Species: Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Intake Date: February 10, 2017
Hazel is our resident Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). She was brought into the clinic on February 10, 2017. She had been taken from the wild as a baby and received insufficient lighting and diet for nearly two years. This resulted in a bacterial infection in her toes and nutritional deficiencies. She was surrendered to the clinic when her front toes began falling off. After two months of intense treatment, appropriate lighting, and a balanced diet her condition improved. Due to her habituation to humans, unknown origination, and missing toes that could inhibit proper burrowing, Hazel was accepted into the ambassador program. She makes a great addition to our program as our only native reptile because she will help spread reptile education and awareness out to the public, which will transmit respect for local wild reptiles in Illinois. Additionally, she will help raise public awareness about the dangers of “adopting” wild animals.
Fun Facts
Eastern Box Turtles get their name because they can fully close their shelling, creating a box-like shape. Males often have red-orange irises, whereas females often have brown or hazel colored eyes.