# Mother Nature's oddities (Eastern box Turtles mating)



## Hntr130 (Oct 11, 2006)

I have been hunting since I was 3 or 4 years old and have a profession that keeps me in the woods and I have never seen the beauty of two Eastern box Turtles mating.  I took some pictures that some (Like my wife) think is wrong, but I can see the beauty.  I was the first time I have ever seen this and had to capture the memories.  I took the pics and moved on letting them have their peace.

Happy Huntin'


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## rip18 (Oct 11, 2006)

Pretty cool!  Thanks for sharing!


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## Nugefan (Oct 11, 2006)

looks like ya made the ole' girl blush .....   

cool pix .....


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## the HEED! (Oct 11, 2006)

carrying on the species


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## Sugar Hill Scouter (Oct 11, 2006)

Hntr130 said:


> I took the pics and moved on letting them have their peace.
> 
> Happy Huntin'



No pun intended, right ??


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## Bulldawg76 (Oct 11, 2006)

*Hmmmmm.................turtle pron.*

rare to see I imagine.


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## matthewsman (Oct 11, 2006)

*are you sure that's what they are doing?*

Turtles are notorious pranksters and they may have been engaging a raucous game of leapfrog to trick you.....

Good picyure..Turtle porn


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## Sugar Hill Scouter (Oct 11, 2006)

Bulldawg76 said:


> rare to see I imagine.



I was wondering what turtle pron was....


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## Sugar Hill Scouter (Oct 11, 2006)

matthewsman said:


> Turtles are notorious pranksters and they may have been engaging a raucous game of leapfrog to trick you.....
> 
> Good picyure..Turtle porn



Now, whats a picyure ???  
(I know, the y key is right beside the t key)
Just funnin' with 'ya...


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## Bulldawg76 (Oct 11, 2006)

*I didn't want to draw the ire of the Mods............*

so pron it was................


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## leo (Oct 12, 2006)

*Neat pics Hntr130*

I too have came up on that in the woods, not very often, but once or twice.  

I don't have a problem with you sharing the pics, as long as it's done in good taste. I did add  "Eastern box Turtles mating" to your thread title so if anyone doesn't want to view it they are warned.
As long as some of our more "immature members" can restrain themselves we shouldn't have an issue with the thread.


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## Sixes (Oct 13, 2006)

Great pics!

I saw something similar a week or so ago, while walking to my stand I came across two box turtles about five feet apart, didn`t think much about, climbed up my tree and about a half hour later, I saw another box turtle headed up the same trail. It dawned on me that the turtle rut must be full swing.


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## striper commander (Oct 13, 2006)

I walked up on two like that monday. It was the first time i have saw them mating.


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## Phillip Thurmond (Oct 13, 2006)

Oh my gosh Leo I can't believe anyone would be offended by those photos.  If they are they have a problem and need help ASAP! 

Ok on to my question, Turtles move very slow.  How do they ever find each other to ever mate?  I have never seen two of them together.  My guess would be the female gives off some type of sent but think about this she is laying down sent just like a deer does and the male comes accross it.  by the time he can walk to where she is its to late?  Just wondering I still can't believe you got that on film!  I always wondered how they did it!  Now was the female always in her shell or did she go in when you came up?


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## matthewsman (Oct 13, 2006)

*A lot of people have questions about this*



Phillip Thurmond said:


> Oh my gosh Leo I can't believe anyone would be offended by those photos.  If they are they have a problem and need help ASAP!
> 
> Ok on to my question, Turtles move very slow.  How do they ever find each other to ever mate?  I have never seen two of them together.  My guess would be the female gives off some type of sent but think about this she is laying down sent just like a deer does and the male comes accross it.  by the time he can walk to where she is its to late?  Just wondering I still can't believe you got that on film!  I always wondered how they did it!  Now was the female always in her shell or did she go in when you came up?



It is not widely known by many,but turtles go through a rut every year,just like deer....The solo turtles you have seen so many of this time of the year are adult males either chasing or going outside their home range/security cover in search of females.Often times if you go 75-100 yd further you'll find another turtle, if you look close enough.This is the estrous female turtle...They also communicate with vocalizations,though I haven't been able to digitilize any that will work on a downloadable format......They will also make"scrapes" on hard surfaces like paved roads,and you will often times see them refreshing the tarmac after a rain..Males will also battle ferociously for females and the impact of their shells clashing  can be heard from several inches away.....Turtles are attracted to female turtles with large rear feet.This is natures way of insuring they breed good egg burying females....Hope this clarifies for you.....


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## Hntr130 (Oct 13, 2006)

The female was in her shell when i walked up.  I am notreally wure how the females attract the males. I am pretty sure that she probably puts off some type of scent.  

And for those that don't know how to tell the sex of a box turtle, the males have an indentation in the bottom of their shell.  So next time you see a box turtle. pick it up and if it has an indentation in the bottom of the shell then you have found "The Man."  Just a little gee wiz information.  

The indentation allows the male to get close for mating.  Anyway just a few things I learned in college.

Happy Huntin'


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## Hntr130 (Oct 13, 2006)

Sugar Hill Scouter said:


> No pun intended, right ??



Correct no pun intended!!!!!!


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