Grass