Messages

I need help identifying a tortoise.

Hi, Heidi.

Peter here. The single photo you posted of the tortoise you rescued looks as if you have what's called a three-toed box turtle (Terapene carolina triunguis). The 'box turtle' album in our web site's 'Photos' section includes several photos of this species. Log on to one photo at http://turtles.meetup... to see if yours matches the ones in the picture, and also check the other photos of the same species in that album.

Bear in mind that there are lots of minor variations in the appearance of tortoises of the same species. If you feel yours doesn't match our photos of three-toed box turtles, please upload more pictures of yours to the 'Photos' section of your 'Profile' page on our web site, and I'll try again to identify your tortoise.

I assume you'd like to keep your tortoise and learn how to give it the care it needs. You can read care articles on our web site, and on many other similar sites on the Internet. Two specifically about box turtles are at http://BoxTurtle.org... and http://BoxTurtleSite.... . For many more turtle and tortoise web sites, scroll down this 'Messages' section to click on my list of hundreds more. Good luck.