Godtfred E. Box in NJ Turtle Eastern Box Toms River, NJ

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE CONTACTING MATTS OR requesting an application. Many of your questions will be answered below. Box turtles ARE legal in NJ so long as you have proof you didn't take it from the wild. NJ requires a permit to keep most turtles and all tortoises. Our adoption contract serves as a receipt to get a NJ permit after adoption from https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/exotic_apps.htm

I have a home lined up, HOWEVER, MATTS can ship to NJ for about $45 when temperatures allow, to a home or business address or held at your local main FedEx office for delivery on a WEDNESDAY or THURSDAY, and we have more male eastern box turtles for adoption as well as a couple of juveniles.

I'm a young adult captive bred male eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) who is for adoption in south eastern NJ. I'm 5-6" long and probably 10-20 years old. I could live another 20-80 years. I'm for adoption because my family and I had to leave our home when plans changed for a school atrium (I hatched in the enclosed outdoor atrium but no one kept records, so no one knows how old I really am).

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 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 or e-mail matts_adoptions@hotmail.com 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 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 in some pet stores or on-line. To find instructions for a simple backyard box turtle enclosure, visit http://www.billsboxturtles.com

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, so it's probably best if I'm a single turtle unless you have a huge backyard enclosure.

There's a $40 adoption fee. Local adopters pick up by appointment in southern NJ. 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. No shipping! Pick-up only. If you aren't local to Godtfred, MATTS probably has another turtle available on Petfinder that could be shipped when temperatures allow.

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.
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.
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 over 100 animals a year.
Thank you!