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Ornate Box Turtle
"Harold"
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- Order: Testudines (turtles and tortoises)
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- Family: Emydidae (aquatic and subaquatic
turtles)
- Genus: Terrapene (box turtles)
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| Also known as: Western
Box Turtle |
Scientific Name: Terrapene ornata
ornata Agassiz, 1857 |
| Habitat: Grasslands
and open areas of the Plains states. |
Terrapene=from Native American word for
turtle, ornata="ornate"
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| Length: This individual's
carapace measures 4.1 inches long. |
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| Food: A variety of
items--box turtles are omnivorous. In captivity, this
individual has eaten: apples, bananas, corn, carrots,
collard greens, cantaloupe, green beans, peas, lettuce, tomatoes,
pinkie mice, crickets, nightcrawlers, spinach, watermelon, May
beetles (June bugs), cicadas, grasshoppers, and the occasional Chili
Cheese Frito! |
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Harold is the current record-holder for
"longest-lived pet I've owned." I've had
"him" since 1982, when "he" was brought to me
by neighbors who just purchased land southwest of Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma. I put "he" in quotes, because Harold is
actually a female. Of course, I didn't know this at the time
I named "him"--I was only 8 years old! |
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| Lousy picture, I know; I'll try to
take a better one soon! |
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Up | Three-toed
Box Turtle |
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