And the winner is...

eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)

This is a medium-sized terrestrial turtle that reaches a maximum length of about 8 inches. The shell is highly domed; color is brown, or sometimes black, with orange to yellow spots, blotches or lines, the pattern of which varies greatly. The underside (plastron) may be brown or black and may have an irregular pattern of cream or yellow. The adult may have a sharply defined beak on the upper jaw. The box turtle is so named because it has a hinged plastron that enable it to completely withdraw into and close its shell. The box turtle has a low reproductive rate and is long lived. It requires10-20 years to reach sexual maturity and reproduction decreases there after. Box turtles have been known to live longer than humans. Nesting occurs between late May and late July, with 2-7 eggs laid in one clutch per year.

The terrestrial box turtle is found in many types of wooded areas, including hardwood forests, mixed oak-pine forests, pine flatwoods, maritime oak forests, hardwood swamps, and agricultural areas. It may also be found in pastures, especially in the edge areas, and occasionally, in caves. It enters water readily, but only temporarily, for summer aestivation, drinking, or dispersal. In hot, dry weather, the box turtle hides in pools of water, mud, or damp ground. It overwinters under several centimeters in the soil beneath leaf piles and grass clumps.

The box turtle is an omnivore. Fruits include blackberry, mayapple, elderberry, sweet low-bush blueberry, maple-leaf viburnum, muscadine grape, white mulberry, wild strawberry, black cherry, and wineberry. Animals eaten are slugs, terrestrial snails, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, flies, dusky salamanders, slimy salamanders. Mushrooms are also consumed. Captive turtles eat a wide array of food offered, in addition to the above. These include tomatoes, cantaloupes, mulberries, bananas, apples, plums, commercial grapes, earthworms, June beetles, mealworms, cockroaches, and hamburger.

So what is Max?

Now that we have him, we need to know what he is so we can take care of him. I was thinking he was a box turtle, simply because we have seen several in our yard, but I wanted to make sure. I searched the web a bit and found the Virginia Herpetological Society site. I contacted several of the members and received an email back from Mike Clifford who writes "It is a hatchling Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina . Nice photos... you can even see the egg tooth and "belly button" yolk sack. For more info, go to Turtles of Virginia. Judging from the egg tooth and yolk sack, it probably hatched within the last week or so. Most likely there are several more little brother and sister turtles nearby (they look alike at this age). If you want to keep him for a few days, you can use a cardboard box with some damp leaves and moss to hide under. For water, an overturned jar lid will do. Small earthworms are a favorite food, although it may not be hungry yet if just hatched". One mystery solved!

"Max"

   
   

Zack named him "Max" after one of his favorite TV characters - Max from the Max and Ruby Show.

Our first turtle

Zack and I were digging in the garden by the side of the driveway this afternoon. We were transplanting some Mums when I noticed something moving beneath the surface. A closer look and I realized it was a very tiny turtle. We picked him (?) up and put him in a little box with some water, plants and dirt while we finished and then we went inside in search of information.