Casper E Box Turtle Eastern Box Baltimore, MD

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE CONTACTING MATTS OR requesting an application. Many of your questions will be answered below. A picture will be coming soon.

I'm an adult male eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) for adoption in the Baltimore, MD, area. I'm about 5" long and probably 10-30 years old. I could live another 10-70 years. I've been a pet but no one knows where I came from because I came from animal control. I could live outside all year starting at the end of May, or I can live indoors, or indoors in winter and outside in the warmer weather.

For my indoor winter pen, or if I'm indoors permanently, a "turtle table" would be a good home, and it should at least 8 square feet of space, along with a substrate (bedding) such as aged hardwood bark mulch, a water pan, artificial plants for hiding, and a heat light and UVB light over one end. Visit matts-turtles.org to see ideas for temporary housing. This link shows you how to make an inexpensive indoor habitat from a book case. http://nebula.wsimg.com/53c57892d611153a60ef8bde1be11925?AccessKeyId=A3E784782F81D21389AD&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

A backyard pen should be screened in completely to keep out rats and raccoons. It should have lots of room for exploring and digging and soaking in a water pan or a shallow pond designed just for box turtles.

To learn more about box turtles, visit http://www.boxturtlesite.org/ or pick up a copy of Box Turtles by Tess Cook, available on-line.

I am eating the diet recommended here, but my foster family uses Mazuri or Zoo Med Growth Formula aquatic turtle food as the base of the diet (always soaked in water until soft, of course): http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/
I love earthworms, boiled egg, strawberries, and plain baked sweet potato, but I need variety in my diet to stay healthy.

Keep in mind that males may harass lone females to the point of illness or death, and will likely fight with other males unless you have a VERY large enclosure with lots of visual barriers and hide spots. Even so, I was rude to other turtles in this type of environment, so really, I should be the only turtle in an enclosure.

There's a $35 adoption fee. Local adopters pick up by appointment in Baltimore, Timonium, or Parkton, MD. Our turtles come with a no sale/no trade adoption contract, and the edge of the shell is notched for easy visual ID.

TO REQUEST AN APPLICATION, e-mail matts_adoptions@hotmail.com - make sure to indicate YOUR CITY AND STATE. Shipping is possible when temperatures allow for delivery (receipt) on a Wednesday or Thursday. Shipping to NJ is about $45, but shipping could be $100 or more depending on your location.

I CANNOT be adopted to VA, GA, WV, PA, or most points north of PA on the eastern shore due to regulations in those states, although you can have a box turtle in CT. NY residents would need a special educational permit from the DEC to keep a box turtle. Residents of NJ, IN, and OH require a permit for EBTs. Maryland residents may require a permit IF they already have an eastern box turtle. If I'm your only eastern box turtle, then you don't need a permit in Maryland. You can adopt me in NJ, OH, and MD before getting your permit. Ohio requires that eastern box turtles are microchipped.
In NJ, since our adoption contract serves as a receipt, visit https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/exotic_apps.htm
For MD (only if you will have more than one eastern box turtle), visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/Licenses/captive.aspx

Like turtles but can't have one? Want to help?
1) You can share my profile on social media and share www.matts-turtles.org so people can take better care of their turtles and help wild turtles stay wild.
2) MATTS has educational fliers (photos) to share on social media if you email matts_adoptions@hotmail.com to request them or visit https://www.facebook.com/MATTSTurtles/ or https://www.instagram.com/mattsturtlesandtortoises/
3) Share our "Monster You Made" video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_935eZl84k on social media.
4) MATTS also accepts tax-deductible donations at MATTS, P.O. Box 341, Highland, MD 20777, or through PayPal or credit card using the yellow Donate tab at http://www.matts-turtles.org/support.html

Rescue is funded by donations only, and we find homes for about 100 animals a year.
Thank you!