I am so excited to share that Evergreen Nature Center is now home to three, beautiful Ornate Box Turtles! These lovely reptiles were adopted from the Colorado Reptile Humane Society on Friday, September 26, and have spent the past week settling into their new home. Ornate Box Turtles are Colorado’s only terrestrial turtle! They may look like tortoises, but these beautiful animals are actually part of the pond turtle family. They spend most of their time on land, but will often soak in shallow water. We will host a naming contest through October and November. I am thrilled to introduce you to our spunky new animal ambassadors!
Our first introduction is for the smallest turtle, a male with bright orange legs and a yellow head. This handsome fella is the calmest of the three and seems thrilled by his new home. He spends most of his time snoozing under the heat lamp, eating food, and hiding under the bark (see photo to the left). His coloration makes him distinct from his companions, and his temperament is very docile.
The other turtles are two beautiful females with very different personalities. The smaller female has a lot of spunk, and can be seen zooming around the enclosure throughout the day (pictured back-right in the photo below). She has narrow yellow patterns on her carapace (top of the shell), and a unique white pattern on her neck. She is the busiest of the three, and will shove her roommates for a prime resting spot.
The final turtle is a large female with thick, yellow patterns on the top of her shell (pictured front-left in the photo below). She is the largest turtle in the enclosure! She explores her new home with calm curiosity and seems unbothered by the antics of her companions.
Our turtles are receiving VIP treatment with two incredible enclosures built by volunteer Chuck Burdick, and funded by William Chester through our BASH Paddle Raise – THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH! The turtles’ indoor enclosure will be their primary residence, with the outdoor enclosure functioning as an enrichment space when the weather is warm enough. The outdoor space will provide vital UVB exposure, interaction with live plants, and a simulation of their natural habitat. Our turtles will only be outside when it is at least 70 degrees outside and a sign will be posted to indicate where you can find them!
Just like our snakes, we need your help naming these turtles! Stop by the nature center to meet them in person, and see if you can tell them apart. You can submit names by emailing: executivedirector@evergreenaudubon.org and putting “Turtle Names” in the subject line. Once November is over, we will select the top three name suggestions for each turtle and have a voting contest on our social media! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you don’t miss the voting:
Facebook.com/EvergreenNatureCenter
Instagram.com/evergreenaudubon
And stay tuned for voting opportunities for our snake names! The submission window has closed, and we’ll be announcing the top contenders to social media very soon!
