Ornate Box Turtle
Other Names: Western Box TurtleScientific Name: Terrapene ornata
Family: Emydidae
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Description & Size
- Rounded top shell (carapace)
- Have a single hinge on the shell underneath the animal (plastron)
- Shell length: 10.0-15.4 cm (3.9-6.1 in)
- Carapace and plastron have bright yellow markings
- Base color: Carapace and plastron are brown to black in color
- Males: have red irises and may have red on the forelimbs
Habitat
- Short, mixed, and tallgrass prairies
- Sandy and loamy soils
- Self-constructed or small mammal burrows
Diet
- Omnivorous
- Succulent plants
- Arthropods (primarily dung beetles)
- Worms
- Small vertebrates
Life History
- Diurnal
- Active season: April – October
- Breeding season: May – September
- Lays eggs
- 2-8 eggs per female
Additional Information
- Nebraska’s only terrestrial native turtle