The three-toed box turtle is a subspecies of the Carolina box turtle from the United States. The origin of its name is mainly because it has only three fingers, and when it is in danger of shrinking in the turtle shell, it looks like a sealed box from the outside. The number of three-toed box turtles is relatively small, and it has been listed as a Class 2 protected aquatic wildlife. So many people don't know much about the three-toed box turtle. Today, I will tell you about it!

I. Basic information

Chinese name: three-toed box turtle 

Latin name: Terrapene carolina triunguis

Subspecies: Carolina box turtle subspecies

Distribution area: America 

Origin: America 

English name: Terrapene carolina triunguis 

Second, physical characteristics

The three-toed box turtle is a relatively small type of turtle, and its main feature is that it only has three toes. The carapace of young tortoises generally has a distribution of dotted patterns, but some individuals may have the phenomenon of fading of the dotted patterns. The pattern on the tortoise shell of the adult three-toed box turtle will fade, and it will appear brown or olive green. It does not look particularly attractive, but the head and feet will show different colors, such as white, red, orange, etc. And the color is bright and very attractive.

III. Living habits

1. Place of residence: Three-toed box turtles live on land and cannot live in water for a long time;

2. Ambient temperature: The three-toed box turtle does not have very high requirements on the ambient temperature. Under normal circumstances, the temperature is around 22°C, it can crawl freely and move frequently, and it will take the initiative to eat; when the temperature is below 20°C, it will stop eating. Those who are weaker may also suffer from enteritis; when the temperature is below 15 ℃, they will enter a state of hibernation, and as the temperature gradually decreases, they will slowly enter a deep hibernation;

3. Dietary requirements : The three-toed box turtle is an omnivorous animal. It eats pork, fish, shrimp, vegetable leaves, cucumbers, bananas, etc. It also eats some insects when there is no food.

4. Breeding method

The three-toed box turtle is an oviparous animal. The breeding period is from May to July every year. Each time it lays 2-7 eggs, and the egg length and diameter are 24 -40mm, short diameter 19-23mm, lays 3-5 eggs per litter, the incubation period is 75-90 days, when about to give birth, the female turtle will burrow to lay eggs.

V. Protection level

The three-toed box turtle has been listed as a CITES II protected animal and a 2-level protected aquatic wildlife, and there are corresponding localities in the United States. protection law. In order to ensure its population, many places have banned the capture and commercial trading of three-toed box turtles.

Okay, the above is a popular science article about the three-toed box turtle. If you want to know more about it, you can continue to pay attention to this site!