Moving On

It appears Turtle-y really is gone. But I did a little research on him prior to his departure.

Turtle-y is a male Eastern Box Turtle which, interestingly, is the state reptile of North Carolina. They typically live for 25 to 30 years but there have been plenty of documented cases of them living 50 years.

My research also indicated that they have a strong homing instinct that compels them to return to the area from which they were hatched. After reading this, I was a little surprised that he had stuck around as long as he did.

When telling my father about the lifespan and homing instinct, he suggested I take some spray paint or nail polish and put our phone number on his back. Late that night, I drug Turtle-y out of his sleeping area and, using my silver Sharpie, put his name, our phone number, and family name on his shell. I didn't realize that his shell wasn't solid. It had breaks like cracks in a sidewalk where each panel ended, so it might be a little difficult to read, thus our family name. Then I gently replaced him in his burrowed bed and went to bed myself. The next morning, he was gone.

Perhaps he was rebelling against being woken during the night. Or maybe he was angry with me painting up his shell and decided to teach me a less0n. But maybe, just maybe, that homing instinct kicked in and he headed for parts unknown.

I'm not depressed this time. I am very hopeful that he's gone in search of a female for courting and one day one of Turtle-y's offspring will show up in the yard. Also, my research convinced me all-the-more that Turtle-y needed to be free. Below is a quote from the website I found that explains the problem with keeping an Eastern Box Turtle captive.

"Although box turtles are still fairly common over much of their range, their future is uncertain. Box turtles are slow growing, have few young, and have exhibited delayed sexual maturity. These qualities make them particularly susceptible to damage due to human activities. Another concern is the capture of box turtles for the pet trade. The impact of taking turtles from the wild can be devastating to local populations. When box turtles that have been taken as pets are returned to the wild, they will head straight for their natal grounds. This journey causes the turtles to encounter many dangers, such as roads, predators, and humans. For these reasons, if you are looking for a pet, you should try to find a captive-bred animal or consider a different pet."

Turtle-y, wherever you are, we love you and would welcome you back at any time. But live and make babies, and keep Eastern Box Turtles from becoming extinct, my little friend.

The gardenias will always be waiting for you.